SHANGHAI, Feb. 26, 2026 — Over the nine-day Spring Festival holiday in the Year of the Horse, Shanghai rolled out more than 2,570 distinctive cultural and tourism activities to boost travel to the dynamic city, driving a robust upsurge in Spring Festival cultural and tourism consumption as both visitor numbers and spending in the cultural and tourism market registered steady growth.
Data from the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism reveals that the city welcomed a total of 21,672,100 tourist arrivals, marking an 8.36% year-on-year increase. Total tourism consumption reached 25.614 billion yuan, surging 20.90% compared to the previous year.
The average occupancy rate of local hotels and guesthouses climbed to 50.60%, up 3.10 percentage points from the prior year.
The promotional campaign harnessed the results of the first high-level competition to showcase Shanghai’s tourism and integrated the city’s cultural, tourism, commerce, sports, and exhibition resources.
Product innovation and transformation powered the development of Shanghai’s Spring Festival cultural and tourism sector this year, fostering a new trend of celebrating the Chinese New Year in the city.
Shanghai’s cultural and tourism authorities introduced over 130 in-depth Spring Festival tour routes under three themes, which became top sellers on online travel agencies (OTAs) through live-stream sales on major platforms. Inbound tourists from niche markets such as Greece and Slovenia doubled, engaging in immersive experiences of the unique charm of Jiangnan and Shanghai culture.
Shanghai also developed premium intellectual properties (IPs) such as the themed tour routes. Through collaborative efforts across multiple departments, 353 themed activities were launched on the “Hu Xiaoyou” smart travel service platform. Meanwhile, science popularization and industrial tourism also gained momentum, making Shanghai the preferred destination for enjoying the Spring Festival away from one’s hometown.
Key cultural and commercial landmarks, including West Bund GATE M, Panlong Ancient Town, and Zhangyuan Garden, held Spring Festival fairs and garden parties, creating new urban Chinese New Year traditions. For the first time, Shanghai hosted large-scale concerts during the holiday, with performances by Richie Jen and Capper drawing numerous fans from across the country.
The fusion of Shanghai-style Chinese New Year ambiance and trendy Chinese cultural elements enhanced the festive folk atmosphere in the city. Focused on experiencing the vibe of daily life, Shanghai launched a city-wide lantern display campaign. The lantern shows at Yuyuan Garden and the Inlet lit up the city’s nights with dazzling light arrangements.
Intangible cultural heritage fairs and master chefs’ kitchens were set up in urban cultural and tourism complexes and suburban ancient towns. Some high-end hotels have integrated intangible cultural heritage into one-stop stays that combine accommodation, dining, and travel experiences. Local traditional delicacies such as Shanghai cuisine and Nanxiang steamed buns provided visitors with authentic Chinese New Year flavors.
Looking ahead, Shanghai will further integrate cultural and tourism resources, continue to pursue product innovation, promote the upgrading of cultural and tourism consumption, and enable more people to experience the hospitality and vitality of Shanghai’s cultural and tourism industry.
Source: Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism
CONTACT: Contact person: Ms. Zhu, Tel: 86-10-63074558
