City launches new campaign to boost inbound tourism
In line with the ancient Chinese saying, “It is always a pleasure to greet a friend from afar,” Shanghai is warmly welcoming travelers from all over.
The city launched the “Visit Shanghai” campaign this month to boost inbound tourism, and seven foreign friends from the Netherlands, Germany (two), Malaysia, Spain, Italy, and France were appointed as “Shanghai Global Tourism Ambassadors” by the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism.
“Shanghai is not only an important window showcasing Chinese culture to the world, but also a strategic link of domestic and international dual circulation,” noted Fang Shizhong, director general of the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism. “Making Shanghai the first stop in China for inbound travelers is the top priority of the city’s culture and tourism industry.”
“The campaign to boost inbound tourism is a new starting point and we look forward to amplifying the global narrative, promoting Shanghai’s international tourism image to the world, making the city an alluring destination for global travelers and attracting them to take in-depth tours in Shanghai to experience its modern, magic and miracle side.”
During this event, the seven newly appointed “tourism ambassadors” received their certificates and shared their stories about Shanghai.
Clarisse Le Guernic from France has been living in Shanghai since 2015.
“For me Shanghai is a diverse city with many different faces,” she said. “It can be a megalopolis with skyscrapers, and at the same time it has a small but beautiful side such as longtang and small houses. It’s the mix of all this that makes it a special and comfortable city to me!”
Mario Alonso, a Spanish concert pianist, has been living in the city for six years. “Shanghai is a very convenient city, and you have everything you need here,”
he observed. “The city has lots of western restaurants, many art galleries, museums, concert halls, and everything related to music.”
Marco Barbieri, the owner and chef of Da Marco Restaurant, calls Shanghai “his first home.”
“I arrived here in 1995, and have spent more than half of my life here,” he noted. “Shanghai keeps changing and it’s different from what it was when I first arrived, and I liked it then, and I like it now. I am very proud of the title and I will try my best to promote Shanghai to my friends, my relatives, and other Italians.”