(Yicai) Feb. 17 -- Shanghai will host a summer tourism-boosting initiative of major performances and sports events again this year from early July into October, the deputy director of the city’s commerce authority said.

This year’s Shanghai Summer International Consumption Season will feature new events, including Lego World Play Day, the International Animation and Game Carnival Month, and the 2025 World Rowing Championships, Liu Min said at a press conference on Feb. 14.

Some main events, such as the Second Shanghai International Electronic Music Festival, the Second Shanghai International Light Festival, and the Shanghai Tourism Festival, will also get an upgrade, he noted.

The eastern Chinese city will go on improving the consumption environment for overseas tourists, Liu pointed out.

Moreover, to enhance tourists’ experience during Shanghai Summer, the city will release special products, including the Shanghai Pass for International Tourists, Explore the Yangtze River Delta Region on Rail Tracks, which will connect Shanghai with Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces, and Weekend Gateways for Short-Haul Travelers, tailored for visitors from neighboring countries like Japan, Singapore, and South Korea.

During last year’s Shanghai Summer, the city attracted over 1.38 million foreign tourists, up 42 percent from a year earlier. Their spending with overseas bank cards surged 68 percent in the period.

Throughout 2024, more than six million overseas tourists visited Shanghai, as the eastern city’s popularity has surged since China implemented its visa-free policy in November 2023, according to the latest data released by Liu.

China has established mutual visa-free agreements with 26 countries and implemented unilateral visa-free policies for 38 countries, while 54 countries enjoy transit visa-free policies. Last December, China extended the transit visa-free stay period from 72 or 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days) and increased the number of ports of entry for transit visa-free travelers to 60.

Liu also said at the press conference that over 210,000 international visitors have received consultation and other services at the three one-stop comprehensive service centers Shanghai set up at its two international airports since they opened.

Editor: Futura Costaglione