Join the Family Fun as Shanghai Summer Kicks Off

The Shanghai Summer International Consumption Season, a three-month push to boost tourism and spending during the peak travel period, kicked off over the weekend.

Held under the theme "Shanghai Summer, Join the Family Fun," it features six themed sections covering sports, urban exploration, museums, music, entertainment and leisure.

A total of 11 benchmark events, including the Rolex Shanghai Masters tennis tournament, FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) Shanghai, the Shanghai International Light Festival, Shanghai Museum's flagship exhibition "On Top of the World Tree: Ancient Civilizations of the Americas" and the 17th Music in the Summer Air festival, will be rolled out in the coming months.

Shanghai will continue to optimize consumption scenarios and has been encouraging new retail formats that combine shopping with leisure activities, entertainment and exhibitions.

Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng said at the launch ceremony that the city is committed to becoming a world-class consumption destination with new service models and retail formats.

Yuan Xiaoming, China's assistant minister of commerce, said the Shanghai Summer campaign is expected to serve as a benchmark and offer exemplary ideas to offer a combined shopping experience and showcase its open and inclusive spirit.

China UnionPay is offering inbound visitors a one-stop digital service experience through the Nihao China app as well as an upgraded "Shanghai Summer" themed card.

In addition, the "Shanghai Pass + Easy Go" travel package and an NFC-enabled overseas digital card have been unveiled for inbound visitors.

Nicolas Willemot, global head of consulting firm Bain's Consumer Products practice, spoke highly of Shanghai's speed of innovation and the combination of rich heritage and new retail formats.

"Shanghai's uniqueness lies in the level of innovation and speed that goes with the integration of online and offline retail channels, and it's fantastic to see in the way that some of the heritage gets amplified," he noted.

The Shanghai MovePARK event that combines athletic activities with shopping, dining and social experience is being staged at the shikumen-style Zhangyuan Garden through July 19.

Around two dozens brands, including Jin Jiang International, Visa, Yonex and Bright Dairy, are participating in the event, which kicked off on Saturday, with pop-up shops offering exclusive limited-edition products.

Jin Jiang Rewards, the loyalty program for Jin Jiang International, has unveiled pre-sale vouchers and extended-stay benefits for foreign and local guests, which will be eligible at over 200 hotels in Shanghai and more than 1,600 locations in provinces such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi through mid-October.

Combo packages are available that include Disney Resort tickets and international cuisines or museum entry tickets.

Overseas guests can also enjoy additional benefits through its tailored Shanghai Gourmet Passport in conjunction with the Shanghai Pass prepaid card.

For animation lovers, the Summer Fantasy Night is running through August 23 at the Yuyuan Garden Malls and the Bund Finance Center, offering immersive experiences for global ACGN (anime, comics, games and novels) fans of popular titles such as "The Legend of Luo Xiaohei," "Heaven Official's Blessing," "A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality" and "Link Click."