Latest China’s outbound tourism trend and strategies to attract Chinese outbound tourists for 2024

Part 1: Latest Trends in China's Outbound Tourism Trend in 2024

Trend 1: Increase in Willingness to Travel Abroad

The willingness to travel abroad has increased significantly; it is expected that the number of outbound tourists will exceed 130 million in 2024 with a Year-over-Year (YoY) increase of 45%.
Data source: China Tourism

Trend 2: China Outbound Tourism - Visa Applications Surge

According to Ctrip visa data, since late February, there has been a noticeable increase in visa applications for outbound travel, climbing more than threefold just a week after the Spring Festival. The pace of growth has continued robustly with weekly increases of 50%. Visa issuance numbers for the "May Day" holiday are up more than 30% year-on-year, with transaction volumes surpassing those of the same period in 2019.

Trend 3: Shift from Shopping to Cultural Entertainment Consumption

Although the number of outbound travelers will continue to rise, the preference of Chinese tourists will gradually shift away from shopping overseas to consumption of cultural and experiential products. According to economic intelligence, spending on accommodation, relaxation, comfort, food, and drinks has grown significantly in 2023.

Part 2: Seasonal China's Outbound Tourism Trends in 2024

Seasonal Trend 1: China to See Rise in Outbound Tour for Upcoming May Day Holidays

According to the Global Times news, it is reported that "The travel popularity for the upcoming May Day holidays is steadily increasing compared to 2023, with more significant growth in outbound and inbound travel bookings. Unlike the short-distance trips during the Qingming Festival, medium and long-distance travel will be the focus during the May Day holidays," according to a report sent to the Global Times by online travel agency Trip.com Group.

Seasonal Trend 2: Preferred Travel Modes and Packages

Short-haul trips remain popular with group tours, cruises, and independent travel as the preferred formats. Particularly in demand are all-inclusive tours (including flights and local tours) to Thailand (Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket) and Japan (Osaka, Nara, Kyoto) that promise "zero shopping" — a selling point for tourists preferring pure sightseeing experiences. Cruises are also booming, with routes like Shanghai to Fukuoka and multi-stop cruises including Jeju and Nagasaki showing high booking volumes.

Part 2: Seasonal China's Outbound Tourism Trends in 2024

Seasonal Trend 1: China to See Rise in Outbound Tour for Upcoming May Day Holidays

According to the Global Times news, it is reported that "The travel popularity for the upcoming May Day holidays is steadily increasing compared to 2023, with more significant growth in outbound and inbound travel bookings. Unlike the short-distance trips during the Qingming Festival, medium and long-distance travel will be the focus during the May Day holidays," according to a report sent to the Global Times by online travel agency Trip.com Group.

Seasonal Trend 2: Swift in consumers preference

Short-haul trips remain popular with group tours, cruises, and independent travel as the preferred formats. Particularly in demand are all-inclusive tours (including flights and local tours) to Thailand (Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket) and Japan (Osaka, Nara, Kyoto) that promise "zero shopping" — a selling point for tourists preferring pure sightseeing experiences. Cruises are also booming, with routes like Shanghai to Fukuoka and multi-stop cruises including Jeju and Nagasaki showing high booking volumes.

Part 3: Chinese Social Media and Influencers Marketing Strategies to Attract Chinese Outbound Tourists in 2024

Tailored Content Creation Create platform-specific social media content: Create platform-specific social media content instead of creating a poster-like or adapting global content without adapting to local consumers' tastes and preferences as those don't resonate with the platform's vibe and what consumers are looking to consume.

Video Marketing: With Chinese social media swifting consumption from purely image or text to short form video content, and the rise of Chinese travellers consuming travel-related entertainment video content, creating local and authentic short form travel releated video content would be the key to attract Chinese tourists.

Influencer Marketing: Key to Reaching Outbound Chinese Tourists Influencers, or 'Key Opinion Leaders' (KOLs), continue to wield significant influence on consumer behavior in China. To effectively engage Chinese outbound tourists, companies should consider the following strategies:

Focus on Regional Preferences: Tailor content to specific demographics. For instance, younger tourists might prefer adventure and budget travel, whereas older demographics might lean towards luxury and comfort.

Leverage User-Generated Content: Encourage influencers to share their real travel stories and experiences. Authenticity speaks louder than overt marketing, and personal stories are highly valued by Chinese consumers.

Part 4: Join our China's Outbound Webinar

This revival in China's outbound travel trends is set to unlock opportunities not only within the hospitality and food and beverage sectors. To capture the revival in China's outbound tourists, Join our Capture China's outbound tourists for 2024!
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🌟 What you'll learn from this online session:
✅️ Exploring Opportunities in 2024 for China's Outbound Hospitality, Food and Beverage Industries.
✅️ Crafting Winning Strategies to Harness the Power of Chinese Social Media for Storytelling, Branding, Influencers, and Trust-building in 2024.
✅️ Uncovering the Most Current Trends and Strategies for Maximizing the Impact of Influencers.
✅️ Utilizing Chinese Social Media and Digital Advertising to Drive Business Growth in 2024.
🎁 Bonus: Participants who join the Webinar all get a Free Chinese Holiday & Shopping Festival Calendar for Marketers
🌎 Registration URL: ▶ https://webinar.reddigitalchina.com/

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