What Is Mafengwo And How To Use It To Attract Chinese tourists?

Mafengwo (马蜂窝) is one of the most used travel platforms in China. Think of it as China’s TripAdvisor, but with a stronger community feel and a direct booking engine on top. If you want Chinese travelers to find your destination, hotel, or experience, Mafengwo is a platform you cannot ignore.

The platform has over 130 million registered users and generates more than 200 million pieces of user-created travel content. In 2024-2025, it remains one of the top three travel research tools for Chinese outbound tourists, alongside Ctrip and Xiaohongshu.

What Is Mafengwo?

Mafengwo started in 2010 as a forum where travelers shared trip notes. By 2016 it had added hotel booking, tour packages, and ticket sales. Young Chinese call it their “travel bible” for good reason: every section of the site is built around real experiences from real travelers.

The platform covers destinations, hotels, food, attractions, and shopping. Users write detailed trip reports, post photos, map out routes, rate every experience, and leave honest reviews. Other travelers read all of this before booking. That word-of-mouth dynamic is what makes Mafengwo so powerful for businesses targeting Chinese visitors.

2024-2025 Data Points Worth Knowing

• China’s outbound tourism recovered strongly in 2024, with the China National Tourism Administration (cnta.gov.cn) reporting over 130 million outbound trips, up 30% vs 2023. Mafengwo benefited directly from this rebound as travelers resumed research on the platform.
• According to Mafengwo’s 2025 Travel Trend Report, independent travelers (FIT) now account for over 70% of outbound bookings made through the platform, up from 55% in 2019. These travelers rely more on UGC reviews than on travel agents.
• A tour operator specializing in Tibet and Guilin reported nearly half of their bookings coming from Mafengwo, with monthly revenue exceeding 600,000 yuan driven by the platform’s e-commerce integration.

How to Use Mafengwo to Attract Chinese Tourists

Create and Verify Your Business Account

Getting started is straightforward. Go to Mafengwo’s website, click “Sign Up,” fill in your business details, and complete the setup. After that, apply for verification to get the “V” badge. That small badge tells Chinese travelers your listing is official and trustworthy. It matters.

Use Mafengwo as a Travel Forum

Mafengwo’s forum section is where the real conversations happen. Travelers share detailed trip reports, ask questions, and debate the best routes. Participate actively. Answer questions about your destination. Post useful information. The more helpful you are, the more visibility you gain. Chinese consumers trust peer recommendations far more than branded ads.

Work With User-Generated Content

You cannot buy authentic reviews, but you can encourage them. When guests check out, remind them about Mafengwo. Make it easy for them to find your listing. Positive real reviews build trust faster than any paid campaign. Read the reviews you already have, too. They tell you exactly what Chinese visitors love and what frustrates them.

Run Targeted Ads

Mafengwo’s advertising tools let you place your destination or property in front of travelers who are actively planning a trip. You can target by destination interest, travel style, and travel timing. The audience is high-intent. These are not passive scrollers. They are people about to book something.

Tap Into E-Commerce

Mafengwo lets travelers book hotels, buy attraction tickets, and purchase tour packages without leaving the app. If you can list your product in this e-commerce section, the path from discovery to purchase is very short. That frictionless booking flow converts browsers into customers.

Why Your Chinese Digital Presence Matters

Mafengwo is a great start, but it works best as part of a broader China digital strategy. Here is what you need to build:

• Chinese website with ICP license and China hosting (Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud). Without this, your site loads slowly or not at all in China. That kills bookings before they start.
• Douyin: This is where Chinese travelers discover destinations today. Short videos of your location, food, and experiences reach millions of potential visitors.
• Xiaohongshu (XHS / RED): Trust-building platform. Travelers post detailed reviews with photos. A strong XHS presence reassures Chinese visitors before they commit to booking.
• Baidu SEO and PPC: Still the dominant search engine in China. Being findable on Baidu is not optional if you want organic traffic from Chinese travelers.
• WeChat: For relationship management and loyalty. Once someone visits, WeChat is how you keep them coming back and how you get referrals from their network.

Explore our full range of China digital marketing services, including Douyin marketing and Xiaohongshu marketing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mafengwo worth it for a small hotel or guesthouse?

Absolutely. Small properties often perform very well on Mafengwo because travelers love discovering boutique spots. A few strong reviews from genuine guests can put a small hotel on the radar of thousands of Chinese travelers. The key is to keep your listing updated and respond to reviews promptly. You do not need a big budget to build a solid reputation on this platform.

Do I need to write content in Mandarin to use Mafengwo?

Yes, Mandarin is essential. Your business profile, product descriptions, and any posts you make should be in Mandarin. Chinese travelers searching on Mafengwo will not engage with English-only content. If you do not have someone who writes Chinese in-house, working with a China marketing agency to handle your Mandarin content is a smart investment that pays back quickly.

How does Mafengwo compare to Xiaohongshu for travel marketing?

Both platforms are valuable but they play different roles. Mafengwo is focused purely on travel, with detailed trip reports, route planning tools, and direct booking. Xiaohongshu (RED) is a lifestyle platform where travel content sits alongside fashion, food, and beauty. For building trust and reaching younger women travelers, XHS is very strong. For reaching serious trip planners who are closer to booking, Mafengwo is more targeted. The best strategy uses both.

Can I run paid advertising on Mafengwo as a foreign business?

Yes, foreign businesses can advertise on Mafengwo, though the process requires working through an authorized agency partner in China. The good news is that the targeting options are excellent: you can reach travelers based on their destination preferences, travel style, and where they are in the booking process. Working with a China digital marketing agency makes this much easier and ensures your spend goes to the right audience.

The Opportunity Is Real

Chinese outbound tourism is back and growing. In 2025, Chinese travelers are spending more per trip and looking for more diverse experiences than ever before. Mafengwo gives you direct access to these travelers at the exact moment they are planning. Set up your account, build your presence, get those reviews in, and pair Mafengwo with a strong presence on Douyin and Xiaohongshu. The results will follow. Ready to get started? Visit our services page and let us help you build a China strategy that works.

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.