Hongkou District recorded a 19.2 percent year-on-year increase in sales during the five-day May Day holiday, driven by a slate of themed events and the highly anticipated 2025 Shanghai International Coffee Culture Festival.
According to sample statistics, 22 key commercial enterprises across the district posted strong growth. Online retail sales soared by 38.52 percent, while restaurant sales rose by 8.22 percent. The North Bund area, which hosted the festival’s main venue, saw record-breaking foot traffic.
The Coffee Culture Festival proved to be a major holiday draw, transforming the North Bund's cruise terminal into a caffeine-fueled celebration.
More than 300 coffee brands joined the waterfront fair, attracting coffee lovers from across the country. Signature venues such as Raffles City and Sinar Mas Plaza saw foot traffic climb by nearly 30 percent, with sales up by 20 percent.
Daily attendance at the main venue exceeded 140,000, and cumulative visits during the holiday surpassed 500,000—pushing adjacent consumer spending up 30 percent from last year.
Themed “Chao GO Hongkou,” the district’s holiday campaign featured over 10 distinct events blending culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions. From latte art showcases to the viral “Six God Coffee Perfume,” the festival offered residents and tourists a memorable “coffee+” urban experience.
Major shopping districts staged creative consumer activations. Sichuan Road N. rode the “ticket economy” trend with anime-themed offerings, while Life Hub @ Bund Central hosted an idol music carnival featuring 28 popular performance groups.
Ruihong Tiandi debuted a vintage recycling party to promote sustainable shopping, and CapitaLand Hongkou launched a “space carnival” featuring VR experiences and family-friendly workshops. Meanwhile, Bailian Quyang Mall invited professionals to unwind with a playful “Office Worker Festival.”
Online platforms also saw significant traction. Gen-Z favorite Dewu (Poizon) built a digital “gift universe” around the May 20 holiday, while high-end floral brand Beast leveraged Mother's Day for a campaign rooted in Eastern aesthetics. These efforts helped drive the sharp uptick in digital sales.
Hongkou also ramped up its promotional outreach during the holiday period, deploying citywide street banners and leveraging national media and influencer networks to boost visibility.
Featured segments on China Central Television showcased the district’s book markets and live poetry performances, underscoring Hongkou’s unique blend of heritage and innovation.
With its coffee-scented streets and vibrant retail atmosphere, Hongkou offered a dynamic, immersive holiday experience.
Officials said they plan to continue leveraging the district’s “culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions” synergy to create more engaging consumption scenarios throughout the year.