The Chinese city received 9.3602 million inbound visitors over 2025, cementing its position as a leading gateway for international travellers visiting China.
Data released this week by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism showed inbound arrivals climbed 39.58% year-over-year with momentum accelerating toward year end.
December alone saw 1.0777 million inbound visits, up 45.56% from the same period a year earlier.
Overnight stays accounted for the largest share of inbound travel.
Arrivals from South Korea more than doubled to 909,100, a rise of 103.62% from a year earlier, while visitor numbers from Russia increased significantly, with December arrivals jumping 93.58%.
Thailand, Indonesia and Italy all recorded annual increases of over 50%.
Traditional source markets such as Singapore, Malaysia and Australia maintained steady momentum, each posting growth of more than 30%.
Thanks to visa-free policies and Shanghai's many attractions, boutique hotels reported robust performance.
International travellers accounted for 66% of guests at the Yangtze Boutique Shanghai, with Europeans making up the largest group.
Five-star hotels, representing the high-end segment, delivered particularly strong results. Occupancy reached 70.71% in December, up 4.45 percentage points from a year earlier.
Image: Dubai tourists in Shanghai. Image: Yang Yuhong/Xinmin Evening News
