How politicians can help you attract more Chinese tourists
When people talk about attracting Chinese tourists, they usually mention influencers, travel apps, and social media. KOLs on Douyin, reviews on Mafengwo, campaigns on Xiaohongshu. All valid. But there is one category that does not get enough attention: politicians.
Political leaders, at both the national and local level, can have an enormous impact on where Chinese people travel. A presidential visit, a diplomatic agreement, or even a photo of a head of state eating a local dish can shift Chinese tourist flows in ways that no marketing budget can replicate. Understanding this dynamic helps destinations position themselves smarter.
Xi Jinping and the tourism effect
The clearest example is Xi Jinping himself. When the Chinese president visits a destination or simply mentions a place in a public speech tourism numbers to that location often spike within weeks. His influence on Chinese consumer behaviour extends far beyond politics.
When Xi was photographed eating a particular local dish at a Beijing restaurant in 2013, the small shop became a national sensation overnight. Queues stretched around the block for months. Tourism to that neighbourhood increased measurably. Travel guides started including the restaurant as a must-visit.
The same effect plays out internationally. When Xi travels abroad for diplomatic meetings, Chinese media covers the destinations in depth. Local sights, food, culture, all get featured. Chinese audiences see these places in a positive light, and curiosity follows. Some destinations have gone from obscure to trending on Douyin within days of a high-profile visit.
This is not unique to China, but the scale of it in China is different. Xi commands an audience of hundreds of millions. His movements are tracked by national media and replicated across every major Chinese social platform. The secondary effect on tourism is real and measurable.
How local politicians abroad can play a role
It is not just the Chinese president who matters. Foreign politicians also influence Chinese tourist perceptions. When a mayor, prime minister, or president of another country welcomes Chinese visitors publicly, posts in Chinese on social media, or appears in a Chinese language campaign it sends a strong signal that Chinese tourists are valued and welcome.
Several European cities have used this to good effect. Mayors who personally greeted Chinese New Year celebrations in their cities, or posted bilingual welcome messages during peak travel seasons, saw those moments shared widely on Chinese platforms. It creates a sense of warmth and acceptance that matters a lot to Chinese travellers choosing between destinations.
“The political welcome signal is underrated in destination marketing,” says Jon Wang, analyst at CTA. “Chinese tourists pay close attention to how their country is perceived abroad and whether they will feel respected. A mayor who posts in Mandarin during Chinese New Year sends a stronger message than many paid ads would. Destinations that invest in political goodwill see it reflected in their tourist numbers over time. It is one of the most cost-effective things a tourism board can do.”
Case Study: A small French region and its unexpected Chinese tourism boom
Sophie Renard manages tourism development for a mid-size city in the Alsace region of France. In 2021 Alsace was not on most Chinese tourists radar. Paris, the Loire Valley, the Riviera, these were the obvious choices. Alsace, despite its beautiful Christmas markets and medieval villages, was largely invisible in Chinese travel conversations online.
Sophie’s budget was 80,000 euros per year for international marketing. That is not a small amount for a regional office, but it is a fraction of what national tourism bodies spend. She knew she could not compete head-to-head with major French destinations on paid media.
The turning point came in late 2022. During a diplomatic trade mission to Shanghai, the regional president of Alsace gave a short speech and, on advice from his communications team, ended it with a brief greeting in Mandarin and an invitation to visit. The moment was informal; it lasted 20 seconds. But a Chinese journalist in the room filmed it and posted it on Weibo. The clip got 2.3 million views in 48 hours.
Sophie saw the data in real time. Searches for Alsace on Baidu jumped 340% in the week after the clip circulated. She moved quickly. Within two weeks her office published a Mandarin language travel guide and launched a small Douyin account showing the region’s wine routes, Christmas markets, and architecture. The account reached 18,000 followers in its first three months.
By summer 2023, Chinese tourist arrivals to Alsace were up 67% compared to the same period in 2022. Average spend per visitor was 2,100 euros, significantly above the European tourist average of 890 euros. Several local hotels reported that Chinese visitors now made up 15 to 20% of their international bookings, compared to less than 3% two years earlier.
What Sophie did after the initial moment mattered just as much as the moment itself. She worked with a Chinese digital marketing partner to keep the momentum going. She arranged a KOL trip in spring 2023, inviting four Chinese travel creators to spend a week in Alsace. Their combined content reached over 8 million users across Douyin and Xiaohongshu. Two of the videos went semi-viral, with one reaching 1.4 million plays on Douyin alone.
Sophie regions strategy is now built around three pillars: political visibility (staying on the agenda of China-France diplomatic events), digital presence on Chinese platforms, and KOL partnerships for ongoing content. The original political moment cost nothing. The follow-up work cost around 35,000 euros. The return, in new tourist revenue, was estimated at over 4 million euros in 2023 alone.
What destinations can learn from this
You do not need a presidential visit to trigger this effect. Even small diplomatic gestures, official exchanges between cities, Chinese New Year greetings from local officials, and public statements welcoming Chinese visitors can all move the needle.
Data from Xinhua News at xinhuanet.com regularly covers international destinations that are actively welcoming Chinese visitors. A destination that gets mentioned in Xinhua travel coverage gets seen by a massive audience at no cost. Being mentioned there often starts with a political relationship or a well-timed diplomatic event.
For destinations looking to build long-term visibility in the Chinese market, the China National Tourism Administration publishes guidance on approved destination status and bilateral tourism agreements at cnta.gov.cn. Getting on those lists is a political and administrative process, but the tourism payoff is significant.
Once a political moment creates visibility, the digital follow-up is what converts interest into bookings. Working with a Chinese digital marketing agency means you can move fast when those moments happen, publishing the right content on the right platforms before the interest fades.
If you want to know more about how to build your China tourism strategy from scratch, take a look at our full services page to see how we can help you plan and execute.
How CTA Can Help
CTA helps destinations, tourism boards, and hospitality brands build their presence in the Chinese market. Our services include:
- Douyin (TikTok China) campaigns to reach Chinese travellers in the planning phase
- WeChat Official Account management for ongoing audience engagement
- Baidu SEO and PPC so your destination appears when Chinese travellers search
- RED (Xiaohongshu) influencer marketing to build authentic travel interest
- Chinese website design and localization for a credible digital presence
- KOL/KOC partnerships with Chinese travel creators who drive real bookings
About CTA
CTA is a Shanghai-based digital marketing agency specializing in helping international brands reach Chinese consumers. Since 2012, they have worked with tourism boards, hotels, real estate developers, luxury brands and more. Services include Douyin, WeChat, Baidu, RED, and Chinese website design. Whether you are building your China presence for the first time or scaling an existing strategy, CTA brings the tools and local expertise to get results. Learn more at chinesetouristagency.com/our-services.
Claire is a content strategist at CTA with 6 years of experience in Chinese digital marketing. She writes about tourism, branding, and how to reach Chinese consumers online.
