Friday, July 25, 2025
Shanghai opens the 2025 Summer International Consumption Season. The 2025 Summer International Consumption Season, a large-scale citywide campaign to attract international visitors to experience seasonal cultural and consumer experiences, has been officially announced in Shanghai. The campaign, which will last until mid-October, is aimed at presenting Shanghai as a worldwide destination for culture, tourism, shopping, and leisure and at offering visitors all over the globe a fantastic experience that will not be forgotten.
Under the theme “International Consumption and Cultural Exchange,” the summer campaign includes 18 events that are designed to showcase the city’s combination of modern lifestyle and profound history. With that, visitors from across the world have the perfect opportunity to experience Shanghai and engage with the city’s exciting urban culture at some of these events, which range from international art fairs to unmatched retail experiences.
Enhancing Convenience for International Travelers
One of the key themes for the 2025 Shanghai Summer campaign is to deliver a better International Visitor Experience and enhance accessibility for international travel and stay in Shanghai. Shanghai also launched a series of upgraded services for foreign travelers, such as discounted international flight tickets and free tourism programs.
China Eastern Airlines, one of the city’s dominant carriers, has done an enormous amount to promote international travel by selling more than one million heavily discounted tickets. The airline is also offering more than 100,000 free half-day layover tour packages, which will allow passengers with connecting flights to easily venture around the city during their layovers.
Another move is the new version of Shanghai PASS, which has teamed up tourists with direct access to the city’s public transport system, cultural attractions, shopping areas, and restaurants. This pass enables visitors to tour Shanghai with greater ease, providing an easy way to get around when checking out both the city’s attractions and shopping areas.
Also, for people who may have language issues, an enhanced multilingual service with popular apps like Amap and DiDi supporting 16 languages is there to help. Guests also have the option of payment methods, such as Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay, to make their stay more convenient.
In order to improve the convenience for tourists, the translation counter for foreign driver’s licenses is also available at the airports in Shanghai, which allows international tourists to rent a car more easily. The city has also enhanced its tax refund mechanism, in a bid to see international visitors able to claim back the tax they have spent shopping in the city.
Cultural and Lifestyle Highlights
The Disney Summer Fest is one of the most anticipated events at the 2025 Shanghai Summer International Consumption Season. The IP pop-up events series includes life-size character installations, stage performances, and unique retail partnerships. These kid-approved attractions are going to be brought to locations like Taikoo Li Qiantan and HKRI Taikoo Hui, adding an extra level of fun and excitement for all ages.
For someone with a taste of cultural immersion, one dare not miss the “Amazing Zhulong” exhibition. This is a futuristic rendering of an age-old Chinese Myth that incorporates technological marvels as 3-D projections and holograms into the production. The exhibition dives into China’s eclectic cultural past, seamlessly mixing art and technology, creating a dazzling visualization that those who visit will not soon forget.
And the alliance between the Museum of Art Pudong and Musée d’Orsay offers the “Star of Shanghai • MAP Orsay Cruise.” The one-of-a-kind art and architecture voyage floats visitors down the legendary Huangpu River, showcasing picturesque views of the city skyline, as well as numerous pieces of renowned artwork.
Retail and Lifestyle Events
Retail is also a key area of focus for the 2025 summer season in Shanghai, with several of the key brands launching fun new promotions to entice visitors. The Bailian Vibe Festival, the biggest retail activation, will be launching more than 1,000 imported consumer goods. The Anuga17 will take place at several venues and combine both international and local products for direct sale.
To try something special, you can enjoy a 1 million ice cream giveaway and several season-tailored events on the IKEA Xuhui Summer campaign while looking for a perfect shopping and enjoyment experience with your family. At an outdoor event, guests will be able to enjoy panoramic views of the city from Shanghai’s tallest open-air observation deck, “The Stage at Sinar Mas Plaza.” It’s an opportunity for tourists to savor the city skyline alongside local performances and cultural shows.
Shanghai’s art scene is also illuminated with the Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Poetry of Time” exhibition opening at West Bund Dome Art Center, offering an inspiring cultural journey for art enthusiasts. For the active, the Lululemon Summer Sweat Games and the Li-Ning Bad Five Street Basketball Finals bring sports into the seasonal celebrations and add fresh excitement to the world of sports and fitness.
Among the most historically significant this summer is “Building Shanghai,” marking 75 years of the city’s urban development. This exhibition is conditioned by the metamorphosis of Shanghai from a tiny village into the most dynamic and modern city in the world.
Home to Innovation and Allure around the World
Whilst looking forward to the future when the Shanghai Summer International Consumption Season in 2025 has become a showcase of the city’s innovative cultural curation and experiential consumption. The programme itself will offer an exciting itinerary including entertainment and retail, culture and history, combined with an experience full of substance and depth for both international and domestic visitors.
The citywide project reflects Shanghai’s drive to improve its cultural life and upgrade its environment. Visitors could traverse immersive displays, sample international cuisines, or buy the hottest products on the market — the summer season is when they can do it all in Shanghai.
The campaign runs through mid-October, and there’s plenty of time for international tourists to travel to Shanghai to attend these exciting events. With its rich choice of activities, Shanghai is gradually becoming one of the world’s most famous cultural tourism and consumption destinations with a more full and dynamic experience for tourists.
(Source: Shanghai Tourism Bureau, Destination Shanghai)
