How Chinese travellers are changing the luxury industry in 2024!

Chinese luxury travelers are reshaping the global travel market. In 2025, they are not just buying bags at airport duty-free. They are booking private ski chalets in Switzerland, planning immersive cultural tours in Japan, and posting every step of it on Xiaohongshu. Brands that understand this shift will do well. Those that treat Chinese tourists as a single group chasing the same old checklist will fall behind.

10 key trends about Chinese luxury travelers in 2025-2026

• Major contributors to global luxury spending. Chinese consumers account for approximately 22% of global luxury goods purchases, according to Bain & Company’s 2024 luxury report. That share is expected to grow to 35-40% by 2030. The outbound traveler segment drives a significant portion of this spending.
• Preference for buying abroad. Around 70% of affluent Chinese consumers prefer to buy luxury goods while traveling outside China, where prices are typically 20-30% lower than on the mainland. Europe, Japan, and the UAE are the top destinations for luxury shopping trips.
• The post-1985 generation leads. Affluent travelers born between 1985 and 2000 now drive most luxury purchases. They travel more often, they research more carefully, and they are fully comfortable booking expensive experiences through apps like Ctrip, Mafengwo, and Douyin.
• Experience over objects. The clear trend since 2023 is that wealthy Chinese increasingly value unique experiences over physical goods. A private wine tasting in Bordeaux, a stay at a ryokan in Kyoto, or a helicopter tour over Dubai carries more social currency than another designer bag. Brands must connect their products to authentic experiences.
• Food matters enormously. Food is a central part of any trip for Chinese travelers. They want to try local cuisine but they also need familiar options available nearby. Restaurants that offer even a few Chinese-friendly dishes, and hotels with kettles for tea, are rated much higher on Chinese review platforms.
• Four distinct buyer profiles. Within young Chinese luxury travelers, research identifies four groups: newcomers to luxury, status-driven shoppers, true connoisseurs, and bold early adopters. Each behaves differently online and responds to different content. A blanket approach misses all of them.
• High standards, set at home. Chinese luxury hotels and malls have raised the bar. Ritz-Carltons and luxury shopping centers in Shanghai and Shenzhen are world-class. International destinations must match these standards, not try to explain why their version of luxury is sufficient.
• Subtle, not pushy. Chinese luxury travelers resent being pushed toward a sale. A Mandarin-speaking concierge who mentions a new collection casually outperforms a dedicated sales pitch every time. Service should be warm, attentive, and never pressured.
• Personalization is the goal. Every Chinese high-net-worth traveler is different. Some prioritize art museums and Michelin restaurants. Others want private beaches and golf. Know your client before they arrive. Use CRM data, pre-arrival questionnaires, and Mandarin-speaking staff who can have real conversations.
• Winter sports are serious business. Since China’s push to develop its ski industry post-2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, skiing abroad has become a luxury lifestyle marker. St. Moritz, Courchevel, and Hokkaido have seen significant increases in Chinese bookings. Ski resorts that are present on Xiaohongshu and Douyin see direct results.

How Chinese luxury travelers are changing the fashion industry

At least 130 million Chinese tourists traveled internationally in 2024, spending an estimated 230 billion USD abroad. Fashion and accessories absorb the largest share of that spending. For years, luxury brands maintained artificially high prices in China, sometimes 50% above European retail. Chinese consumers noticed. They started planning shopping trips around specific purchases, comparing prices across markets, and sharing their hauls on RED and Douyin.

Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Harrods in London, and Bloomingdale’s in New York have all invested in WeChat campaigns, personal Mandarin-speaking shoppers, and Chinese payment integration to capture this spending. It works.

According to Xinhua News Agency (xinhuanet.com), Chinese outbound luxury spending in Europe recovered to 2019 levels by late 2023 and is now growing beyond those benchmarks. Paris, Milan, and London remain the top shopping cities but Tokyo and Dubai are gaining fast thanks to favorable exchange rates and visa policies.

Mafengwo travel data (mafengwo.cn) shows that Chinese travelers aged 25-40 now list “shopping itinerary” as a primary trip-planning criterion, often identifying specific items to buy before booking their flights.

Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book): the platform driving luxury travel decisions

For luxury travel marketing, Xiaohongshu is the most important platform you may not yet be using. Its audience skews toward affluent women aged 18-35, exactly the profile that drives luxury travel and shopping decisions for their entire family. Users research destinations, compare hotel room types, and review boutique shopping experiences in minute detail.

A well-managed brand presence on RED, with consistent content, KOL partnerships, and quick replies to comments, builds the kind of trust that converts into bookings. It also generates user-created content that keeps performing long after you posted it. See our Xiaohongshu marketing services for how we run this for travel clients.

Why Your Chinese Digital Presence Matters

A luxury brand or destination that is invisible on Chinese digital platforms will not attract high-spending Chinese travelers. Period. Here is what the full presence looks like:

• Chinese website with ICP license, hosted on Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud: loads fast inside China, ranks on Baidu.
• Douyin: the discovery channel. Luxury experiences shown in short, beautiful video format perform extremely well. Learn more at our Douyin marketing page.
• Xiaohongshu (XHS/RED): trust-building. This is where affluent Chinese travelers research before they commit to a destination or hotel.
• Baidu SEO + PPC: Chinese search for destination and luxury travel terms in Mandarin.
• WeChat: loyalty and direct client communication. Official Accounts and mini-programs let you maintain relationships with repeat luxury clients. See our WeChat marketing services.

Our Chinese digital marketing agency works with luxury hotels, fashion brands, and travel operators to build full-channel presence in China.

FAQ: Chinese luxury travelers

What percentage of global luxury spending comes from Chinese consumers?

Chinese consumers account for roughly 22% of global luxury goods purchases today, and projections put that figure at 35-40% by 2030. A large portion of this spending happens while traveling: price differences, product availability, and the social prestige of a shopping trip abroad all drive outbound luxury purchasing. For any luxury brand, winning Chinese travelers is now a top strategic priority.

Which platforms do Chinese luxury travelers use to research trips?

Xiaohongshu (RED) is the primary research platform for affluent Chinese travelers, particularly women. Mafengwo is used for destination guides and reviews. Douyin surfaces inspiration content through its algorithm. Ctrip handles bookings for most of the market. Baidu is where initial destination searches start. A strong presence across all five of these platforms covers the full research journey from inspiration to booking.

Why are Chinese luxury travelers shifting toward experiences over shopping?

China’s domestic luxury market has matured. High-end products are available at home, and the price gap with overseas has narrowed. Meanwhile, posting a unique experience on RED or Douyin generates more social engagement than posting a purchase. Experiences like private yacht charters, exclusive tasting menus, or ski lessons in the Alps carry social value that mass-market shopping no longer provides. Luxury brands that tie their products to memorable experiences are capturing this shift effectively.

How should a luxury hotel prepare for Chinese guests?

Start with the basics: kettle and tea in every room, UnionPay payment accepted, at least one Mandarin-speaking staff member on duty. Then build the digital layer: active profiles on Ctrip, Mafengwo, and RED, with real photos and honest responses to reviews. Finally, train your concierge team to offer personalized recommendations for shopping, dining, and experiences that match each guest’s preferences. Chinese luxury travelers will leave glowing reviews when they feel genuinely welcomed.

Reach Chinese luxury travelers where they are

This market is growing every year, and the brands and destinations investing in their Chinese digital presence today are building a real competitive edge. The window to get in early is still open, but it is narrowing.

See what our team can do for your luxury brand or destination: explore our services here.

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