Around the world in 4 days, all in leafy Jing’an

THE glamor, culture and history of more than 50 countries and regions across the globe are being showcased at the annual Shanghai World Travel Fair which opened yesterday.

The four-day carnival at the Shanghai Exhibition Center in Jing’an District gathers 750 exhibitors from around the world to bring diverse performances, handicraft displays, virtual reality experiences and delicacies.

New itineraries will be launched, lucky draws held and discounts offered. Visitors are invited to design their dream trips and vote for their favorite destinations to win gifts at the event that is expected to attract more than 65,000 visitors.

Visitors are also able to experience the landscape of the snow-soft sands, pristine beaches and azure waters of the Marianas Islands through virtual reality and enjoy traditional dances at the Sri Lanka and Egypt exhibition areas. They are also invited to have a sip of wine and tea from Argentina and Cuba.

“We want to display our culture and uniqueness to Chinese travelers, and the beauty and many attractions of Sri Lanka as well,” said Randima Madhavi, junior manager of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.

“We bring different styles of our traditional performances to the fair.”

Domestically, “Red Tourism” is in the spotlight.

Xuhui District tourism authorities have released the new “Red Tourism” route taking in key sites where early Communist Party of China figures carried out secret activities as well as the former residences of key leaders and members.

The route takes in sites such as the Longhua Martyrs’ Cemetery, the former residence of Red Army commander Qian Zhuangfei, the former site of the Shanghai office of the New Fourth Army, and the former site of the CPC’s secret radio station that played a key role in the revolution.

“The design aims to help people learn the spirits of our heroes, and explore their stories behind history,” said Xu Lingzhi, an official with the Xuhui Tourism Administration.

Customized and diversified travel is the highlight of this fair.

The trend among outbound Chinese tourists is for personalized travel experiences, with cosmetic medicine, education, outdoors exploration and photography-themed tours gaining popularity as more Chinese travel overseas.