Emailing to Chinese Travel agencies, why it does not working
“Dear chinesetouristagency,
We try every day to find a Chinese travel agency to build a business partnership with, but unfortunately we have no reply. We have sent thousands of emails, but no one has contacted us.”
I get this message every month. Different countries, same story. And every time I look at the sender’s setup, the diagnosis is the same:
- No Chinese website
- Communication in English only
- No WeChat account
- No online reputation or reviews
- No social media presence on Chinese platforms
You have zero chance of getting a partnership. Or close to it.
Let me be direct: if you are trying to connect with Chinese travel agencies by sending hundreds of emails in English, you are playing the wrong game. It is not that your product is bad. It is that you are not visible where they look, and you are not speaking in a way they respond to. The Chinese tourism market is large, over 130 million outbound trips in 2024, but if you do not adapt your approach you stay invisible.
Here is what actually works. Four market facts first:
- 96% of business communication in China happens via WeChat, not email (Tencent Business Report 2024).
- A foreign tourism website with no Baidu SEO presence gets less than 0.1% of the visibility of a properly indexed Chinese-language site.
- Xiaohongshu saw a 45% increase in travel-related posts from Chinese agencies scouting foreign destinations in 2024 (Xiaohongshu internal data, cited by Jing Travel).
- Over 70% of Chinese B2B travel buyers say they research potential partners on Chinese social media before any meeting (Mafengwo B2B Survey 2025).
1. You need an online presence in Chinese, on Chinese platforms
Think about this: if a Chinese travel agency searches your business name on Baidu, what do they find? Nothing. An English website hosted abroad that takes 8 seconds to load. That means you do not exist in China. You are a ghost company.
No presence on WeChat, Xiaohongshu or Douyin? That is the problem. If you want their attention you need to show up where they are and in their language.
Build a Chinese website in Mandarin, optimized for Baidu. Explain your services clearly. Show why partnering with you makes sense for Chinese agencies. Include photos of real experiences and real destinations. Then create a digital brochure in Mandarin: your services, your destinations, what you offer Chinese tourists specifically (food options, Mandarin guides, group configurations). Make it downloadable via WeChat. Learn more about our full service offer for tourism businesses.
2. Use WeChat. Emails are dead in China.
Stop sending emails. Nobody is reading them. In China, WeChat is how business gets done. It is not just a messaging app, it is how deals are started, maintained and closed.
Set up a WeChat official account. This acts as your business card, your website and your customer service channel in one place. You can share articles, updates, promotions and contact info. Add agency contacts directly on WeChat and communicate in real time. It is faster more personal and it is what they expect from a serious partner. Learn more about WeChat marketing for tourism businesses.
3. Build your presence on Xiaohongshu and Douyin
Chinese agencies and travelers spend hours on Xiaohongshu and Douyin. If you are not there, you are invisible. On Xiaohongshu, share real stories, testimonials and reviews about your tours. Post content showing how your services work specifically for Chinese tourists. Use relevant hashtags to be found. On Douyin create short videos that show your tours in action, group travelers having a good time, unique locations, food experiences. Videos that feel authentic get shared. Learn more about Xiaohongshu marketing.
4. Be active and show up consistently
Nobody is going to chase you. Post on WeChat, Xiaohongshu and Douyin several times a week. Attend tourism trade shows in China when possible. Set up a booth and meet agencies face to face. Nothing replaces that first meeting in person for building trust with Chinese partners. When someone shows interest, respond quickly. In China a slow reply signals that you are not serious.
5. Build credibility through PR
In China your reputation is everything. Without reviews, testimonials or media mentions you look risky. Partner with KOLs who focus on travel. Get written about by Chinese travel bloggers. Share real success stories from Chinese tourists who have used your services. An article in a respected Chinese travel outlet stays online and keeps generating trust long after it was published.
6. Adapt your offer to Chinese travelers
Show that you understand what Chinese tourists actually want. Mandarin guides. Chinese meal options at least once per day on tour. Group packages that work for families. Packages built around Golden Week and the Spring Festival. If you can demonstrate this in your brochure and on your website, agencies will take you more seriously.
What success looks like
| Step | Action | Expected outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chinese website + Baidu SEO | Agencies can find and verify you online |
| 2 | WeChat official account | Direct communication channel with agencies |
| 3 | Xiaohongshu + Douyin presence | Visibility, social proof, discovery by travelers |
| 4 | Chinese brochure and materials | Agency can share your offer internally |
| 5 | KOL partnerships + PR | Third-party credibility that builds trust |
| 6 | Trade show attendance | Face-to-face relationships with decision-makers |
For further reading on Chinese B2B tourism partnerships: Mafengwo travel insights and Statista China tourism market data.
How CTA helps tourism businesses connect with Chinese agencies
Douyin
CTA builds Douyin accounts for tourism operators and manages campaigns from concept to reporting. We have done this for tour companies in Europe, Africa and Asia who had zero Chinese social media presence before working with us. See our Douyin marketing services.
Xiaohongshu (RED)
We set up and run Xiaohongshu accounts for tourism brands, create content in Mandarin and identify the right KOLs for your market and budget. For B2B outreach, Xiaohongshu is one of the best places to build awareness with Chinese agency buyers.
We handle everything from official account setup to ongoing content, customer service support and WeChat Pay integration. For tourism operators serious about the Chinese market, WeChat is non-negotiable. See the full offer at chinesetouristagency.com/our-services.
Pedro Wang is the founder of Chinese Tourists Agency, a digital marketing agency in Shanghai. He has been in China since 2008 and spends most of his time helping Western brands not make expensive mistakes in the Chinese market.
