The 14 Apps Chinese Tourists Use When They Travel (And What It Means for Your Business)

A Chinese tourist in Paris uses 14 different apps during a five-day trip. Not all at once. But each one serves a specific function that another app cannot replace. Understanding which apps Chinese tourists use, and when, tells you everything about how to reach them at each stage of their journey.

This is not just useful for app developers. It is essential for any tourism business that wants to understand where to invest its China marketing budget.

Before the Trip: Discovery and Planning Apps

Xiaohongshu (小红书) is where most Chinese outbound travel research starts in 2026. 300 million monthly active users browse destination photos, read peer travel reviews, and save 攻略 (planning guides) for future trips. For tourism businesses, presence on Xiaohongshu is the top-of-funnel priority.

Douyin (抖音) is the inspiration engine. 746 million monthly active users encounter destination content through the algorithm. A single viral Douyin video can create demand for a destination that no official tourism marketing could generate.

Mafengwo (马蜂窝) is used for deep trip planning. Detailed itineraries, accommodation comparisons, attraction reviews. If a destination has strong Mafengwo content, it converts curious browsers into committed planners.

Booking: The Transaction Apps

Ctrip (携程) with 57% of the Chinese OTA market, is the primary booking platform for flights, hotels, and packaged experiences. Any tourism business that is not listed on Ctrip is missing the most important booking channel for Chinese outbound travelers.

Fliggy (飞猪), Alibaba’s travel platform, captures 44.3% of the FIT outbound booking segment. Particularly strong with younger Chinese travelers and those who are already active in the Alibaba ecosystem.

During the Trip: Navigation, Payment, and Communication

WeChat (微信) is the backbone of the Chinese digital experience. Messaging with family, WeChat Pay for purchases, Mini Programs for services, and WeChat Moments for sharing travel photos. It is the one app that is always open.

Alipay (支付宝) is used for payment at international merchants, currency exchange, and as a financial hub during the trip. Many Chinese tourists pre-load foreign currency into Alipay before departure.

Baidu Maps (百度地图) and Amap (高德地图) are the primary navigation tools. Neither Google Maps nor Apple Maps is the default for Chinese tourists. Businesses that want to appear correctly in Chinese tourist navigation searches need to be listed on both Baidu Maps and Amap.

Dianping (大众点评) is used for real-time restaurant discovery and reviews. A Chinese tourist looking for lunch in Tokyo or Paris will often check Dianping first for reviews from other Chinese visitors.

After the Trip: Sharing and Reviewing

Xiaohongshu, Douyin, and WeChat Moments are the primary sharing platforms post-trip. The quality of the travel experience drives the quality of the content, which drives the quality of the future marketing for your destination. This is the virtuous cycle of Chinese social travel: great experience generates great content generates new bookings.

Pedro’s Take

The Chinese tourist app ecosystem is not confusing once you understand that each app owns a specific moment in the travel journey. Your job as a tourism business is to show up in the right app at the right moment. Discovery: Xiaohongshu and Douyin. Research: Mafengwo. Booking: Ctrip. Payment: WeChat Pay and Alipay. Navigation: Baidu Maps. Reviews: Dianping and Mafengwo. Building presence across all of these systematically is a 12-month project. Starting with one platform done well is a 30-day project. Start there.

(Here is the joke: A hotel manager asks which app is most important for Chinese tourists. I list seven. He says he only has budget for one. I say start with Ctrip because that is where the actual bookings come from. He lists on Ctrip in one week. Chinese bookings start arriving in week three. He emails me to ask which app is second most important. There is always a second app.)

FAQ

Do Chinese tourists use Google Maps?

Not typically. Baidu Maps and Amap (高德地图) are the standard navigation tools for Chinese tourists. Being listed on these platforms is important for local tourism businesses targeting Chinese visitors.

What is the most important single app for tourism businesses targeting Chinese tourists?

Ctrip for bookings. Xiaohongshu for discovery and marketing. The answer depends on whether your primary need is immediate bookings or long-term audience building.

Is WeChat accessible internationally for Chinese tourists?

Yes. WeChat works internationally and Chinese tourists use it constantly abroad for communication, payment, and content sharing. WeChat Pay works in 20+ countries through accepted merchant networks.

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About the author: Pedro Wang is the founder of Chinese Tourists Agency, advising tourism businesses on Chinese digital platform strategy. Contact Pedro Wang to audit your Chinese app presence.

Want a full audit of your business’s Chinese tourist app visibility? Chinese Tourists Agency can tell you exactly where you are missing.