(Yicai Global) Jan. 26 -- Shanghai authorities plan to include bilingual services such as tour booking and souvenir sales at the city's tourist information centers, Shanghai Tourism Administration Deputy Director Zhang Qi said.

The city has more than 40 tourist information and service centers at airports, railway stations, hotels, attractions and shopping plazas. Most of them currently only offer free maps and tourism information.

 "We have learned that there is big demand for such new services from both domestic and foreign tourists, and we plan to introduce tour packages ranging from one day to several days operated by licensed travel agencies at tourist information centers," Shanghai Daily quoted Zhang as saying.

"It will satisfy the demands of foreign independent tourists and curb tours operated by unlicensed travel agencies," he said.