Skift TakeChina’s digital-savvy travellers are booking quickly, exploring more, and craving advanced experience. Is your product keeping up? China’s inbound tourism sector is expected to make a solid return this year and beat pre-Covid rates for the first time, according to fresh estimates from China Trading Desk to get released Tuesday. The team expects in excess of 155 million international visits from China, and says around about 72 % of Chinese guests are planning several international visits. One significant trend: A surge in first-time outgoing tourists. Nearly 38 % of Chinese tourists will be traveling abroad for the first time. These tourists are younger — about 64 % are below 30 years, and 60 % of them are feminine. For companies, this is a fantastic option to plug into an eager marketplace that’s looking for advice on everyone, from figuring out duty-free searching to navigating the ins and outs of international travel. What platforms perform these newcomers turn to for go inspiration? Websites like Xiaohongshu and Douyin are at the forefront, offering comprehensive travel guides, immigration help, and real-time changes that demystify the journey process. Subramania Bhatt, CEO and founder of China Trading Desk, shared how these platforms are shaping destination discovery and travel planning: User-Generated Content: Travelers share first-hand insights, tips and reviews, influencing destination choices.
Real-Time Updates: With live updates on weather, local events, and crowd conditions, they help users to make informed decisions.
Influencer Marketing: Key opinion leaders on these channels are driving interest in niche destinations and experiences, often highlighting hidden gems that traditional media might overlook.
Beyond social media, new digital tools are also transforming travel planning. Travel apps are integrating AI-powered solutions like DeepSeek to offer personalized itineraries and real-time booking capabilities, Bhatt told Skift. Source: China Trading Desk. With outbound travel volumes projected to exceed 200 million by 2028, destinations worldwide are scrambling to capture a share of this expanding market. To attract Chinese tourists, destinations are streamlining the visa process and launching marketing campaigns. However, some favorite destinations are losing their charm. Thailand, once a top destination, has seen its appeal drop amid heightened safety concerns and negative portrayals of safety issues in Thailand across Chinese social media platforms. Thailand also fell from fourth place in China Trading desk’s fourth quarter of 2024 survey to seventh place in the latest report. ” Thailand’s drop reveals how volatile destination perception can be highlighting the need for active narrative management”, Bhatt said. Incidents such as the widely publicized case involving the kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing have significantly impacted tourist confidence, driving many cancellations, Bhatt said. ” Also, repeat travelers are seeking more diverse experiences, favouring premium long-haul destinations over traditional short-haul getaways”, Bhatt told Skift. Source: China Trading Desk. The survey also highlights a shift toward spontaneous, mobile-first travel behaviors. Around 77 % of bookings are made less than a month in advance, of which 46 % are within just two weeks. Source: China Trading Desk. This behavior is reshaping the tourism industry, compelling airlines, hotels, and travel service providers to adjust pricing strategies, optimize last-minute inventory, and improve mobile-first booking experiences. Companies like Ctrip, Qunar, and Fliggy are optimizing “lightning-book” options by streamlining packages that combine hotel and ticket bookings with minimal clicks to cater to this fast-paced market, Bhatt told Skift. ” Brands that offer flash sales, exclusive last- minute deals, and flexible travel policies would capture a greater share of this market”, he said. This is also why Bhatt perceives that destinations offering visa-free or simplified visa policies are capitalizing on the growth to attract more Chinese. Singapore ( 17 % ) remains the most preferred destination, followed by Japan ( 16 % ) and South Korea ( 13 % ).
While Southeast Asia remains the dominant region for Chinese outbound travel, the survey reveals an emerging preference for long-haul destinations. Europe has climbed to the fifth most-preferred destination.
Despite economic uncertainties, there’s a notable “value-for-experience” mindset among travelers. Cost sensitivities are balanced by a desire for rich, culturally immersive experiences.
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