Shanghai has emerged as the top choice for Thai travelers seeking a blend of cultural authenticity and modern vibrancy, with tourism officials reporting a 48% year-on-year increase in visitors from Southeast Asia this summer. Unlike traditional tour groups, many arrive armed with self-curated itineraries inspired by viral TikTok food trails and Instagrammable art districts.
"We came specifically to find the rainbow dumplings from Xiaohongshu posts and the Qing Dynasty-style photo studios near Yu Garden," said Nareerat Srisuwan, a Bangkok-based designer touring the city with friends. Tourism analysts note this micro-influencer effect is reshaping Shanghai's hospitality sector, with hotels near trending spots like West Bund waterfront seeing 90% occupancy rates.
The Shanghai Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau has responded by launching Mandarin-Thai bilingual signage at major attractions and partnering with Chinese tech firms to create augmented reality heritage tours. Meanwhile, over 35% of Taiwan region residents surveyed cited Shanghai's arts scene as their top reason to visit the Chinese mainland.
Economists highlight the tourism surge aligns with broader ASEAN-China economic cooperation, as cross-border digital payment integration makes transactions smoother for regional visitors. With direct flights from Bangkok to Shanghai now operating 28 times weekly, industry projections estimate Southeast Asian tourists could contribute $780 million to the city's economy in 2024.
