China's implementation of visa-free policies for dozens of countries has helped open it up to more foreign tourists. Social media platforms have blown up with posts from visiting foreigners discovering a real and vibrant China with the hash-tag China-travel trending. Shanghai is luring more overseas visitors by giving out shopping coupons. CGTN reporter Chen Tong visited the metropolis' commercial areas to find out more. 

The hot weather couldn't dampen people's enthusiasm for touring Shanghai. This is Shanghai's most popular tourist destination — the East Nanjing Road. In the crowd are people from all over the world.

"Saudi Arabia."

"France."

"The Netherlands."

"I'm American."

At a major shopping mall in East Nanjing Road, foreign tourists are getting coupons. By showing the passports, foreign tourists can get a non-threshold coupon of 8 yuan and two rebate coupons worth 1,100 yuan.

"I'll buy some bags, suitcases and fragrance."

In the first half of the year, the transaction value for foreign bank cards at Shanghai's No.1 shopping center jumped by over 38-percent year-on-year.

And to further boost sales, it's the very first time coupons have been offered to foreign tourists at the mall.

ZHAO WEIGANG, General Manager, No. 1 Shopping Center, Shanghai "In fact, we were thinking if we could get some special coupons only for foreign tourists. So, we launched the gift card for foreign tourists."

CHEN TONG, Shanghai "Walking along Shanghai's most crowded commercial area, East Nanjing Road, we see even more foreign tourists. In the first half of the year, over 2 million foreign tourists came to Shanghai — 2.8 times the figure from the same period last year. The shopping discounts offered to these foreign visitors will surely boost spending and consumption."

With China offering more visa-free policies to foreign tourists, visitor flow has seen a significant increase.

In the first half of this year, some 14.64 million foreigners entered the country, a year-on-year increase of over 150 percent. Among them, 8.54 million entered visa-free, accounting for 52 percent of the total.

"We are here because it's visa-free. It's very easy and convenient for us to come. It's perfectly fine. Everything is nice. Perfect."

"It's so pretty. It has a lot of stores. It's so pretty."

"We will see your beautiful and historic things."

"It's great. It's a very beautiful city. Very nice people. Everything is great here."

China is trying hard to make travel easier for foreign tourists – with easier payment methods and cancellation for reservations in some scenic spots.

At the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, China has made it clear once again that it's committed to the basic state policy of opening up to the outside world and continuing to promote reform through opening up. Chen Tong, CGTN, Shanghai.