Chinese Travellers to Make 200M Trips by 2028: Luxury Spending, Digital Influence, and Airport Retail Trends in 2025

Road to 200M – How Chinese Travellers Are Redefining Global Tourism

SINGAPORE, 16 April 2025: 2025 marks a pivotal inflection point in global tourism — and Chinese travellers are once again leading the charge. After years of pandemic disruption, China’s outbound travel market is not just recovering, it’s accelerating toward a new horizon: 200 million international trips by 2028.

Luxury travel preferences, digital influence, and higher spending are top trends among Chinese travellers, according to China Trading Desk as the market research firm releases its latest China Outbound Travel Sentiment Survey for Q1 2025.

As Chinese travellers return to overseas travel in greater numbers in 2025, global travel retailers are preparing for a fresh wave of high-spending Chinese shoppers. According to the latest insights from China Trading Desk, 28% of Chinese tourists now budget over ¥50,000 per trip, significantly outspending general travellers. A majority (58%) of Chinese travellers have the intent to shop before boarding in the airport, while 28% are undecided – a clear opportunity for targeted promotions or in-store engagement to convert potential shoppers.

This return of higher-spending Chinese travel retail consumers, with strong intent to shop, is reshaping the luxury and duty-free sectors at Asia’s top airport destinations, driving airport purchases, digital-first shopping behaviour, and increased demand for exclusive in-store experiences.

Chinese Travellers Return to Overseas Travel: How Shifting Trends are Redefining Global Tourism in 2025

After years of pandemic-related disruptions, China’s outbound tourism sector is making a strong comeback, with projections exceeding 155 million international trips in 2025—surpassing pre-pandemic levels. According to the latest China Outbound Travel Sentiment Survey for Q1 2025, 72% of Chinese travellers are planning multiple international trips this year, signalling a long-term shift towards increased mobility and tourism spending on a global scale.

The survey reveals that Chinese travellers are booking more trips, making decisions faster, and prioritising premium experiences, all while being heavily influenced by digital content and social media platforms.

Shorter Planning, More Travel: The Rise of Last-Minute Booking Culture

A defining trend of our China Outbound Travel Sentiment Survey for the first quarter of the year and looking ahead, is the growing spontaneity in travel planning. The report highlights that 77% of Chinese travellers now book their trips less than a month in advance, up from 73% in Q3 2024 and 74% in Q4 2024. This shift reflects a desire for flexibility, particularly among younger and high-net-worth travellers.

This behaviour is reshaping the tourism industry, compelling airlines, hotels, and travel service providers to adjust pricing strategies, optimise last-minute inventory, and enhance mobile-first booking experiences. Brands that offer flash sales, exclusive last-minute deals, and flexible travel policies are poised to capture a greater share of this market.

🇸🇬 Southeast Asia Leads, But Europe and Japan Are on the Rise

According to the Q1 2025 survey, Singapore (17%) continues to top the list, followed by Japan (16%), South Korea (13%), and Malaysia (12%). Europe (10%), however, has now surpassed Thailand, which dropped from 4th to 7th place, indicating a recalibration of long-haul versus short-haul desirability.

🧭 Destination Trends by Traveller Persona

Persona	Preferred Destinations	Key Motivators
Gen Z Explorer	Japan, South Korea, UAE	Culture + trends, nature, remote experiences, social content appeal
HNWI Luxury Seeker	Europe (Paris, Milan, London), Dubai	Curated experiences, culinary travel, fashion & prestige retail
Family Frequent Traveller	Singapore, Malaysia, Australia	Safety, family-oriented attractions, long-stay value
Cautious First-Timer	Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea	Language familiarity, cost-efficiency, group tours & reassurance

🛫 Airport Shopping & Luxury Spending: The Final, Digital-First Touchpoint

As China’s outbound travel surges past 155 million trips in 2025, the airport is no longer just the last stop — it’s the first opportunity to convert intent into action. With 58% of Chinese travellers planning to shop before boarding and a further 28% undecided, airports are becoming high-stakes, performance-driven retail arenas.

Yet beneath the surface, four distinct traveller personas are shaping how, why, and where this spending occurs:

✈️ What’s Driving Purchase?

• 61% are influenced by social media promotions, especially from Douyin and Xiaohongshu – travellers now arrive with “wishlist screenshots” of SKUs and prices.

• 98% compare duty-free prices online before making a decision – airport retailers must mirror the “ROPO” mindset: Research Online, Purchase Offline.

• Beauty (23%) and fashion accessories (17%) top the duty-free list, followed by alcohol, fine watches, and high-tech gadgets.

Luxury & Duty-Free: Where Do Chinese Tourists Spend the Most?

As global travel rebounds, Chinese shoppers are choosing different destinations for different shopping experiences. Authenticity is key for pre-meditated luxury purchases, where European capitals dominate destination-driven purchases. Notably, Gen Z and HNWIs are converging on places like Dubai and Tokyo, drawn by hybrid offers: cultural richness meets curated luxury — and all discoverable via Xiaohongshu short videos.

💰 Travel Budgets and Spending Habits

• 49% of travellers plan to spend at least ¥25,000 per trip, with 24% budgeting over ¥50,000—highlighting a rise in high-value spending.

• Luxury spending remains strong among Tier 1 city travellers, with luxury shopping, fine dining, and experiential travel experiences prioritised.

• Food (16%), accommodation (19%), and air tickets (17%) are the top travel expenses.

🛍️ Shopping & Travel Retail Insights

• 79% of Chinese travellers research shopping before reaching their destination, indicating a strong preference for pre-planned shopping experiences.

• Beauty and skincare products dominate duty-free shopping, followed by luxury fashion, watches, and fine wine.

• 61% of travellers are influenced by social media promotions (Xiaohongshu & Douyin) when shopping at airports.

• 98% of travellers compare duty-free prices online before purchasing, making competitive pricing and online visibility essential for brands.

📱 Digital & Social Media Influence

• Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) is the top travel discovery platform, followed by Douyin and Ctrip.

• Social media and influencer marketing play a key role in shaping travel decisions, with 38% of travellers influenced by digital content.

• Mobile payments dominate travel purchases, with Alipay and WeChat Pay accounting for 44% of transactions.

🛫 Airport Shopping and Duty-Free Preferences

• 58% of Chinese travellers plan to shop at airports before boarding.

• Beauty (23%) and fashion accessories (17%) remain the top duty-free categories, with price discounts and product authenticity as the main purchase motivators.

• 98% of travellers compare duty-free prices with online platforms, reinforcing the need for transparent pricing and digital engagement.

As China approaches the milestone of 200 million outbound trips, global brands, travel retailers, and tourism boards must fundamentally rewire their strategies to engage the world’s most influential travel cohort.

Today’s Chinese traveller is digitally fluent, experience-hungry, and value-conscious — but with a willingness to spend when the offer aligns with their evolving tastes. Since 2019, preferences have shifted: luxury now means personalisation, convenience, and authenticity — not just price tags or prestige.

“Luxury brands, duty-free stores, and global travel retailers must adapt to the digital-first, high-spending Chinese traveller,” says Subramania Bhatt, CEO and founder of China Trading Desk. “The businesses that invest in omnichannel experiences, short-form content marketing, and seamless payment integration will be the biggest winners in 2025’s travel retail boom.”

For full access to the complete report of Q1 2025 survey, please reach out to us.