As China continuously expands its visa-free policies, an increasing number of overseas visitors are heading to Shanghai — an international metropolis known for its modern civilization, diverse culture, robust economy, and fashion.

Wang Zheng, executive director of Shanghai Jinjiang International Travel Co Ltd, has noticed that German and French-speaking foreign tourists can frequently be heard on the city’s streets.

He stated that some overseas travel agencies focusing on the Chinese market have seen a doubling in the number of inbound tourists this year, with many groups of 30 to 40 people having split from larger groups of 100, a scale that was relatively uncommon in the past.

"Currently, we hold a 60 percent share of the German-language inbound tourism market in China, with customer sources mainly including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and other places."

Zheng Xueda, general manager of the inbound department of Spring Tour, a travel company in Shanghai, said that in addition to the German-speaking tourism market, Spain has experienced a faster rebound in the number of tourists traveling to China than any other European country. "The Spanish market began to surge after September this year, and the group volume has been fully booked until mid-November."

In December last year, China implemented a visa-free policy for six countries —France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. Earlier this month, the country's visa-free policy extended for citizens holding ordinary passports from nine countries including Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland, bringing the total number of countries under China's visa-free policy to nearly 30 in the past two years.

Data from the National Immigration Administration show that in the first three quarters of this year, there were 22.82 million foreign visitors at various ports nationwide, with 8.19 million foreign visitors in the third quarter, and 4.89 million visa-free tourists, a 78.6 percent increase year-on-year.

Shanghai, committed to becoming the first stop for inbound tourism in China, leads the country in the recovery rate of inbound tourism. From January to August, Shanghai received 4.03 million inbound visitors, a 10 percent increase over the same period last year.

Now, Shanghai's markets, city walking routes, various performances, exhibitions, and culinary experiences are attracting more and more tourists.

Wei Ying, a bilingual tour guide, said when receiving tour groups, she not only takes them to classic spots such as the Bund and Yuyuan Garden, but also walks with tourists through places including Sinan Mansions, the Peace Hotel, the HSBC Building, introducing the architecture and stories of old Shanghai.

"In the eyes of foreign tourists, the rapid changes are part of the charm of China and Shanghai," said Zheng at Spring Tour, adding that among relatively nearby countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, the preferences of foreign tourists are becoming increasingly similar to Chinese tourists.

For instance, they love Shanghai Disneyland, Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park, and other theme parks. They also enjoy exploring the rich entertainment on offer in the city at places such as the Shanghai Grand Theatre and Shanghai Concert Hall.

The convenience of visa-free measures has also attracted a group of young independent travelers to China.

According to Sun Bowen, general manager of Ctrip's inbound tourism, the increasing proportion of independent travelers benefits from China's increasingly sophisticated transportation infrastructure network. "After entering China, inbound tourists find it quite convenient to travel by high-speed rail or rent a car."

"At present, tourism companies need to introduce more targeted products, including inviting overseas counterparts to China for inspections to help them better understand China's tourism offerings and further restore confidence in the Chinese tourism market," he said.

Source: Shanghai Observer