Visa-Free Boom Drives 25 % Surge in Shanghai’s Q1 Foreign Arrivals
New Shanghai data show 1.46 million foreign arrivals in Q1 2026—25 percent higher than a year ago—with visa-free travellers accounting for more than 60 percent of the total. The figures underscore how China’s expanded visa-waiver programme is translating into tangible tourism and hospitality demand, especially among spontaneous, younger visitors.
Apr 16, 2026
