Consumer council suggests ideas to boost inbound tourism

The Shanghai Consumer Council put forth several ideas on Monday to boost Shanghai's inbound tourism business, including ones about travel routes, payment methods and aircraft.

Between August and December, the Shanghai-based online travel company Trip.com collaborated with the council to research the development of inbound travel to the city.

Based on interviews with consumers and tourism companies, expert talks, and data analysis, the council submitted the ideas to relevant authorities.

The proposal was to make the city a major hub for international flight transit by increasing the number of transfer flights and implementing more convenient inbound policies.

For inbound tourists, it was also proposed that the city implement a self-service system to improve the convenience of their entry procedures.

The council also recommended that the city introduce a single-card service that would combine transportation, foreign exchange, and payment for purchases at hotels as well as foreign exchange spots at airports. The service would also be integrated with Alipay and WeChat Pay.

In addition, the council recommended creating routes with Shanghai features that highlight the city's industrial tourism, architecture, and haipai (Shanghai-style) culture. These routes would also provide inbound passengers with one-stop shopping, entertainment, and tourism services.

The proposal suggests that the authorities release regulations that offer incentives and subsidies to travel agents to develop appropriate products and collaborating with tourist businesses to intensify marketing efforts for inbound vacation locations.

The council stated that despite the rapid recovery of China's domestic tourist sector last year, significant challenges still face the inbound tourism market's development.