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Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan – Image Credit Hilton
Shanghai recorded 9.3602 million inbound visitors in 2025, representing a 39.58% year-over-year increase, according to data from the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism.
Inbound tourism to Shanghai rose sharply in 2025, with the city receiving 9.3602 million inbound visitors, a 39.58% increase from the previous year. December saw particularly strong momentum, with 1.0777 million inbound visits, up 45.56% compared to the same period a year earlier. Overnight stays accounted for the largest share of inbound travel, with 1.0397 million overnight visitors in December, an increase of 47.72% year-over-year. The total number of overnight visitors for the year reached 8.7894 million, reflecting a 45.09% increase.
Arrivals from major source markets increased significantly. Arrivals from South Korea more than doubled to 909,100, a rise of 103.62% from the previous year. Visitor numbers from Russia increased, with December arrivals up 93.58% and the annual total reaching 385,100, an increase of 59.23%. Thailand accounted for 513,700 visitors, an increase of 70.16%. Indonesia and Italy recorded annual increases of 62.13% and 52.43%, respectively. Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia each recorded growth exceeding 30%.
Travel agencies organized 180,500 inbound visits during the year, up 97.39% year-over-year. In December, agencies organized 13,300 inbound visits, a rise of 102.48%. Travel agencies received 274,900 inbound visitors overall, an increase of 55.49%, of whom 231,700 were overnight stays, up 55.04%.
The accommodation sector in Shanghai also experienced increased demand in 2025. International travelers accounted for 66% of guests at the Yangtze Boutique Shanghai, with Europeans forming the largest group. At Broadway Mansions Hotel, international guests accounted for 20% of the clientele, with South Koreans constituting the largest share. Moller Villa and InterContinental Shanghai Ruijin reported foreign guest shares of 21% and 25%, respectively.
Occupancy rates for star-rated hotels and other lodging establishments in December were 63.30% and 63.29%, respectively. Star-rated hotels recorded a full-year occupancy rate of 65.86%, up 2.00 percentage points from the previous year. Five-star hotels reported an occupancy rate of 70.71% in December, up 4.45 percentage points year-over-year, and an annual average of 71.30%, an increase of 2.81 percentage points. The average daily room rate for five-star hotels reached RMB 1,045.32 in December, up 9.29% year-over-year, with the annual average at RMB 978.80.
