Jing'an revels in May Day holiday tourism boom amid surging sales

Jing'an stole the show this May Day holiday, becoming one of Shanghai's top spots for both local residents and international travelers.

Between April 30 and May 4, the district's three major commercial zones – Nanjing Road W., Suhewan and Daning – welcomed more than 3 million visitors, according to data from its commerce commission.

Sales at 28 key retailers tracked during the period rose 20.53 percent year-on-year, with popular destinations like Jiuguang Department Store, Jing'an Joy City, Shanghai Suhewan MixC World and Jiuguang Center all recording double-digit sales growth, and some seeing record-high daily foot traffic.

These numbers reflect more than just a holiday shopping boom. They highlight the district's growing ability to integrate culture, tourism, business, sports and exhibitions, unlocking new energy for urban consumption and making Jing'an a dynamic engine for Shanghai's city life.

One of the standout events was the inaugural "Street Auto Lifestyle Festival," held from May 1-5 on Maoming Road N., a weekend-and-holiday-only pedestrian street, and the nearby historic Zhangyuan Garden.

The festival offered a striking blend of tradition and trend – where roaring supercars met the century-old bricks of historic shikumen (stone-gate) architecture. With curated car exhibitions, immersive camping setups inside Zhangyuan, and interactive experiences, the event drew crowds of locals and tourists alike.

As night fell, "Shining Shanghai: Light Up Jing'an" transformed the district into a glowing urban gallery. The light art festival, running nightly through May 11, illuminated Nanjing Road W. and Suhewan, drawing crowds with dazzling installations, art pop-ups and surprise musical performances.

At Jing'an Park, the centerpiece "Mirror Island" – a carousel-inspired structure with shifting lights – became a magnet for social media posts. Nearby, festivalgoers wandered through an interactive "Starlit Dreams" forest and played with giant glowing bubbles in a whimsical, open-air setting.

Down by Suzhou Creek, Suhewan's waterfront was revived as a shimmering "galaxy of art," where digital projections brought Chinese master painter Xu Beihong's iconic works to life on riverside walls.

The festival's impact was immediate and measurable. From May 1-11, Jing'ansi area attractions (Jing'an Park, Feng Sheng Li Jing'an Temple Square, Jiuguang pedestrian street) welcomed over 712,000 visitors, while Suhewan's riverfront platform saw over 90,000 visitors.

Combined, the Nanjing Road W., Suhewan and Daning commercial zones hosted 3.24 million visits, up 10.57 percent year-on-year. Total holiday spending across these areas reached 897 million yuan (US$124.52 million), marking a 4.49 percent increase from last year.

Retail also saw a strong boost. Suhewan recorded the sharpest surge in consumer spending, up 18.44 percent year-on-year, with Shanghai Suhewan MixC World welcoming over 100,000 visitors on May 1 alone, setting a new record.

The Jing'an Theater Festival lit up the district with performances that spilled beyond traditional venues – from theaters to malls to the streets – turning the city into one big open stage.

On May 11, the spotlight shifted to the International Family Theater Awards Ceremony at Jing'an Culture Center, a festival highlight that drew over 1,000 family entries from China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and beyond.

Through original short plays, participants brought to life how different cultures meet and mingle in everyday family life – a reflection of Jing'an's growing appeal as a stylish, international district.

A standout moment came from Yu Hua, a young man of Chinese and African heritage, who performed "We Are All Shanghainese." His play tells the story of a foreign student who wins over classmates by learning – and proudly showing off – his Shanghai dialect, offering a lighthearted yet touching take on cultural connection.

Cultural pop-ups and brand exhibitions also proved to be major crowd-pullers over the May Day holiday.

At Jing An Kerry Centre, the popular "100% Doraemon & Friends Tour" wrapped up during the break, with daily foot traffic jumping by around 25 percent. At Jing'an Joy City, themed pop-ups like "mofusand & Sanrio Characters" helped push visitor numbers to a record-breaking 131,000 on the first day alone, setting a new single-day high for the mall.

Thanks to favorable policies such as tax refunds for departing visitors and expanded visa-free access, tax refund orders in Jing'an surged 1.6 times year-on-year between May 1-4, with corresponding sales doubling over the same period.

The Shaanxi Road N., home to historic time-honored brands, has become a must-visit place for inbound tourists. During the holiday, the street's famed Jingdezhen porcelain shops saw a 38.7 percent rise in tourist sales. Meanwhile, RT-Mart's Pingxingguan Road store emerged as a surprise viral destination among inbound visitors, with foot traffic up 8.84 percent year-on-year.