The 35th Shanghai Tourism Festival Celebrates Local and International Cultures

International

The 35th Shanghai Tourism Festival ("the Festival") officially kicked off on September 14 with live performances and a grand parade on the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall, where Olympic athletes and artists from both home and abroad celebrated local and international cultures.

The Festival, running through October 6, is designed to create unforgettable experiences and a unique journey for both local residents and international travelers. The opening ceremony featured a vibrant display of cultural diversity with 25 performance teams from Asia, Europe, America, and Oceania, each participating on one of 25 dazzling floats. Adding to the spectacle, Olympic athletes from Shanghai, including Paris 2024 competitor Tan Haiyang, joined forces with singers and dancers to deliver the opening show titled "Igniting, Joyful City."

Staging 100 events, showcasing 1,000 products and witnessing the participation of 10,000 businesses, the Festival, themed "Visiting Shanghai", is hosting a wide variety of events such as "Sleepless Nights of Fun," "Waterfront Adventures," "Urban Charm" as well as exhibitions for people to explore diverse cultural landscapes, such as the "Great Art of Dunhuang" and "Exhibition On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt."

Each district in Shanghai is embracing a unique theme, such as an ancient town exploration, waterway tours, and food festivals, to highlight the city's rich cultural diversity. Additionally, double-deck sightseeing bus tours are enhancing their offerings with the "Eternal Notre-Dame" VR digital immersion exhibition, providing a deeply immersive experience. Furthermore, seven specially themed CityWalk events will be organized, each designed to showcase unique aspects of Shanghai's vibrant urban culture.

Special promotions and offers have been launched for the Festival, including half-price tickets at 62 attractions, limited-time exclusive discounts to "The Great Art of Dunhuang" exhibition by Chunqiu Tourism, a half-price discount for the "Pude Light City" float by SAGA, and more.

In addition, Trip.com has upgraded the route of the free half-day tour for international inbound customers and joined hands with more than 200 brands from 20 countries worldwide to bring special offers of hotel, airport and top attraction tickets. While Greenland Group is collaborating with Expedia to launch exclusive privileges including free tickets to the exhibition.

More than 20 new stories are opening at the Global Harbor mall during the Festival, and Jiushi Tourism will launch a series of sports and travel offers in conjunction with the 2024 Shanghai Rolex Masters.

"Over the years, the Festival has grown into a symbol of Shanghai and established the city as a world-famous tourist destination and window for travelers from around the world to experience Shanghai's beautiful landscapes, delicious foods and specialties, and learn about China and its profound cultural heritages," said Cheng Meihong, Deputy Director General of Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism.