Shanghai, a place to see and live: Franka Gulin, Magnolia awardee

Saturday marked a day of distinction for Franka Gulin and 49 other expatriates as they were awarded the 2024 Magnolia Silver Award, an esteemed honor given by the Shanghai Municipal Government to recognize their contributions to the city's development and international exchanges.

The award ceremony took place at the Grand Halls, offering stunning views of Shanghai, including the historic Bund on the west bank of the Huangpu River and the modern Lujiazui financial area, home to iconic landmarks such as the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai Tower, the world's second tallest building.

On this breezy, sunny day, Gulin, the director and chief representative of the Croatian National Tourist Board's Shanghai Representative Office, found herself overwhelmed with emotion. Having spent the past seven years in Shanghai, she has published numerous articles and books showcasing the city's culture, history, and modernity to audiences in Croatia and across Europe. "The city has given me a lot," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.

After living in Beijing for six years, Gulin moved to Shanghai in 2017 to become the first representative of the Croatian National Tourist Board in China. Since then, she has since fallen in love with the city, which she describes as "not only one of the major cities in China but also one of the capitals of the world because here we meet people from all over the world."

She highly recommends young people, especially those from smaller countries, to settle in Shanghai, praising the city's continuous efforts to enhance services for foreigners, particularly since the latter half of 2023.

The city's recent initiatives include optimizing payment methods to boost convenience for foreign nationals, expanding accommodation choices to include boutique home-stays in addition to star-rated hotels, and continuously improving the business environment.

Shanghai has also launched a nine-language international service portal, designed to provide a one-stop, multilingual, user-friendly platform for foreign nationals. The portal offers comprehensive information and services for working, traveling, living, doing business, and studying in Shanghai. It includes policy interpretations, service guides, and timely updates on events like the China International Import Expo and international medical services.

As a professional in the tourism industry, Gulin was particularly drawn to the measures Shanghai has adopted to facilitate international travel. The city has established three comprehensive service centers for foreign nationals at Pudong International Airport's T1 and T2 terminals and Hongqiao International Airport's T1 terminal. These centers, which became fully operational on Sept 27, offer a range of services, including payment options, tourism information, communication, and transportation assistance. They provide service manuals, tourist maps, SIM card sales, transportation card sales, currency exchange, mobile payment options, and 24/7 customer service.

Gulin recently shared brochures from these centers with a visiting delegation, highlighting their usefulness. While she considers herself "very Chinese", having adapted to digital conveniences such as mobile payment and online shopping, she acknowledges the brochures' value in helping foreign visitors seamlessly integrate into local life.

"They definitely help many of my friends and business partners who are visiting," she said. "It's incredible that you can just land in Shanghai and set up your online payments. You find easily a local phone number. That's really a step in the right direction in terms of attracting more inbound tourists."

As a professional in the tourism industry, Gulin sees great potential for Shanghai as a top destination as China's inbound tourism continues to gain momentum.

"Shanghai is not only a big futuristic city, it's also a city full of very interesting history, visible on every street, in every corner," she said. "It's really a place to see in a lifetime definitely."

Li Yongle contributed to this story.