Millions of tourists in town for Dragon Boat holiday

Shanghai took in 12.477 billion yuan (US$1.73 billion) in tourism-related spending during the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, a 3.3-percent year-on-year increase, according to the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism.

The city's hotels reported an average occupancy rate of 59 percent, up one percentage point compared to last year.

There were 6.48 million tourist visits during the holiday and there was a surge in cultural performances, with 447 shows staged, a 5.82-percent increase from the previous year, drawing a total audience of 379,000 visitors and generating around 103 million yuan in ticket sales, a year-on-year rise of 156.27 percent.

Shanghai was the most popular inbound tourist destination during the holiday, according to Trip.com, whose inbound travel orders for the festival increased by nearly 90 percent year-on-year.

Despite rainy weather, about 100 activities for tourists were held across the city during the holiday.

Folk culture and intangible heritage activities took center stage, the administration said.

Dragon boat races were held in various towns and parks, including Meilan Lake in Luodian, Shanghai Yuehu Sculpture Park, and Shanghai Oriental Green Land, along with lion dances and kite performances.

With boats dashing out like arrows, a dragon boat race was held in Yingpu Subdistrict of Qingpu District to celebrate the festival. As the wooden oars rose and fell, the boats left silver ripples on the water and spectators burst into deafening cheers.

The history of the annual dragon boat race in the subdistrict dates back to 2014 with more than 100,000 participants recorded so far.

"During training, we spent two hours each day honing our paddling rhythm," said a rower surnamed Jin. "In the last 50 meters, my palms were sweating, and this trophy belongs to all participants."

Shanghai's historic Zhangyuan Garden was transformed into a living fashion museum as the Haipai Qipao Festival opened, showcasing how China's iconic high-collared dress is being reinvented for contemporary tastes.

Designers from Shanghai's most prestigious studios unveiled collections that played with traditional qipao elements – delicate frog buttons, intricate embroidery, and sleek mandarin collars – reinterpreted through modern cuts and unusual fabrics. At a runway show, models strutted in qipaos crafted from neon technical fabrics alongside others made with century-old embroidery techniques.

Ancient towns such as Sijing and Zhujiajiao offered heritage-themed performances and riverside markets, while cultural parks and gardens hosted DIY rice dumpling workshops and hanfu (traditional Chinese attire) parades.

As the scent of zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) drifted over the rippling waters of Zhujiajiao Water Town during the festival, the prosperity of the Jiaoli Waterfront Market was revived.

At the Han-style Magic Night, people wandered along the old streets paved with blue stone slabs, listening to the gentle and delicate Kunqu Opera, watching the vigorous intangible cultural heritage chuanquan, a form of Chinese martial arts called boat boxing, and admiring the flower boat parades.

Visiting museums, appreciating art exhibitions, and enjoying concerts remained popular ways for residents and tourists to celebrate the festival, according to the administration.

"Precious Rarities: Ming and Qing Rhinoceros Horn Carvings" hosted by Shanghai Museum, and the largest exhibition of Chinese dinosaur fossils at the Shanghai Natural History Museum, which brings together 118 specimens and models from 12 top institutions nationwide, were popular options, the administration said.

Activities integrating culture, tourism, business, sports, and exhibitions were also held.

Legoland Shanghai Resort, currently in trial operation, partnered with neighboring cities to create new cultural tourism routes, while the "Half Marathon Suzhou Creek" lifestyle festival opened in Putuo District, igniting early summer vitality with an innovative "sports plus consumption" model.

Kerry Parkside joined forces with Cirque du Soleil to launch the "Carnival of X-citement," offering consumers a month-long extravaganza of performing arts and cultural experiences.

Featuring four spectacular shows and over 10 performances, the carnival blends acrobatics, magic, mime, and more, brought to life by a talented ensemble of performers from five countries.

The 2025 Formula E Shanghai E-Prix was held at Shanghai International Circuit in Anting Town of Jiading District during the holiday, and the collision of tradition and childlike fun sparked new vitality at Life Hub@Anting.

The dragon boat market was transformed into a tangible traditional culture lab featuring Suzhou-style sachets, Song Dynasty (960-1279) diancha (making finely ground powder from processed green tea) ceremonies, the intangible cultural heritage of lacquer fans, and China's 24 jieqi (solar terms) delicacies, rejuvenating millennium-old craftsmanship with a youthful touch.

Shanghai Disney Resort, Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park, Shanghai Museum and Shanghai L*SNOW Indoor Skiing Theme Resort were the most popular tourist attractions in Shanghai during the holiday, according to Trip.com.