Deputy calls for better services for foreign tourists
Shanghai should create an official inbound travel service platform and hold more Shanghai promotion events to boost international tours.
Zhou Weihong, a Shanghai People’s Congress deputy, said that there are gaps between international and inbound travel services.
“There are still many obstacles for foreign travelers in China, such as a lack of informative travel information platforms and a complicated ticketbuying process,” said Zhou, deputy general manager of Spring Tours.
Since learning about a destination is the first step in planning a trip, Zhou believes that Shanghai inbound tourism should establish a communication platform so that visitors from other countries can access it and become acquainted with tourism services.
She also pointed out that many domestic hotels do not serve guests from overseas and that bilingual menus are rarely found in restaurants. She therefore proposed that standardized language and service training be established for foreignrelated services.
It would be appropriate to introduce a list of lodging and dining establishments that welcome visitors from overseas.
“We should also carry out activities to promote Shanghai’s culture for foreigners who live and work in Shanghai so that they all become promoters of Shanghai’s image,” Zhou said.
By doing this, the marketing of Shanghai’s tourism will become more approachable and dynamic, encouraging and motivating foreign visitors to engage in joint activities.
She stressed the importance of the China International Travel Mart (CITM) and expressed her hope to fully utilize this platform by encouraging all exhibitors to visit Shanghai and connecting them with regional travel companies.
Authorities in charge of border inspections have reported that 3.56 million foreign visitors entered and exited the country through Shanghai airports in 2023 – a 19fold increase over 2022 – and made up around 10 percent of all foreign visitors in the country.