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Editor-in-chief | Yang Ming

Editor | Jing Xiangyuan

Source | China Tourism Academy

On June 13, the China Tourism Academy released the "Tourism Re-upgrade Happy New Journey—2024 Shanghai Disney Resort Happy Tourism Trend Report." Following the successful release of the first "Happy Tourism Trend Report" in 2021, the China Tourism Academy once again focused on the Shanghai Disney Resort to conduct follow-up research and systematic interpretation of new trends and phenomena in happy tourism. The key points of the report are shared below.

Echoing emotional value, creating a joyful experience

At the Shanghai Disney Resort, visitors can fully immerse themselves in the classic Disney storytelling, relax, enjoy happiness, and gain a sense of happiness. Among them, a variety of entertainment performances and experiences bring psychological and spiritual comfort to visitors of all ages. Shanghai Disney Resort consumer insight data shows that in 2023, more than 40.99 million people watched live entertainment performances at the Shanghai Disney Resort—including its iconic "Ignite the Dream: A Nighttime Spectacular," "Mickey's Storybook Express" parade, and theatrical performances such as "Mickey's Storybook Adventure." Among them, the Shanghai Disneyland's iconic daytime parade, "Mickey's Storybook Express," was watched by more than 10.21 million people in 2023—meaning that almost every visitor to Shanghai Disneyland watched this joyful performance.

Continuously launching new experiences and products, allowing visitors to be surprised every time they return to the park

Since its opening, Shanghai Disney Resort has continued to develop, adding new storytelling and richer play options for visitors, including the official opening of the world's first "Zootopia" themed area to its first batch of visitors on December 20, 2023, and less than two years after the grand opening of the resort, the opening of Shanghai Disneyland's seventh themed area, "Disney Pixar Toy Story,"—the resort's first major expansion project. 97% of surveyed visitors said they already knew about the "Zootopia" themed area before visiting Shanghai Disney Resort, and about one-third said that the new area attracted them to visit the resort. In addition, constantly iterative seasonal celebrations and special festive events have also become a major attraction for visitors. Visitors can enjoy special limited-time seasonal celebrations at the resort for about 300 days each year. In 2023, the willingness of visitors to revisit was as high as 85%, and the willingness of visitors to recommend Shanghai Disney Resort to others increased by 11% based on the already high proportion in 2019.

Bringing surprises and joy to people of all ages

At the resort, whether it's a family reunion, experiencing the beauty and magic with friends, or simply relaxing, everyone can feel happy and joyful. Core families remain a major core customer group of Shanghai Disney Resort, hoping to enhance their relationship with their families through travel and express their love. In addition, adults represented by close relationships or interest groups seek emotional value, leading the new mainstream of travel. In 2023, in the visitor composition of Shanghai Disney, the combination of visitors without children and the combination of visitors with children were evenly matched. In addition, families of visitors over 30 years old without children accounted for about 30% of Shanghai Disneyland visitors. In addition, many experienced senior tourists pursue higher quality and more novel leisure travel, and Shanghai Disney Resort is favored by these tourists because of its high service quality and rich experiences. Compared with 2019, the number of elderly visitors with one-day and two-day tickets to Shanghai Disneyland in 2023 increased by about 75%.

Meeting the growing spiritual needs of "self-expression"

Consumers express themselves and show a stronger sense of self through lifestyles such as clothing and dressing. According to Shanghai Disney Resort's operating data, headwear products, including headbands and hats, are the second most popular product category after plush toys in all product categories at the resort. Visitors can also fully demonstrate their individuality in the resort's diverse activities. Taking the resort's Halloween season activities as an example, visitors can wear various creative costumes to fully display their personality and quirky nature, Many people also regard this as a must-check-in experience every year.

Since the first Halloween Carnival event was launched in September 2017, Shanghai Disney Resort has held Halloween-themed events for seven consecutive years. The climax of the Halloween celebration, which is deeply loved by visitors—"Halloween Carnival Day"—has also been extended from the initial one night to five nights in the 2023 Halloween season.

Integration of tourism and transportation, iconic immersive experience

Relying on Shanghai's superior geographical location and convenient transportation facilities, the Shanghai Disney Resort allows local, out-of-province, and international tourists to easily enjoy a Disney trip on a whim and experience the magical world of Disney. In the spring and autumn seasons each year, the proportion of local tourists with annual passes is the highest. In terms of visitor origins, statistics show that in 2023, the main visitor origins of Shanghai Disney Resort are still the Yangtze River Delta region.

At the same time, compared with 2022, the increase in the number of tourists from the Pearl River Delta region in 2023 is the most significant. Subtly incorporating elements familiar to tourists into immersive storytelling is one of the important reasons why Shanghai Disney Resort is widely praised and highly successful. For example, the "Zootopia" themed area incorporates unique local culture, including highlights inspired by Shanghai, to present Chinese tourists with a unique experience that is clear and deeply resonant. Tourists have used words such as "fully immersive," "detail-oriented," and "highly restored" to express the wonderful impression this area has left on them.

Cutting-edge technology and technological innovation contribute to improved visitor experience

1. Coexistence with the natural environment, making happiness more sustainable

Shanghai Disney pursues green excellence in its hardware and equipment, setting an industry benchmark. In 2023, Shanghai Disney Resort received LEED v4.1 Existing Buildings Platinum certification, becoming the world's first resort to receive the highest LEED certification. In addition, the resort focuses on sustainable development in its operations and construction, continuously conducting science education and biodiversity conservation. The resort has been designated as the first "Ecological China Experience Education Base" and integrates biodiversity monitoring and nature education activities, such as birdwatching in the resort's Wishing Star Park and the annual Disney Earth Month event in April, to raise public awareness of environmental protection.

2. Spreading happiness to more people in need in the community

The resort is committed to being an important partner and active corporate citizen in the local community. Through collaboration with local governments, NGOs, schools, and other partners, it brings a positive impact to the daily lives of everyone in the local community and spreads Disney's happiness and magic to more Chinese families. For example, to celebrate the opening of Shanghai Disney Resort, The Walt Disney Company announced a donation of 20 million RMB in 2016 to fund the construction of Disney-themed play spaces across the country. To celebrate International Children's Day, the 50th Disney Happy House opened on June 1, 2024, at the Children's Hospital affiliated with Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, bringing joy and optimism to children and their families in need.

3. Becoming a city landmark that promotes the development of the tourism industry

As a new landmark in Shanghai, Shanghai Disney Resort attracts visitors from all over the world, further helping Shanghai become a world-famous tourist city and China's number one inbound tourism destination, making significant contributions to the high-quality development of China's tourism industry.

4. Building a bridge for international exchange

Shanghai Disney Resort adheres to the concept of "Authentic Disney, Unique Chinese Style" to create high-quality experiences. While deeply cultivating happy tourism, it is not only a hotspot for tourism and entertainment but also an important platform for international exchange, promoting cultural, economic, and commercial exchanges and cooperation.