Shanghai to boost services for int'l tourists

City's advisers propose to increase multilingual options, digital guides

Political advisers in Shanghai have proposed comprehensive measures to enhance the city's appeal as a gateway destination for inbound tourists, including improved multilingual services and digital public offerings.

The proposals, aimed at building Shanghai into a high-level open gateway city, were submitted during the annual sessions of the city's legislative and political advisory bodies, which concluded on Saturday.

Advisers suggested aligning the city's digital public services with international standards and introducing an official multilingual guide app. The app would offer information on Shanghai's urban history, architecture and culture to help international tourists deepen their understanding of the city.

China's expanded visa-free travel policies, including the recent extension of transit visa-free stays to 240 hours, have opened the door to more international visitors.

South Korean tourists' growing interest in Shanghai was a highlight of the sessions. Data from travel platform Trip.com showed that between Nov 8 and Dec 28 last year, orders from inbound tourists from South Korea to Shanghai increased more than 180 percent year-on-year.

In the Shanghai Municipal Government Work Report, Mayor Gong Zheng said the city aims to position itself as the top destination for inbound tourism, with internationally friendly tourism products and convenient services.

Gu Weiling, director of the Shanghai Putuo District Administration of Sport, proposed creating a citywide action plan to optimize bilingual and multilingual services in all tourism-related sectors. The plan would include unified translation standards and consistent foreign language signage in public venues.

"Shanghai must also upgrade its tourism information service centers to benchmark against world-famous tourist cities," Gu said. She emphasized the need for information to be available in at least four languages, both in print and interactive digital formats.

Gu also recommended special reservation channels for expatriates on scenic spots' online booking systems, allowing passport numbers for registration. Additionally, she proposed offline ticket purchase channels that accept cash and support foreign bank card payments.

A collective proposal from some members of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference suggested leveraging artificial intelligence-powered digital guide tools to meet tourists' diverse needs. Such tools are already widely used in cities such as New York, London, Paris and Tokyo, they noted.

"Currently, the lack of multilingual audio guides or functional QR codes at scenic spots makes it difficult for international tourists to fully experience Shanghai's culture," the proposal said.

"While Shanghai is popular among South Korean tourists, their visits are often limited to traditional attractions, food and shopping. Even those interested in the city's history and aesthetics struggle to find information," it added.

Another proposal called for addressing challenges in inbound tourism, such as registering for local ride-hailing apps, using mobile payment systems, and improving multilingual services. Political adviser Yan Jiehong suggested that the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office take the lead in developing systematic solutions to enhance digital experiences for tourists.

To address immediate needs upon arrival, Shanghai last year launched a one-stop service center at Pudong International Airport, offering Wi-Fi device rentals, SIM card and transportation card sales and foreign currency exchange.