Shot by Zhou Shengjie. Edited by Zhong Youyang. Reported by Ding Yining.
Simon Lichtenberg is spending his 33rd Spring Festival in Shanghai, but he still finds the series of events a fascinating experience with the year of snake approaching.
The Dane, who first came to the city back in 1987, said it has now become a routine to spend the New Year holiday in Shanghai with his father-in-law, his sisters and brothers as well as their kids together.
“It’s very nice and beautiful setting to get the feel of the spirit ahead of the Chinese New Year at such a gathering,” he said.
Lichtenberg, who is the Founding Chairman of Danish Chamber of Commerce in China and Denmark’s state representative in the executive committee of the European Chamber of Commerce in China, has also participated in previous events organized by the foreign affairs office. He praised the atmosphere for the occasion.
The city’s top officials extended warm greetings to representatives of foreign trade delegations, consulates and top multinational executives during the Spring Festival Blessing Event on Sunday. More than three dozen guests attended the event.
Ti Gong
Shanghai vice mayor Hua Yuan (right) gave traditional fortune paintings to foreign representatives on Sunday during the year-end gathering.
Representatives from leading online travel agencies, local tourist attractions and top commercial districts and department stores also promoted their activities during the Chinese New Year holiday. More than 100 types of campaigns and consumption promotion events will be held during the weeklong holiday.
The year of snake is also meaningful for Maurizio Barolo, whose daughter was born in the year of snake.
Barolo, who is a promoter at the China Italy Chamber of Commerce, also believes the deeper cooperation between Italy and China would mean more investment in the coming year.
He said the year-end period is a very nice time to gather with family members and he’s also eyeing the expansion of his business not only in Shanghai and neighboring provinces but also other parts of the country.
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Foreign representatives enjoy a dance performed by Shanghai Opera House Dance Troupe.
Shanghai recorded more than 6.7 million inbound tourist trips in 2024, an 84 percent increase from the previous year, with international tourists more than double to nearly 4.8 million.
A series of efforts to facilitate tourism services for inbound tourists have been put in place in the past two years.
Shanghai government’s Deputy Secretary Liu Ping said the city will seek further synergy for various kinds of promotional activities, performances and entertainment events as well as consumption-driven campaigns.
,https://www.shine.cn/news/metro/2501264901/