SHANGHAI, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai, a thriving metropolis in east China, experienced a remarkable 9.36 million inbound visits last year, posting year-on-year growth of nearly 40 percent and setting a new record in annual inbound tourism, local authorities said on Thursday.

A major financial hub, Shanghai received 7.14 million foreign tourists in 2025, a surge of almost 50 percent year on year, achieving a new record in annual foreign tourist arrivals, according to the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism.

The Republic of Korea emerged as the leading source of foreign visitors to Shanghai last year, contributing about 909,000 tourists and registering a year-on-year growth of more than 103 percent.

Thanks partly to China's visa facilitation policies, the likes of Thailand, Indonesia, Russia and Italy were also among the fast-growing tourist source countries last year, each achieving an increase of over 50 percent in 2025, as reported by the administration.

Shanghai has implemented 20 measures, including strengthening information services and optimizing transportation services, to enable tourists to travel smoothly. ■