You can pay for almost anything using mobile apps and QR codes


and rising as fast as some of the city’s finance-fuelled buildings in Pudong: 78 yuan or £10 for a coffee in the Waldorf Astoria, for example. Cash is almost re- dundant now. This is a mobile app-driven economy. QR codes are ubiquitous. You can buy market vegetables, hire a bike, pay for a taxi, food, metro tickets, even donate to the homeless. I was blown away by the


Robot Magic Restaurant, while robots serve you in


the Zhida bookshop, and in Auchan’s un- manned mini-supermarket… not a person in sight. Many Shanghainese say it’s more important to carry a phone charger than a physical wallet these days. More than one billion people use the messaging app Wechat. It’s like Uber, Facebook, Amazon and Expedia all rolled into one. The rising middle classes now expect things to happen instantly, whether it’s ordering dumplings, shopping online or hailing a cab. What this means for the executive traveller is fewer paper receipts. Wifi connections are everywhere and tend to be free, whether


you’re in a hotel lobby or Starbucks. But don’t do a search with Google, you will find it too slow. China has its own search engines – like Baidu – which are much faster. For any “bleisure” travellers, beware the risk of dire exchange rates upon return. Blame US-China trade relations, tightening monetary policies and other macro-economic factors. In these volatile times, you can’t be sure. So, do a buy-back guarantee on currency, keep it for the next trip or try not to use cash and risk spot exchange rates.


ACCOMMODATION & DINING


Look beyond the districts of Puxi, Huangpu or Pudong. Many new hotels have been or are being built beyond these areas, providing better value and with more properties springing up, you can find good deals, especial- ly when first opened. For instance, the Sofitel Shanghai Hongqiao opened recently and is close to the main train station and airport. The upmarket Middle House Hotel


from Swire Properties has just opened in the Jing’an District offering a rate of £260 a night. It’s also worth looking at Asian-based hotel groups that might not be on your radar, such as the Amara Signature Shanghai in Putuo, which also opened earlier this year. The Bulgari Hotel has started trading, and the Bellagio Shanghai was also launched earlier this year – the group’s first property outside the US. Aloft Shanghai Nanxiang is due to open in January 2019. Food-wise, the restaurant scene is


mind-boggling with many options to keep a foodie interested. The Smart Shanghai website is a good way to stay ahead of the latest in coloured dumplings, Sichuan fine dining or Lanzhou noodles.


In the first half of 2018, contracted foreign investments in Shanghai totalled


$21.5 billion


buyingbusinesstravel.com


2018


SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER


141


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