Walking tours tell Shanghai's story

Demand for experience

There also appears to be a connection between the popularity of walking tours and market research findings which state that travelers around the world today are increasingly focused on experience. Skift, a provider of news, research and marketing services for the travel industry, had in its 2017 US Experiential Survey found that 65 percent of travelers named "experiencing something new" as one of their top priorities.

The same trend is taking place in China. In a 2018 McKinsey report titled Chinese tourists: Dispelling the myths, the research firm stated that Chinese consumers today want a more customized and flexible travel experience and are more interested in local experiences than visiting important landmarks, which used to be a top priority in the past.

"Exploring off the beaten path on foot in areas that tourists don't even know about, let alone visit, is something that people are really looking for these days because they are longing to go places other people don't. Why? Because they travel so far to get here and don't want their time or money to be wasted," said Lost Plate's other cofounder Brian Bergey.

"People also want to tell their friends stories about their travels, a lot of which happens over social media. We know this because 30 percent of our guests say that they heard about us from a previous customer, so sharing your travel experiences with others is part of traveling. Tours like ours let people access part of the city that they would never otherwise experience. It's something new and fresh, and it's going to help make their stories even better."

Xu also noted that it isn't so much that walking tours are becoming more popular, but that there has always been a latent demand for such services.

"In the past, when technology was not as advanced, people would rely on tour agencies. But the advent of platforms like Ctrip and Booking.com have made it easier for people to pick their own airlines, hotels and transport. However, there is still one aspect of travel that they can't really perform effectively themselves because of the cultural and language barriers - and that's learning about the city," she explained.

"It's like going to a new school or company. You're going to need an orientation program to learn about the place. Walking tours fulfill this need."