Supportive measures fuel increase in Shanghai's inbound foreign visitor arrivals

Shanghai recorded 21.13 million inbound and outbound trips in the first half of the year, including nearly 3.17 million inbound foreign visitor arrivals, up 22 percent year-on-year, the city's border inspection authorities announced recently.

The city has stepped up efforts to integrate its culture, commerce, tourism, sports and exhibition sectors, helping make it one of the most attractive destinations for foreign travelers entering China. Meanwhile, the country's expanded visa-free policies have continued to drive growth in inbound tourism since the beginning of the year.

In the first half of 2026, about 2.05 million foreign travelers entered Shanghai under the visa-free policy or the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, accounting for more than 60 percent of all inbound foreign arrivals, according to authorities.

During this period, border inspection authorities also inspected 146,000 inbound and outbound vehicles, vessels, trains and aircraft.

A total of 22,000 international vessels entered or departed the city's ports, while authorities facilitated crew changes for more than 25,000 seafarers, helping ensure smooth cross-border shipping and stable foreign trade and supply chains.

Shanghai's cruise ports were also bustling during this period, with border inspection authorities processing 744,000 inbound and outbound cruise passengers.

The country's first pilot "destination-free cruise" route was officially launched in Shanghai on June 6 and quickly emerged as a new growth driver for the cruise industry.

A representative of the Pujiang border inspection station said the station introduced a series of measures to reduce customs clearance times and improve departure efficiency on the pilot route, including pre-departure inspections, advance registration, arrival-based passenger classification and fast-track lanes.

As China continues to welcome more international visitors, an increasing number of foreign travelers are exploring every corner of Shanghai, seeking experiences ranging from popular attractions to niche destinations.

In early February, Frans-Jan van Meer, a 50-year-old supply chain manager from the Netherlands, was busy picking out what he described as "more Chinese and exotic" Labubu blind boxes at the Bund Finance Center as gifts for his children back home.

An increasing number of foreign visitors flock to the landmark Yuyuan area to shop for gold jewelry and ornaments featuring traditional Chinese motifs such as dragons, phoenixes, zodiac animals and bamboo.

Others head to the South Bund Soft-Spinning Material Market for custom-made clothing in both Western and Chinese styles, attracted by the market's fast turnaround times, competitive prices and high-quality craftsmanship.

Charles Wilders, an English teacher from the United Kingdom, told China Daily, "In the UK, it's very expensive to get suits made, particularly on Savile Row. Whereas here, it's more affordable for really, really great quality."

"It's not only about the price. It's actually the design and fit," added Jan Schutte, a German professor at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, who said the market is the "first place" he recommends to friends visiting Shanghai.

He Qi contributed to this story.

wangxin2@chinadaily.com.cn