China Tourism Update — 24 May 2026
tourism • 24 May 2026
According to Shanghai’s official travel portal, Shanghai is leaning into culture-led travel this month, with the seventh L’ÉCOLE Festival now underway in a historic villa and a run of new exhibitions and city experiences highlighted on the city’s tourism site. For Australian travellers, that means plenty of fresh reasons to revisit the Bund, explore heritage neighbourhoods, and build a short-stay itinerary around art, design, shopping and food. China’s travel scene is also getting a practical boost for international visitors. Shanghai’s official site says the city has been promoting easier payments and smoother transit for overseas guests, which is useful news for first-time visitors using taxis, metro links and mobile apps. Meanwhile, the China, Russia mutual visa-free stay policy has been extended until 31 December 2027, allowing stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business and family visits — a reminder that China’s wider inbound travel environment remains active and visitor-friendly.Sources
- https://www.explorechinaholidays.com.au/news/2026-05-19-au-here-are-the-latest-china-travel-updates-most-relevant-to-tourists/
- https://www.meet-in-shanghai.net
- https://chinaexplorertour.com/2026/blog/how-esims-help-tourists-use-chinese-apps-during-travel/
- https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/saudi-arabia.html
- https://www.travelpulse.com/news