SHANGHAI, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai's tourism authorities said the city recorded 6.29 million visits by foreign passport holders in the first 11 months of 2025, an increase of nearly 50 percent year on year.

The city received about 8.28 million inbound tourists from January to November, up nearly 40 percent year on year, surpassing the full-year total for 2024, according to the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism.

The Republic of Korea remained Shanghai's largest and fastest-growing tourist source country since the beginning of this year, with some 805,000 visits, up 111.4 percent during the 11-month period. Japan and the United States followed, with 584,000 and 490,000 visits, respectively. Other markets, including Indonesia and Italy, also posted notable growth.

The surge is attributable to China's visa facilitation policies, improved tourism services and more diverse and in-depth tourism offerings, the administration said.

Russian tourist arrivals jumped after China announced a visa-free policy for holders of Russian ordinary passports, in effect from Sept. 15 this year to Sept. 14, 2026. In November alone, visits exceeded 50,000, marking a year-on-year increase of over 70 percent and leading growth among major source markets that month.

Zhong Xiaomin, director of the administration, noted that inbound tourism is increasingly driven by independent travelers, placing greater demands on citywide public services and district-level tourism promotion.

As the New Year holiday approaches, Shanghai has launched a total of 120 tourism routes across all 16 districts, blending modern urban landscapes and cultural heritage with innovative, immersive experiences to meet diverse travel needs.