SHANGHAI, Apr 21 -- THE Shanghai Shopping Festival will debut from September 16 to October 8 to enshrine the city's reputation as a retail paradise, tourism officials said at the National Travel Fair in Suzhou yesterday.

The festival, which will be part of this year's Shanghai Tourism Festival, will include sales exhibitions of overseas goods and shopping opportunities for products with traditional brands well-known in the country, the Shanghai Tourism Administrative Commission said.

To some tourists, however, relatively higher price tags in Shanghai are a problem.

"It is quite convenient to shop in Shanghai as most famous international brands are available," said Wei Lina, a Wuxi visitor to the travel fair. "But the price is comparatively higher than in other places."

Officials said it will cooperate with the Shanghai Economic Committee to offer discounts on some products during the festival.

Details are still under discussion, they said.

"We expect to take advantage of the World Expo 2010 to make the city a shoppers' paradise," said Yang Jing, an official with the commission.

Tourists' shopping expenditure occupies about 36 percent of all consumption during visits to the city, according to the commission.