Shanghai will run a four-month consumption season from July through October, bundling sports, cultural and entertainment events into a campaign aimed at boosting weak consumer spending, english.shanghai.gov.cn announced on June 12.
The 2026 Shanghai Summer International Consumption Season lands as China struggles to revive household demand, which has stayed soft since the pandemic amid high savings rates, low confidence and property-sector losses, despite trade-in subsidies and monetary easing from Beijing.
The programme is organised around the letters in the word S-U-M-M-E-R, covering sports, urban experiences, museums, music, entertainment and relaxation. Headline events include the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the only ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Asia, an exhibition of ancient American civilisations at the Shanghai Museum, the 17th Music in the Summer Air festival and the 10th anniversary of Shanghai Disney Resort.
The season is structured to capture spending rather than just visitors. China Eastern Airlines, Jin Jiang International, UnionPay, Visa, Bank of China and Ant Group have been enlisted to upgrade dining, accommodation, transport and payment services across the city.
An improved departure tax refund scheme targets foreign shoppers, in line with China’s upgraded national policy. An upgraded EasyGo 2.0 platform recognises instructions in multiple languages and connects users to services including ride-hailing, ticket booking and translation.
The season spans the summer period, the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday, closing in October to capture the year’s main spending peak.