Shanghai basks in glow of surging May Day holiday tourism
A blooming scene at Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai during the five-day May Day holiday.
Shanghai witnessed a booming tourism market during the five-day May Day holiday, which concluded on Sunday, and was the most popular domestic tourist destination for inbound travelers.
The city recorded 16.2394 million visits by tourists during the holiday, up 3.77 percent from the same period last year, according to the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism.
Major local tourist attractions had 7.32 million visits, growing 15 percent from the same period a year earlier, while 147 museums received 825,700 visits, an increase of 38.4 percent.
Sixty-four art galleries across the city welcomed 251,900 visits, soaring 48.7 percent, while the Bund, Yuyuan Garden and central Lujiazui scenic areas had a combined 5.4672 million visits, up 0.29 percent.
Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park welcomes big crowds.
A total of 820 performances were staged during the holiday, drawing 780,000 audiences.
During the five days, the city presented a cultural feast with about 200 exhibitions and more than 1,000 activities at cultural venues, attracting a large number of travelers from home and abroad, the administration said.
Heavyweight exhibitions include "Stars Over China: The Ancient Shu Civilization of Sanxingdui and Jinsha" at Shanghai Museum's East Branch and "Pictures of China: Artworks by Lin Fengmian and Wu Guanzhong" at China Art Museum.
Moreover, a slew of activities such as the Longhua Temple Fair, Jinshan City Beach International Fireworks Show, and the 2024 Jing'an Music Festival were held during the Labor Day hiatus, with a number of sports events, including equestrian's Longines Global Champions Tour, also proving popular.
A group of inbound travelers visit the Shanghai Longhua Temple Fair.
Based on statistics from China's global travel service provider Trip.com, Shanghai was the most popular domestic tourist destination for inbound travelers during the holiday, with orders surging 126 percent from the same period last year.
China's visa-free policy for passport holders of some countries was one of the reasons, it said.
Krummer Michael, from Germany, visited the North Bund and the Longhua Temple Fair on Saturday.
"Shanghai is a very beautiful city, and it's very green," he told Shanghai Daily.
"I like the art style and traditions here as well as its nightlife. The most beautiful thing about Shanghai is the skyline at night. I have come here to learn about the traditions of China."
Another online travel operator Tongcheng Travel said that Shanghai topped the list of popular inbound domestic tourist destinations based on its inbound air ticket bookings, and the city was an appealing destination for inbound travelers.
Shanghai was among the top three popular holiday destinations, with Shanghai Wild Animal Park and Shanghai Museum popular attractions, according to travel review website Mafengwo.
Big crowds at Panlong Tiandi
A holiday scene of Zhujiajiao watertown
A celebration at Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park
An interaction at Shanghai Daguanyuan (Grandview Garden)
