China Trading Desk urges travel retail sector to adapt to self-guided, digital-first Chinese traveller
- Alice
- Jun 25
- 4 min read
By Camille Bersola
Published June 25, 2025
CHINA. China Trading Desk’s latest survey highlights the need for the travel retail sector to rethink its approach, as Chinese travellers become increasingly self-directed and digitally influenced.
The findings support the sustained rebound of China’s outbound travel demand in mid-2025, driven by growing consumer confidence and shifting travel priorities.
The latest Travel Sentiment Survey by the digital marketing specialist, which covers Q2 2025, reflects this ongoing evolution, highlighting the “nuanced behaviours and motivations of a market steadily returning to pre-pandemic vibrancy”.
The company identifies high intent, high spending and digitally influenced shopping behaviours as defining traits of Chinese outbound travellers. With travel volume recovery no longer the main concern, the focus now shifts to changes in decision-making, brand discovery and purchase triggers.
Key survey insights reveal that 76% of travellers book international trips within a month and 78% research products in advance. Nearly half of the respondents set a travel budget of CNY25,000 (US$3,485), with purchasing decisions shaped mainly by value perception and product confidence.
The research also highlights the growing importance of social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Douyin, now emerging as the first retail touchpoint.
Flexibility and spontaneity shape the new travel norm
One of the most notable findings from the CTD survey is the strong prevalence of short-term travel planning, with 76% of Chinese travellers making bookings within a month of departure.
This reflects the similar patterns observed in the previous year, underscoring the continued demand for flexible and spontaneous travel.
While spontaneity has become more common, intent remains strong, with almost 69% of respondents planning one to two international trips in the coming year – a figure that has shown consistent growth in recent quarters.
Travellers continue to favour destinations such as Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
As influence grows among younger, tech-savvy and female-driven travellers from Tier 1 cities – including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen – they are redefining the way destinations are chosen and the motivations behind those options.
Digital fluency and the influence of social media platforms, notably Xiaohongshu and Douyin, are shaping a preference for ‘Free & Easy’ travel, now favoured by 46% of respondents.
According to the survey, “Their reliance on peer reviews, short-form video and real-time discovery calls for brands to double down on mobile-first, UGC-rich strategies.”
Key trends driving the next wave of outbound travel
With 44% of respondents travelling internationally for the first time, the study uncovers a new segment of outbound travellers. This group, described as largely cautious yet aspirational, “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 noted, “Budgeting behaviour also tells an optimistic story. Nearly half (49%) of Chinese travellers now plan to spend over CNY25,000 (US$3,485) per trip, consistent with Q1 and Q4 2024, signalling sustained demand for quality-led, experience-rich travel, even amidst broader economic uncertainty.”
China Trading Desk CEO and Founder Subramania Bhatt said, “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.”
Latest consumer trends
A new travel pattern emerging among Chinese travellers is an ‘impulse meets intent’ behaviour, where bookings are made closer to departure, but decisions are guided by deeper research.
While last-minute travel has become a trend – three in four travellers book their trips on short notice – 79% plan their purchases in advance, driven largely by discovery on short-form content platforms.
Travellers remain aspirational but increasingly rational:
67-68% prefer 4-star and above accommodation
25% look for duty-free discounts compared to domestic prices
Shoppers expect bundled value, curated exclusivity and justification to spend
Identifying traveller shopper profiles
The survey reveals four distinct shopper personas:
Spontaneous Gen Z explorer – Mobile-first, deal-seeking, highly influenced by XHS/Douyin
Family-oriented frequent traveller – Value-driven, books in advance, multi-generational appeal
Luxury-seeking HNWI – High spend, low patience, seeks exclusivity and time efficiency
Cautious first-time traveller – Peer-led, price-sensitive, prefers structured retail experiences
The Five Economies – She, Value, Emotional, Silver and Confidence – are still relevant, but the study underscores a noticeable shift:
Confidence Economy grows: 44% of outbound travellers are first-timers
Silver Economy matures: Health-focused, low social media usage, high trust need
Value Economy sharpens: Travellers compare pricing, seek ‘smart buys’ across brands and platforms
Duty-free & travel retail trends
As today’s Chinese travellers increasingly plan purchases ahead of their trips – guided by influencer content, shopping guides and in-platform search – travel retailers are urged to adapt to this self-directed, digitally savvy audience.
Notably, the study found that 78% of travellers rely on apps or social media reviews to compare prices, with beauty, skincare, wellness and exclusive editions in high demand.
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
‘First-timer bundles’ and simplified purchase flows
Despite gaps in infrastructure, retail has become an omnichannel in behaviour, where travellers make purchase decisions based on social media (XHS, Douyin), compare via OTA and WeChat, and complete purchases in-store.
According to the study, the duty-free and travel retail experience “begins on the feed, not the floor”.
How brands should respond
Pre-engage digitally: Treat content as retail; seed early, especially on Douyin and Xiaohongshu
Localise the offer: Price clarity, brand familiarity and contextual gifting matter
Design for trust: Authenticity, Mandarin signage and simplified in-store navigation win over first-time and cautious travellers
Invest in ‘digital pre-boarding’: Shift influencer strategies upstream to shape basket decisions
Bhatt concluded, “At China Trading Desk, we believe the future of duty free lies not only in location, but in timing, influence and trust.
“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.” ✈
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