With the opening of the 48th World Skills Competition now in its final countdown, the city's tourism hotel sector is stepping up efforts to enhance service quality and build industry-wide momentum for the global event. On September 1, the finals of the 2026 "Welcome the World Skills" Shanghai Tourism Hotel Service Skills Competition took place, drawing significant attention across the industry.

Co-hosted by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism and the Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, and organized by the Shanghai Tourism Industry Association, the event also served as the Shanghai regional qualifier for the National Star-Rated Tourism Hotel Service Skills Finals. A total of 90 service professionals from 62 hotels across all 16 districts of the city advanced through preliminary rounds to compete in the finals.

The competition was closely aligned with the service demands of the World Skills event, featuring two main tracks: front desk reception and housekeeping services. These tracks placed strong emphasis on professional knowledge, service quality, communication and coordination abilities, and emergency response skills. Notably, the front desk reception category placed special importance on foreign language proficiency, a critical capability for serving the multinational delegations during the World Skills period.

At 8 a.m., the front desk reception competition kicked off first. The contest simulated real hotel operational scenarios, with participants demonstrating full energy, polished service skills, and fluent foreign language communication as they confidently handled mock check-ins, guest inquiries, complaint resolutions, and various other situations, showcasing the professional confidence of Shanghai's hospitality workforce in hosting international events.

In the housekeeping services category, competitors completed a series of tasks within a set timeframe, including bedsheet placement, duvet arrangement, and pillow positioning, all with precise movements, efficient execution, and solid fundamental skills.

This competition exemplified the Shanghai tourism hotel industry's commitment to "enhancing skills through competition, strengthening capabilities through competition, and boosting the industry through competition." Through layer-by-layer selection, hotel professionals across the city sharpened their skills and addressed weaknesses through hands-on practice, forging an elite team ready to deliver exceptional reception services for the upcoming World Skills Competition.

For Shanghai's cultural and tourism professionals, serving the World Skills Competition represents not merely a task, but an opportunity to showcase the city's spirit of "embracing diversity with an inclusive mindset and pursuing excellence." Every outstanding performance on the competition floor reflected the tourism hotel industry's unwavering dedication to "sincere and meticulous service."

With even more refined skills and superior service quality, these professionals will present the warmth, texture, and vitality of Shanghai hospitality to global guests at the upcoming World Skills Competition, delivering an outstanding "Shanghai answer sheet" for what is often called the "Olympics of World Skills."

In this final round, two contestants from Chongming achieved outstanding results in the housekeeping and front desk reception categories respectively. Let's review their competition highlights together! (Rankings follow the table order):

Housekeeping Service - Xu Huiju (Huabo Welcome Hotel)
Front Desk Reception - Wang Lu (Chongming Jinmao Yiyi Hotel)