Shanghai

Shanghai, China, scores 73 on the TRAIL Index of tourism resilience, #27 of 310 destinations. 25 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 84% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: 73
• OECD: 66
• UN Tourism: 74
• UNDRR: 60

Strongest

• Largest foreign market: 9.7 % of international arrivals or nights (State Council Information Office / Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, 2025). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Average length of stay: 4.8 nights per visitor (Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration / CEIC Data, 'Shanghai: Visitor: Average Length of Stay', 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 4.2 % of the labour force (Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics & NBS Survey Office in Shanghai, 2024 Statistical Communiqué on National Economic and Social Development, 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Tropical nights: 120 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Above 100: grade 0/4.
• Nights in the three busiest months: 46.8 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2019, 2020 moving average). Between 40 and 50: grade 1/4.
• Income per head: 29,333 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 15,000 and 30,000: grade 1/4.

China in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

China is #8 of 110 countries (5 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 68 on the TRAIL Index; Shanghai is 5 above that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 80

• Nights in the three busiest months: 46.8 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2019, 2020 moving average). Between 40 and 50: grade 1/4. Source
• Domestic share of nights: 88 % of nights by residents of the same country (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). At or above 45: grade 4/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: 9.7 % of international arrivals or nights (State Council Information Office / Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, 2025). At or below 15: grade 4/4. Source
• Recovery against 2019: not measured yet
• Average length of stay: 4.8 nights per visitor (Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration / CEIC Data, 'Shanghai: Visitor: Average Length of Stay', 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4. Source
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 66 % average annual occupancy (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism (via International Travel & Health Insurance Journal), 2025). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 75

• Jobs in tourism industries: 5.4 % of employment in accommodation and food services (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). At or below 8: grade 4/4. Source
• Unemployment rate: 4.2 % of the labour force (Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics & NBS Survey Office in Shanghai, 2024 Statistical Communiqué on National Economic and Social Development, 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Income per head: 29,333 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 15,000 and 30,000: grade 1/4. Source
• Economic diversity: not measured yet

Climate and hazards: 35

• Extreme heat days: 22 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 15 and 30: grade 2/4. Source
• Tropical nights: 120 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Above 100: grade 0/4. Source
• Flood hazard: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
• Wildfire and storm hazard: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
• Country disaster risk: 2.9 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 2 and 3.5: grade 3/4. Source
• Greenhouse gas emissions per resident: not measured yet

Water and environment: 63

• Water scarcity: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 99 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Shanghai Water Authority (上海市水务局), 《上海市水系统治理“十五五”规划》 (July 2026), 2025). At or above 95: grade 4/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 391.9 kg per resident per year (Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics, Shanghai Statistical Communiqué of 2023 National Economic and Social Development, 2023). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4. Source
• Green space: 19.5 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Shanghai Landscaping and City Appearance Administrative Bureau / Shanghai Municipal People's Government, 2025). Between 10 and 20: grade 1/4. Source
• Energy use per resident: not measured yet

Community and housing: 100

• Tourism intensity: 0.2 visitor nights per resident per year (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism / Xinhua & Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics, 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: 1.3 % change in rents over the last 12 months (China Real Estate Index System (CREIS) via Global Property Guide, August 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4. Source
• Short-let density: not measured yet
• Resident support for tourism: not measured yet

Access and continuity: 71

• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Shanghai Municipal People's Government & Shanghai Statistical Yearbook, 2024). At or above 4: grade 4/4. Source
• Air traffic recovery: not measured yet
• Rail share of intercity access: not measured yet
• Rail traffic recovery: not measured yet
• Largest airline group share: not measured yet
• Air route concentration: not measured yet
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (China Daily / Shanghai Meteorological Service, 2025). Grade 4/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Emergency Management & Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, 2024). Grade 2/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 69.8 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 60 and 80: grade 3/4. Source
• Travel advisory: 2 stricter of the US and Canadian government advisory for the country, 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel) (country figure) (US State Department and Government of Canada travel advisories, 2026-09-29). Between 1 and 2: grade 3/4. Source
• Dedicated tourism funding: A promotion budget that depends each year on the general budget (Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Finance & Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, 2024). Grade 1/4. Source

Compare Shanghai

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• Daegu vs Shanghai

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