Shanghai welcomes record international visitors

​Two young women wear hanfu, traditional Chinese attire, for a vintage-style photoshoot at Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden. [Photo/IC]

Shanghai welcomed a historic high of more than 27,000 international visitors in a single day on March 13.

The surge in visitors can be partly attributed to China's expanded visa-free policies, which have recently been extended to citizens of Canada and the United Kingdom.

More than 8,300 visitors from the two countries have entered China via Shanghai since the visa-free policy took effect about a month ago.

Shanghai ports have recorded 1.17 million foreign arrivals since the beginning of the year, an increase of 20 percent year-on-year. About 66.8 percent of the inbound foreign visitors entered the city under visa-free and 240-hour visa-free transit policies.

Shanghai's growing popularity as a destination for global events continues to drive inbound tourism.

The Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, which was held from March 13 to 15, attracted race fans from around the world.

The 2026 Appliance & Electronics World Expo, held from March 12 to 15, featured an exhibition zone within the Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone that allows visitors to enter and stay for 30 days without a Chinese visa.

The rebound of the cruise industry has also contributed to Shanghai's spring tourism boom.

Luxury cruise ships Seven Seas Explorer and Luminara have recently docked at the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, leading to a surge in port visits.