155 million Chinese tourists are forecast to travel internationally in 2026. They spend an average of $2,400 per trip. FIT travelers now make up 68% of that flow. They choose destinations, hotels, and experiences based on what they see on Chinese social platforms before they ever open a booking app. If your hospitality or tourism brand is not visible to these travelers on Chinese platforms, someone else is getting their booking.
Chinese Tourism Agency has been helping travel and hospitality brands attract Chinese tourists since 2013. We are based in Shanghai. We know this market from the inside, not from a distance.
Contents
Who We Help
We work with tourism and hospitality businesses of all sizes that want a serious, measurable presence in the Chinese market:
- Hotels and resorts (boutique to large groups)
- Tour operators and destination management companies (DMCs)
- Restaurants and food experiences targeting Chinese visitors
- Museums, cultural sites, and heritage attractions
- Cruise lines and luxury travel brands
- Tourism boards and national tourist offices
- Ski resorts, golf clubs, and outdoor destinations
What Makes Chinese Tourism Marketing Different
Chinese tourists do not use Google. They do not read TripAdvisor. They do not book on Booking.com first. 83% of them check social media before booking. They search on Xiaohongshu (小红书). They watch Douyin videos. They ask WeChat contacts. They book on Trip.com (携程) or Fliggy. They pay with WeChat Pay or Alipay. If your business is not present on these platforms, you do not exist in the mind of the Chinese traveler.
This is not a technical detail. It is the entire strategy.
Our Core Services for Travel and Hospitality
Chinese Social Media Management
We manage your presence on Xiaohongshu (300 million monthly users, travel content growing 60% year-on-year), Douyin (700 million daily users), WeChat (1.38 billion monthly users), and Weibo. Content is written in native Mandarin, not translated. Community is built with real engagement. Hotels we manage typically see a 40% increase in Chinese inquiries within 3 months.
KOL and KOC Influencer Campaigns
Commercial partnerships between travel brands and Xiaohongshu creators grew 50 times in 2024. We identify, brief, and manage creators across all follower tiers to match your budget and objectives. Luxury brands working with us typically double their Xiaohongshu followers in 6 weeks with a structured KOC campaign. A well-placed Douyin video can generate thousands of direct inquiries within 24 hours.
OTA Platform Optimization
Trip.com commands 57% of China’s online travel market. Hotels on Ctrip with verified content and optimized listings get 40% more bookings than those with basic profiles. We create and optimize your listings on Trip.com, Fliggy, and Meituan so you show up when Chinese travelers are actively searching and ready to book.
Baidu SEO and Paid Search
Baidu holds 65% of China’s mobile search market. We get your property on the first page for the Chinese search terms your ideal guests are actually typing: hotel names, destination searches, experience categories. We handle the technical requirements too: ICP license, China-compatible hosting, simplified Chinese content.
WeChat Official Account and Mini Program
1.38 billion WeChat users. 949 million Mini Program users averaging 70 sessions per month. Hotels using WeChat Mini Programs for direct bookings report acquisition costs 45% lower than OTA channels. Your WeChat presence is not optional. We build it, maintain it, and connect it directly to bookings.
Chinese Website and Localization
Not translation. Full localization with native copywriting, China-compatible hosting, and Chinese payment gateway integration. A properly localized Chinese page converts 3 to 5 times better than a translated one. 78% of Chinese B2B buyers will not contact a company with no Chinese digital presence.
E-Reputation Management
Chinese travelers check Dazhongdianping (大众点评, 500 million users), Ctrip reviews, and Xiaohongshu posts before every booking. One unanswered negative review in Chinese costs you dozens of bookings per month. We monitor, respond in Mandarin, and protect your reputation across all platforms daily.
The ROI Question
Chinese tourists are not bargain hunters. They spend $2,400 on average per international trip. They research everything before they arrive and share everything when they get back. One positive Xiaohongshu post about your hotel can generate dozens of bookings. Getting one Chinese guest right often means getting more through word-of-mouth on Xiaohongshu and Douyin. The ROI on Chinese tourism marketing, when done correctly, is very real.
Key Data Points
| Metric | Number |
|---|---|
| Chinese outbound trips forecast (2026) | 155 million |
| Average Chinese tourist spend per trip | $2,400 |
| FIT share of outbound Chinese tourists | 68% |
| Chinese tourists checking social before booking | 83% |
| Xiaohongshu monthly active users | 300 million |
| Douyin daily active users | 700 million |
| WeChat monthly active users | 1.38 billion |
| Hotels on Ctrip with verified content: booking uplift | +40% |
Also read: our hotel marketing services for China and our digital agency approach for Chinese tourism.
Let’s Talk
Tell us about your property or destination. We will come back to you within 24 hours with an honest assessment of your current Chinese market visibility and where the real opportunities are. No sales pitch. Just straight answers.