UMS Whitepaper Release: China Tourism Market 2025

Introduction:

The tourism market in China is seeing fast-paced innovation, resulting in local and international brands adapting to shifting consumer preferences and emerging digital trends. Travellers are moving beyond traditional sightseeing, seeking richer experiences like outdoor exploration, cultural engagement, and tailor-made journeys. The market is witnessing significant growth, showing a 5.9% increase in inbound trips year after year. Alongside this, total tourism expenditure is on the rise, projecting a 7% year-on-year growth for 2025.

Our latest whitepaper, Top Trends: China Tourism Market 2025, breaks down the trends and behaviours shaping the market, equipping institutions build smarter strategies for the coming year.

Trend 1: Outdoor Activities

Outdoor activities are rapidly emerging as a leading trend in China’s tourism sector, largely fuelled by their growing popularity on short-form video platforms like RedNote and Douyin. Total views of Hiking videos were up 180% on Douyin, while cycling equipment had a total gross revenue of 2.5 billion Yuan.

What distinguishes these applications is their innovative features that are driving significant growth. One notable example is Douyin’s STEP feature, which allows users to track their steps while walking. This feature has been utilised 12 million times, demonstrating the profound impact these platforms are having on the tourism market in China.

Trend 2: Growing Interest in Locally Crafted, Cultural Souvenirs:

In addition to promoting outdoor activities, RedNote and Douyin are sparking a growing fascination with locally crafted cultural souvenirs. In 2024, posts related to “cultural and creative design” saw an impressive 65% increase on RedNote. Furthermore, the platforms’ “Cultural and Creative Market” event resulted in a 1.2x boost in collaboration orders among merchants, reflecting a strong consumer interest in brands that celebrate cultural heritage.

Over on Douyin, we saw a boom in cultural and creative ecommerce. Sales in this area surpassed ¥18 billion, with purchasing power in lower-tier cities growing by 50% in 2024.

Trend 3: Growth in Cruises and Water-based Activities:

The demand for cruises and water-based activities is expected to surge, with China’s cruise market projected to surpass ¥80 billion by 2030. This growth is largely fuelled by China’s ‘Belt and Road’ initiative, which is driving the popularity of Southeast Asian cruise routes and opening exciting opportunities within the industry.

Luxury Cruise Demand on the rise:Exposure on RedNote and Douyin grew from 40%-55%
Boom in Short-Form Digital Engagement:Short video views related to ‘boat cruise experiences’ increased by 185% YOY in 2024
Rising Interest in Cruise Content on RedNote:Posts about ‘boat cruise experiences’ increased by 160% in 2024

Trend 4: Smart tourism: VR, AI and digital innovations at attractions:

Scenic areas are improving accessibility with the addition of e-shuttle buses, elevators, and automated tour guide systems to enhance the visitor experience. Older travellers now make up around 20 percent of all tourists, increasing the need for convenience-focused infrastructure.

Attractions are also upgrading with smart technology to improve service quality and overall efficiency. Additionally, virtual reality experiences are gaining popularity, offering interactive ways to explore cultural landmarks and historical sites.

To support different visitor preferences, many locations now provide both QR code audio guides and traditional rental options.

Trend 5: Aerial Exploration Reimagined: The low-altitude tourism boom:

China’s low-altitude economy reached ¥505.95 billion in 2023, growing at 33.8% year-over-year. Although, with this growth comes certain challenges and considerations within airspace regulations, weather limitations, and infrastructure costs.

In 2024, aviation content on RedNote and Douyin experienced a significant boost, with cockpit-view videos reaching a remarkable 22 million views. Users also showed a keen interest in “a day in the life of a pilot” videos, reflecting an increasing fascination with immersive and behind-the-scenes storytelling.