Shanghai Disney seen as nation's top future draw

Mickey Mouse performs at Shanghai Disney Resort. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

The Shanghai Disney Resort, which officially opened on Thursday, is expected to surpass the Palace Museum in Beijing as the top spot for visitors in China.

According to a report by online travel agency Ctrip, the resort is expected to receive at least 15 million visitors a year, more than 40,000 a day.

Last year, the Palace Museum saw a total of 15 million tourists.

With each visitor expected to spend an average of 2,219 yuan ($340) on a trip to Shanghai Disney, revenue would reach 33 billion yuan a year, the report said.

It also found that tourists from Shanghai are likely to make up 40 percent of visitors.