In 2025, the “Let the world see China” topic on Xiaohongshu helped spotlight many culture & tourism destinations across China. Based on its platform data, Xiaohongshu also identified new shifts in Chinese travelers’ needs and spending trends across three major scenarios—transportation, accommodation, and attractions/theme parks:
1. Transportation: Cruise- and airline-related keywords grew nearly 100% year over year. Search queries are also getting longer and more detailed—e.g., comparing in-flight meals across airlines, or comparing the experiences of two cruise ships.
2. Accommodation: Travel stays can be grouped into “city trips” and “vacation trips.” For city trips, engagement with content about “budget positioning” and “hotel services & facilities” increased year over year. For vacation trips, users care more about “experience activities,” “surrounding environment & scenery,” “package pricing,” and “cultural experiences.”
3. Attractions/theme parks: Marketing is showing a trend of “brands being rediscovered and revisited through UGC,” with travelers checking in in more creative ways.
More insights into the new consumption needs of Chinese travelers will be shared at the 19th TravelDaily Conference in September 2026.
Highly influential players like Xiaohongshu—companies shaping China’s and even the global travel industry—will join us at the conference to share the latest shifts in China’s leisure and corporate travel markets, including:
● What is changing in China’s travel market?
● What do Chinese travelers prefer today?
● Policy updates on China’s inbound and outbound travel;
● How China’s corporate travel demand is evolving.
Interested in new trends, shifts, and opportunities in China’s travel industry?
Ccontact: xenia@traveldaily.cn
