Shanghai lights up Times Square with Chinese New Year greeting

New Yorkers received a digital greeting from Shanghai this week as the city's vibrant energy lit up one of the world's most iconic screens.

The Nasdaq screen in Times Square broadcast a special video produced by Shanghai International Services, showcasing dynamic street scenes and everyday life in Shanghai. The presentation highlighted opportunities to study, work, do business and shop in the Chinese metropolis, drawing the attention of passersby at the busy crossroads, with many stopping to watch and learn more about the city.

As "China Travel" trends, Shanghai has become one of the most popular destinations for US visitors. The city also offers several entry ports with a 240-hour visa-free transit policy, attracting many tourists.

"I've never been to Shanghai," said Tori Cignarella, a New York resident, as she watched the video. "It looks amazing to see all the information here."

She said the display sparked her curiosity about both the city and the country.

"Something that would really interest me is learning more about the city and China," she added.

If she has the chance to visit in the future, Cignarella said she would love to try traditional Chinese paper-cutting and experience tea culture in Shanghai.

Derek, visiting from Kansas City, Missouri, also stopped to watch. He said traveling to China is something he has been thinking about.

A Shanghai resident wrote, "New year, new trip! If you visit Shanghai, where would you go first — the Bund, Disneyland, or Wukang Road?" posing the question to people watching in Times Square.

"The culture is my main thing," Derek said. "When I travel, I want to experience the culture and everything that they have to offer."

As a big fan of Pixar animation, Derek added that he would also like to visit Shanghai Disneyland to see what makes it unique compared with Disney parks in the United States.

For some viewers, the video also highlighted Shanghai's international appeal.

"It looks like foreigners are already living in Shanghai," said Karla Venegas, a travel content creator from Mexico who has around one million followers across different platforms.

Venegas said Shanghai is on her travel wish list and she hopes to visit to share her own "China travel" experience with her audience. While browsing the Shanghai International Services online platform, she switched the website to Spanish, her first language.

The platform supports 10 languages, including English, Spanish, French and Korean, making it easier for international users to explore information about living, working and traveling in Shanghai.

Maria Angeli, from Austin, Texas, said she is also looking forward to the chance to travel to Shanghai one day. Inspired by the New Year theme, she wrote a message on a paper in response to the greetings from Shanghai.

"Run with a suitcase at midnight for a year of travel," she wrote, explaining a New Year's tradition from Latin America. "If you go to Latin America, you'll see lots of people running in the streets with suitcases at midnight. It's for good luck in travel in the coming year."