Indonesia: How to attract Chinese Travellers to your Business

Indonesia is one of the most promising destinations for Chinese outbound tourism in 2025-2026. With over 1.5 million Chinese visitors already targeted, direct flight routes expanding from 13 to over 20 airlines, and Bali firmly established as a top-10 destination for Chinese travelers worldwide, the opportunity for Indonesian businesses is significant and growing.

According to China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Indonesia ranked among the top 10 outbound travel destinations for Chinese tourists in 2024, with over 1.2 million arrivals recorded. Meanwhile, Mafengwo’s 2025 Southeast Asia report shows that Bali searches from Chinese users increased by 65% year-over-year, driven by strong Douyin and Xiaohongshu content from Chinese travelers who visited in 2023-2024.

Why Indonesia Appeals to Chinese Travelers

Indonesia has what Chinese travelers want: stunning natural scenery, ancient temples, world-class beaches, great food, and an experience that feels genuinely different from anything available at home. Bali is the anchor destination, but Yogyakarta, Lombok, Raja Ampat, and even Jakarta are gaining traction among more adventurous Chinese travelers who want to go beyond the standard Bali itinerary.

Visa-free entry for Chinese nationals has removed a major planning barrier. Combined with increasing direct flight options from Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Shenzhen, Indonesia has never been more accessible to Chinese travelers.

10 Practical Tips to Attract Chinese Tourists to Your Business

• Build a Xiaohongshu (RED) presence: Post high-quality images and honest travel content about your business in Mandarin. Encourage your Chinese guests to tag your venue when they share their photos.
• Create Douyin content: Short videos of your product, your location, or your team performing their work are some of the most effective content for Chinese traveler discovery. Authenticity outperforms production value.
• Set up a WeChat official account: Give Chinese travelers a direct line for inquiries, bookings, and post-visit engagement. WeChat is where loyalty is built and referrals happen.
• Optimize for Baidu: Chinese travelers search in Mandarin on Baidu. Good Baidu SEO with localized content puts your business in front of travelers who are actively planning their Indonesia trip.
• Build a Chinese-friendly website: Mobile-first, Mandarin-language, fast-loading. Essential for converting social media interest into direct bookings.
• Accept Alipay and WeChat Pay: Chinese travelers expect digital payment options. Setup is now straightforward for international businesses.
• Tell your story: What makes your business different? Unique cultural experiences, eco-friendly practices, family heritage: Chinese travelers respond to genuine stories behind a brand.
• Invest in visual content: High-quality photography and video of your location, rooms, food, and experiences. Chinese social media is highly visual and competitive.
• Get on Mafengwo: This travel review and planning platform is used by millions of Chinese travelers researching destinations. A business listing with good reviews here drives real traffic.
• Work with Chinese travel agencies: Partner with OTAs like Ctrip and consider direct relationships with Chinese tour operators who specialize in Indonesia. Group bookings from this channel are reliable and high-volume.

Bali and Beyond: Where Chinese Tourists Are Going in Indonesia

Bali remains the anchor. Uluwatu, Ubud, Seminyak, and Nusa Penida are all pulling strong numbers and generating heavy social media content from Chinese visitors. But the more experienced segment of Chinese travelers is moving further. Yogyakarta and the Borobudur temple complex are becoming a serious destination, particularly for travelers interested in culture and photography. Lombok is emerging as an alternative to Bali for those seeking less-crowded beaches. Raja Ampat is on the wishlist of adventurous Chinese divers.

Hotels and resorts in these locations that build a Chinese digital presence now are positioning themselves ahead of the curve. The Chinese travelers discovering these destinations in 2025 will be writing the Xiaohongshu reviews that drive bookings in 2026 and 2027.

Why Your Chinese Digital Presence Matters

Indonesian businesses competing for Chinese tourists need to be visible on Chinese platforms. Here’s the full picture:

• Chinese website with ICP license: Hosted on Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud. For businesses targeting mainland Chinese travelers, a properly hosted Mandarin site is the foundation of everything else.
• Douyin: Indonesia’s natural beauty and cultural richness are highly Douyin-friendly. This is the primary discovery channel for Chinese travel decisions in 2025. Be there.
• Xiaohongshu (RED): Where Chinese travelers build their Indonesia itineraries. Active management of your RED presence, including responding to reviews and posting regular content, builds lasting trust.
• Baidu: SEO and PPC that captures Chinese travelers searching for “best hotels in Bali for Chinese tourists” or “Bali travel guide in Chinese.” This is active, high-intent traffic.
• WeChat: Direct communication, easy booking, and the loyalty channel that keeps Chinese guests coming back and referring friends.

Our team at Chinese Tourist Agency helps Indonesian businesses build and run this Chinese digital presence. See our Douyin marketing, Xiaohongshu / RED marketing, and full services.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Chinese tourists visit Indonesia each year?

Indonesia welcomed over 1.2 million Chinese visitors in 2024, with government targets set at 1.5 million or more for 2025-2026. Bali accounts for the largest share, but other destinations are growing. The Indonesian government has been actively increasing direct flight connections and maintaining visa-free access for Chinese nationals, both of which support continued growth in Chinese arrivals.

What do Chinese tourists spend money on in Bali?

Accommodation and dining lead spending. Chinese tourists in Bali typically book mid-range to premium hotels, take guided cultural tours, and spend significantly on food experiences. Surf lessons, spa treatments, and photography tours (Bali’s photogenic temples and rice terraces are major draws on Xiaohongshu) are growing activity categories. Shopping is present but less dominant than it was. Chinese visitors to Bali today are primarily there for the experience, not the duty-free goods.

Is Douyin important for marketing to Chinese tourists in Indonesia?

Yes. Indonesia, particularly Bali, generates enormous volumes of Douyin content from Chinese travelers. Rice terraces at sunrise, temple ceremonies, underwater footage from diving in Raja Ampat: this content reaches millions of Chinese users who are actively interested in travel and looking for inspiration. For a hotel, surf school, restaurant, or tour operator in Indonesia, being part of that content stream (by providing experiences worth filming and encouraging Chinese guests to share) is the most effective and most cost-efficient marketing available.

How can a small hotel or guesthouse in Bali compete for Chinese tourists against larger resorts?

Authenticity is your advantage. Larger chain hotels can’t easily offer what a small, character-rich property can: personal service, local knowledge, unique design, and a real story. Chinese travelers on Xiaohongshu actively seek out these “hidden gem” stays and share them enthusiastically. Get listed on Ctrip and Mafengwo with excellent Mandarin-language descriptions. Encourage your Chinese guests to share reviews. Build a Douyin presence showing what makes your property special. These steps cost far less than competing on price with larger resorts, and they reach exactly the right audience.

Indonesia is Ready. Are You?

Chinese tourists are choosing Indonesia in growing numbers and they’re telling their friends about it on the platforms that matter. The businesses that build their Chinese digital presence now will be the ones capturing that conversation and converting it into bookings. Visit our services page and let’s get your business in front of Chinese travelers.

Marcus Zhan is a digital strategist at CTA with over 10 years of experience helping international brands grow in China. He specializes in Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Chinese SEO.