As the 9th China International Import Expo opened at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) on Thursday, Shanghai's cultural and tourism authorities have rolled out a lineup of exclusive travel routes for global attendees, turning the six-day trade event into an immersive city exploration.

Based on the theme "Come to CIIE, Explore Shanghai," the package includes 19 specially designed itineraries ranging from one-day excursions to multi-day trips, blending commerce, culture, sports, exhibitions and consumption.

Three-day tours weave together historic Normandie Apartments, Hengshan Road, Museum of Art Pudong and Lujiazui for a look at the city's past and modern skyline, followed by urban nightlife and creative hubs such as M50 Creative Park, Sinan Mansions and the historic Pathé Villa with stops at time-honored brands including Cao Sugong and Zhou Huchen. Another three-day route starts at the expo venue and heads toward the Bund, Suzhou Creek and the Wukang Road–Anfu Road Historical Conservation Zone.

Two-day itineraries cater to tighter schedules. One of the routes links the expo hall with Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, a half-hour drive away. Other two-day options cover Guangfulin Cultural Relics, the Cangcheng historic zone, Thames Town, Yuyuan Garden and Zhujiajiao.

For visitors with limited time, one-day packages pair heritage villas on Hengshan Road, afternoon tea and Huangpu River cruises, alongside Baoshan waterfront experiences.

The expo has triggered a sharp spike in business travel bookings, according to travel platform Tongcheng Travel. Hotel reservations across Shanghai between November 5 and 10 jumped nearly 10-fold week-on-week, while flight bookings bound for Shanghai rose roughly six times. Hotels near the exhibition center and the Hongqiao area saw the biggest surge in searches.

High-end hotels within three kilometers of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) and along metro lines are the most sought-after. As of Thursday, only a handful of room types remained available at hotels close to the venue.

Beyond overnight stays around the venue, demand for sightseeing tickets has also surged. Attendees tend to visit landmarks in the evening or between expo sessions. The Bund, Lujiazui, Yuyuan Garden and the Shanghai Tower remain top picks, with riverfront walks, night tours and shopping district visits proving popular.

Analysts at Tongcheng Research Institute said the CIIE spillover effect is shifting visitor behavior from pure business attendance to a combined model of expo participation, sightseeing and cultural experience. The trade fair serves not only as a global marketplace but also a showcase for Shanghai's urban appeal, and tourism operators are working to convert short-term expo traffic into sustained consumption growth.