2025 May Day Holiday Insights: Chinese Travellers Drive Global Tourism Revival

China’s 2025 May Day holiday marked a powerful resurgence in cross-border travel, revealing how Chinese consumers are redefining where and how they explore. According to the National Immigration Administration, 10.9 million inbound and outbound trips were recorded over the five-day break—a 28.7% increase from last year, with daily crossings averaging 2.18 million. Close to 2.9 million Chinese travelled outside of China during this period, 1.4 million taking aerial route and the rest via land and sea crossing. This surge reflects not only renewed enthusiasm for international mobility but also a broader shift toward personalised, digitally enabled, and experience-driven travel.

Outbound Travel Heats Up Across Asia-Pacific

The number of outbound travel orders surged by 130%-173% year-on-year based on different OTA, with Asian destinations such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia dominating. Japan led the way, with over 2,000 flights—a 53% year-on-year increase. South Korea followed with 1,588 flights (+18%), while Malaysia and Singapore posted 33% and 18% growth, respectively, bolstered by visa-free entry and smooth online booking interfaces. Japan became the most popular destination due to its exchange rate advantage, luxury products are lower in Japan than in China.

Chinese travellers are looking beyond the usual hotspots, where the interest in off-the-beaten-path destinations like Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan soared, with search volumes jumping 124% and 131%. Chinese tourists cover 1,303 cities around the world, an increase of 290 from 2024, and bookings for destinations within the "12-hour flight circle" such as Iceland and Hungary have increased by more than 170%. These places are catching the eye of those craving something fresh and unique. Independent travel and small-group tours also became more popular, up 23% and 18%. Meanwhile, Thailand saw a 21% drop in visitors from China, still shadowed by safety issues.

Digital Spend Surges: A Borderless Wallet

Chinese travellers are redefining what it means to go global with their wallets. Mobile payment usage abroad saw a dramatic increase during the holiday. WeChat Pay recorded a 37% rise in outbound transaction volumes, and Alipay noted a 15% uplift in overseas spend.

Top destinations for mobile-based Chinese consumer spending included Hong Kong, Japan, Macao, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, France, Canada, and Italy.

WeChat Mini Programs also surged in adoption abroad. Vietnam, Singapore, and Japan saw visit volumes double, while Malaysia saw a 200% increase in Mini Program traffic. Transactions via WeChat Pay grew by 38% in Singapore and 50% in South Korea. These figures affirm that mobile-first, app-powered experiences are now standard expectations for outbound Chinese tourists.

Conclusion: China’s Travel Momentum Is Global, Personalised, and Digital

The 2025 May Day holiday marked more than a rebound—it reflected a new era of Chinese travel. From county towns to niche outbound destinations and cruise adventures, travellers are embracing decentralised, digitally powered, experience-first journeys.

China Trading Desk specialise in helping brands and destinations tap into this evolving momentum, driven by real-time insights, precision targeting, and seamless cross-border activation. Ready to reach the next generation of Chinese travellers? Let’s connect.