Travelers take in city through new lenses

Swiss tourist Mia Bernauer's first trip to China in mid-May included a stop that may seem unexpected to many: getting prescription glasses in Shanghai. She bought glasses for myopia in two different styles to switch between.

While planning her trip to Shanghai, Bernauer found through online research that the city offers affordable, high-quality eyewear. She was also influenced by TikTok videos featuring foreign tourists sharing their shopping experiences at the Shanghai International Glasses City, located in the heart of the city.

"The shops here have a really nice selection, and they have world-famous brands that are good quality. But the price is half, or even less, than in Switzerland," says Bernauer, 24, who spent five days in Shanghai.

"It's a great bonus that some of the shop managers speak English," she says.

Bernauer is not alone. Many international tourists are adding the eyeglasses market to their Shanghai itineraries these days, alongside traditional attractions, such as custom-made qipao at the clothing market near the Bund, and trying local delicacies like xiaolongbao (steamed buns).

On TripAdvisor, a popular travel review site, the four-story Shanghai International Glasses City on Zhongxing Road ranks among the city's top five landmarks, following the Bund, Yuyuan Garden, and Xintiandi. Opened in 2007, this eyeglasses market, which began in wholesale markets, offers retail prices generally half of those at other optical shops and has recently gained popularity on overseas social media platforms.

Many shop owners at the market noted an increase in foreign customers starting last year, with more this year. They said some foreign tour guides have been spontaneously bringing tour groups in.

In 2024, China significantly upgraded its visa-free transit policy. By 2025, the number of countries with unilateral visa exemptions increased to 48, and the number of countries with mutual visa exemptions expanded to 29, with 65 ports allowing 240-hour visa-free transit.

Riding this wave of inbound travel, Shanghai has continued to establish itself as a first stop for international tourists arriving in China. According to the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, the city received over 9.36 million inbound travelers last year, a nearly 40 percent increase year-on-year, setting a new record. In the first two months of 2026, international tourist arrivals in Shanghai reached nearly 1.15 million, up 21.4 percent compared with the same period last year.

Hua Xiaochun, owner of one of the eyeglass shops in the market, says that the number of visitors arriving from Russia increased noticeably at first, and now international customers hail from around the world, mainly from Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia. Many come well-prepared, with a large proportion bringing their existing prescriptions, avoiding an on-site eye exam, he says.

"Customers from Europe and the United States have strong purchasing power. Some are satisfied with a particular style and directly calculate the price to make a purchase. Others will bargain, which the guides probably taught about negotiating with individual businesses in China," says Hua.

According to foreign customers, what attracts them is not just the price but also the quality and the speed of service. In many countries, getting glasses requires first seeing a doctor for a prescription and then having the glasses made, which sometimes takes a week. As a result, many people have experienced the embarrassment of having to temporarily fix broken glasses with tape.

They praise the shopkeepers at the market for their friendliness and professionalism, and they also appreciate the wide range of options available.

There are hundreds of shops in the market, each with a different selection based on the shop owner's buying preferences. Hua says his preference focuses on trendy styles.

"Foreigners usually have a different aesthetic preference from our local customers. They prefer trendy, bold designs. Most Chinese customers accept recommendations from shopkeepers, but foreigners are often confident in their own choices," he adds.

Many shopkeepers recall having experienced groups of foreign tourists buying more than 20 pairs of glasses at once. Hua notes that foreigners like sunglasses a lot, mentioning a recent customer from the US who bought several pairs one day and returned two days later to purchase more, totaling over a dozen pairs, likely as gifts for his family and friends.

Getting glasses at the market usually takes only 30 minutes to an hour from order to pickup. During this time, shopkeepers recommend that customers visit the shopping center across the street, and many return with bags full of items, such as blind box toys, hair accessories, power banks, and hairdryers.

More complex lenses, like progressive and multifocal, take two to three days to customize. Some customers return to pick them up, while others opt for express delivery to their hotel to save time.

On May 15, at Tong Qingying's counter, more than 20 pairs of custom-made glasses were awaiting foreign customers to pick up over the weekend. She had already sent another 20 to customers' hotels via express delivery that day.

Tong speaks some English and has learned the professional terms for the glasses-fitting process. Her shop is one of the market's most popular with foreign customers, who make up a huge proportion of her clientele.

The recent increase in foreign business at her shop is partly attributed to a Russian customer who bought glasses and posted a video sharing her experience on Instagram in April, which received over 100,000 views.

Sofiia Pavlova, a Russian customer who visited Tong's shop on May 15, was brought there by this video.

"Eyeglasses are far more expensive in Russia, almost two to three times the price here. Also, it takes a week to get them in Russia, but here I get them within 30 minutes," says Pavlova, 27, who was visiting China with her husband for the first time. Their plans in Shanghai also included checking out a Chinese brand hybrid car and getting trendy clothes for their dog.

Tong, 42, says some foreign customers send her photos on WeChat after returning home, expressing satisfaction with the glasses and wanting to order more for themselves or family members.

"I send international shipments weekly to countries like Germany, Denmark and Russia," she says.

To better accommodate international customers, the market has suggested that shops prepare reading test cards in English and accept international bank card payments. It also plans to install multilingual signs in the mall and enhance foreign-language services at the information desk.

Experts agree that Shanghai's inbound tourism is evolving from merely visiting typical scenic spots to a dual focus on service and consumption. The city's competitive edge lies in its combination of productive service industries, such as finance and shipping, and daily life service industries, including eyewear and dining.

Wang Hong, a city-level lawmaker in Shanghai, says it is necessary to make full use of the benefits of visa-free inbound tourism and turn them into opportunities for consumption and service upgrades. Among these, the key lies in providing high-quality city services, such as improved payment systems, tax refunds and multilingual services.