Shanghai rolls out special culture and tourism pass

A cultural and tourism "e-passport" covering accommodation, food, tourist attractions, tour itineraries and shopping was launched on Thursday as part of the city's efforts to revitalize a market badly hit by the coronavirus epidemic.

The e-passport offers discount coupons, reward points and sales promotions, and it covers more than 100 cultural and tourism products of over 200 businesses, the Shanghai Culture and Tourism Administration said.

Included are discounted packages to international hotels, a single pass to select tourist attractions in the Pudong New Area such as Jin Mao Tower and Century Park, a Shanghai City Pass, a one- or two-day Shanghai city tourism pass, Yangtze River Delta region annual tourism pass, delicacies from time-honored and trendy restaurants at discounted prices, short-distance tour packages in Shanghai, and coupons at shopping malls, the administration said.

It also allows one-click reservation for visits to more than 140 cultural and tourism venues across the city, the administration said.

The passport aims to connect online and offline channels, recommend quality cultural and tourism products, offer Shanghai specialties at favorable prices to residents and tourists, and help revitalize the market, the administration said.

The passport can be obtained via Visit Shanghai (游上海), an app giving tourists access to Shanghai's latest cultural, tourism and hospitality resources.

The app has information on culture, tourism, food, shopping, traffic and sports, and it uses 5G, virtual reality and augmented reality to display tourist attractions, food and transport in the city.

"Safety guarantee plans covering more than 100 tourist attractions and about 6,000 hotels in the city will be released to eliminate concerns of residents and tourists, and tour events with different themes such as shopping, delicacy, health, night tourism, art, and MICE will be launched gradually," said Cheng Meihong, deputy director of the administration.

A variety of events are on the agenda to boost the city's cultural and tourism market.

On May 19, China Tourism Day, the administration will launch a number of cultural and tourism routes online.

Shanghai-based travel agencies are offering tour options including city walks, sightseeing bus trips, flower appreciation, hiking and spring outings, the administration said.

Hotels, shopping malls and restaurants in the city will also offer discounts and host lucky draws to boost consumption, the administration said.

"We hope more cultural and tourism businesses can share their quality resources and join in the city's revitalization plan," said Cheng.