China Trading Desk Q2 survey charts strong outbound recovery

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By Benedict Evans

Published July 15, 2025

China Trading Desk has released its Q2 2025 Outbound Traveller Survey, showing strong recovery trajectory, evolving with renewed confidence and discernible shifts in consumer priorities.

Highlights of the report include how 76% book international trips within one month, yet 78% conduct pre-trip product research. 49% budget over ¥25,000 per trip, but value perception and product validation drive conversion.

49% budget over ¥25,000 per trip, but value perception and product validation drive conversion

The report also indicates that social discovery via Xiaohongshu and Douyin is now the first retail touchpoint.

Chinese outbound travellers are displaying high intent, high spend, and digitally mediated shopping behaviours. The return of volume is no longer the story – the rewiring of decision-making, brand discovery, and purchase triggers is.

Flexibility and Spontaneity

One of the most striking developments in Q2, according to the CTD insights, is the reaffirmation of short-term travel planning, with 76% of Chinese travellers booking trips less than a month in advance.

This continues the trend observed since early 2024 and highlights a sustained appetite for flexibility and spontaneity.

However, as the survey points out, juxtaposed with this is the deepening of travel intention, with nearly 69% of respondents planning to travel abroad one to two times in the coming year, a consistently high figure quarter after quarter.

The dominance of regional favourites such as Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand remains unchallenged.

Supported by digital fluency and social platform influence (notably Xiaohongshu and Douyin), this favours ‘Free & Easy’ travel experiences, with 46% of those surveyed citing it as their preferred mode.

“Their reliance on peer reviews, short-form video, and real-time discovery calls for brands to double down on mobile-first, UGC-rich strategies,” the survey stated.

New frontiers

Meanwhile, the 44% of respondents who have yet to travel internationally represent a fresh frontier of outbound travel potential.

This largely cautious but aspirational group, the survey noted: “underscores the importance of trust, simplicity, and value-conscious experiences in campaign design, particularly for brands in duty-free and travel retail sectors”.

The survey continued: “Budgeting behaviour also tells an optimistic story. Nearly half (49%) of Chinese travellers now plan to spend over 25,000 RMB per trip, consistent with Q1 and Q4 2024, signalling sustained demand for quality-led, experience-rich travel, even amidst broader economic uncertainty.”

Subramania Bhatt, CEO and Founder of China Trading Desk, commented: “The Q2 report distils critical shifts into actionable guidance, empowering marketers, retailers, and destination leaders to anticipate emerging expectations. By decoding the cultural drivers, economic considerations, and digital behaviours that define the 2025 Chinese traveller, we can move beyond reactive strategies and design experiences that resonate at every touchpoint.

“As China progresses through mid-2025, the outbound travel market continues to chart a confident, recalibrated trajectory, evolving with renewed confidence and discernible shifts in consumer priorities. The Chinese traveller is returning, but not as you once knew them.”

Behavioural and retail trends

Chinese travellers are adopting an ‘impulse meets intent’ approach. Bookings are shorter and research is deeper.

While spontaneity continues – with three in four travellers booking on short notice – the decision to purchase is anything but random.

Travellers remain aspirational but increasingly rational: 67 – 68% prefer four-star and above accommodation; 25% look for duty-free discounts compared to domestic prices; and hoppers expect bundled value, curated exclusivity, and justification to spend.

The survey also revealed four distinct shopper personas.

Spontaneous Gen Z explorers who are mobile-first, deal-seeking, highly influenced by XHS/Douyin.

Family-oriented frequent travellers who are value-driven, books in advance, multi-generational appeal.

The luxury-seeking HNWI (High Net Worth Individual), marked by high spend, low patience, seeking exclusivity and time efficiency.

Finally the cautious first-time traveller – peer-led, price-sensitive, and preferring structured retail experiences.

DF&TR findings

The survey revealed pre-departure digital is the new ‘front door’ for Chinese travellers.

Shoppers are influenced weeks before travel by influencer content, shopping guides, and platform-native search.

78% prefer to compare prices via app or social review, with Beauty, Skincare, Wellness and exclusive editions leading the wish list.

The survey also noted that airport shopping must evolve for the new, self-guided traveller, and the duty free and travel retail sector must respond to: scan-to-learn QR touchpoints; short-form content integration; trust-building signage and product storytelling

Cross-channel implications

Retail is now omnichannel in behaviour, if not in infrastructure.

Travellers plan via digital (XHS, Douyin), compare via OTA and WeChat, and execute purchases in-store. The purchase, however, is shaped far earlier.

The CTD survey underlines that the DF&TR experience ‘begins on the feed, not the floor’, meaning: digital pre-engagement, offer localisation, and authenticity have become crucial in shaping basket decisions.

“At China Trading Desk, we believe the future of duty-free lies not only in location, but in timing, influence, and trust,” Subramania Bhatt added.

“The traveller journey has moved upstream – decisions are now made in the feed, not at the shelf. The brands that win in 2025 will be those that meet the Chinese traveller earlier, more authentically, and with greater relevance.”