Location: Shanghai

Type: Project-based

Cost: Complimentary to experience our city host experience

About Beyond Arrival

Beyond Arrival is a Shanghai-based City Host service created for international visitors who want to experience the city through its people, not just its places. We connect guests with interesting local hosts from different professions and backgrounds, creating experiences centered around conversation, culture, everyday life, and genuine human connection.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re inviting foreigners currently living in Shanghai to join us as Experience Participants and experience Shanghai from a different perspective. You’ll spend around two hours with one of our local City Hosts, explore part of the city together, have conversations, experience local life, and share your feedback afterward. This is not a traditional sightseeing tour. We want you to experience Shanghai as if you were spending time with an interesting local friend.

Who Can Apply

We welcome international residents, students, professionals, travelers, creators, and expats in Shanghai. We’re simply looking for people who are:

• Curious about Shanghai and Chinese culture
• Friendly, open-minded, and comfortable meeting new people
• Comfortable communicating in English or other languages
• Comfortable appearing in photos and videos
• Interested in experiencing Shanghai beyond the typical tourist route

If you’re interested in experiencing a different side of Shanghai while helping us shape a new kind of City Host experience, we’d love to hear from you.

The Experience

As part of this project, Beyond Arrival will provide the City Host experience complimentary to selected participants. In exchange, participants should be comfortable appearing on camera during the experience. Photos and short video footage may be captured naturally throughout the activity and used in Beyond Arrival’s brand and social media content. There is no acting or modeling required—we’re looking for genuine conversations, reactions, interactions, and moments. You will receive nice photos and refined short videos from your trip in Shanghai.

Interested? Please send us a short introduction about yourself, including your nationality, occupation/study background, how long you’ve been in Shanghai, and your general availability. Email: Info@beyondarrivalshanghai.com