130Million Chinese tourists in 2024 in the world

China’s outbound travel market is back, and bigger than before. Chinese tourists surpassed 87 million trips in 2023, climbed to an estimated 130 million in 2024, and the trajectory for 2025-2026 points even higher. For destinations and tourism businesses trying to reach this market, the window of opportunity is wide open right now.

The Numbers That Matter

The latest ITB China Travel Trends Report, based on surveys of over 1,000 travel industry professionals, shows that 75% of respondents expected their outbound business to match or beat pre-2019 levels by the end of 2024. That confidence held up. Three key data points for 2025-2026:

• China’s outbound tourist numbers hit 130 million trips in 2024, up from 87 million in 2023, according to the China Tourism Academy.
• Chinese travelers aged 22 to 41 represent 83% of all outbound tourists, a group with growing spending power and a strong preference for experience-driven travel.
• Visa-free destinations like Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia saw over 30% more Chinese visitors in 2023 compared to 2019, a trend that continued into 2024.

Who Is Driving the Recovery?

The resurgence is coming from younger Chinese travelers, born in the 1990s and 2000s. They have more financial independence than previous generations and a real appetite for new experiences. Trip.com data shows this group now outpaces older generations in outbound travel participation.

They do not travel the same way their parents did. They plan on Douyin and Xiaohongshu, book through Ctrip, and share everything on social media. If your destination is not showing up where they research, you are not on their list.

Where Are They Going?

Short-haul destinations remain popular. South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia dominate. But the Belt and Road countries have seen strong growth: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey, and the Maldives all recorded significant increases in Chinese visitors in 2024.

Europe is picking back up. France, Spain, and Greece lead the way, but destinations like Serbia and Montenegro are appearing more frequently in Chinese travel content. ITB China forecasts continued growth in European trips through 2025 and into 2026.

Snow and aurora-themed tours have become particularly popular, reflecting a shift toward thematic and experience-based travel rather than standard sightseeing. Cultural tours, city walks, and family holidays rank among the top travel themes according to research by Mafengwo, China’s leading travel review platform. The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) also tracks this trend toward more personalized, interest-driven travel among younger outbound tourists.

How Chinese Travelers Plan Trips in 2025

Digital platforms drive nearly every step of the decision process. WeChat groups, Douyin videos, and Xiaohongshu posts all influence where people decide to go. Ctrip and Fliggy handle most bookings. AI chatbots are improving the booking experience, helping travelers get answers fast and plan itineraries without waiting for a human agent.

For tourism businesses, this means your digital presence in China needs to cover the full funnel, from discovery to booking to post-trip sharing. A presence on just one channel is not enough.

Why Your Chinese Digital Presence Matters

To reach 130 million potential travelers, you need to be where they look:

• Chinese website with ICP license and China hosting (Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud): pages that load fast build trust. Slow-loading sites are dismissed instantly.
• Douyin: the main discovery channel. Young travelers find destinations here first, before they look anywhere else.
• Xiaohongshu (XHS/RED): the trust-building platform. Real reviews and authentic photos from other travelers carry enormous weight in purchase decisions.
• Baidu SEO and PPC: for travelers who search with intent. Organic rankings take time, but paid search captures people actively planning a trip right now.
• WeChat: for loyalty and repeat business. Once someone follows your Official Account, you can reach them directly with offers, updates, and service messages.

See our full list of services at chinesetouristagency.com/our-services, learn about Xiaohongshu marketing, and check our guide on WeChat marketing to understand the full toolkit.

Quick Reference: Chinese Outbound Tourism 2024-2026

Indicator	Data	Source
Outbound trips 2024	130 million	China Tourism Academy / ITB China
Share of under-41 travelers	83%	China Tourism Academy
Top short-haul destinations	Korea, Japan, Thailand	Trip.com, Ctrip
Europe growth forecast 2025-26	Strong recovery	ITB China Travel Trends Report

FAQ

Why did Chinese outbound tourism recover so quickly?

Several factors combined at once. Border restrictions ended, flight capacity rebuilt, and a large population of younger Chinese travelers who had been unable to travel for three years suddenly had both the money and the motivation to go abroad. Visa-free agreements between China and several countries also removed friction for short-haul trips. The recovery was not just pent-up demand; it was a structural shift in how younger Chinese people prioritize travel as part of their lifestyle.

Which markets should focus on attracting Chinese tourists first?

Visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations have a clear head start. Southeast Asia and Japan benefit enormously from easy access. For European destinations, the work is more about visibility and trust-building on Chinese digital platforms than logistics. If you can show up on Douyin and Xiaohongshu with authentic content, and make booking easy through Ctrip or a Chinese-language website, you are ahead of most competitors.

How do younger Chinese travelers discover new destinations?

Mostly through Douyin and Xiaohongshu. A short video of a destination can generate thousands of bookings if it catches the algorithm and resonates with viewers. Xiaohongshu reviews from real travelers carry significant weight. Beyond social platforms, Mafengwo and Ctrip reviews also play a big role in the research phase. Destinations that have strong organic content on these platforms, posted by real travelers, build credibility far faster than paid advertising alone.

Is 2026 a good year to invest in reaching Chinese tourists?

Yes, and the earlier the better. The destinations and hotels that built their Chinese digital presence in 2024 and 2025 are already seeing results. The market is growing, competition for Chinese tourist attention is still manageable compared to where it will be in three to five years, and the tools for reaching this audience have never been more accessible. Waiting means starting from scratch when the market is more crowded.

Start Now

130 million outbound Chinese trips in 2024, growing in 2025 and 2026. That is an enormous market, and most of it is reachable if you have the right digital presence. The opportunity is there. You just need to take it. Visit our services page to see how we help tourism brands build a real presence in China.

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