Singapore, January 2025: In 2024, Gen Z emerged as a key driver of growth in the global travel retail sector. As this generation of Chinese travellers—aged 18 to 29—takes centre stage, their reliance on social media for inspiration and shopping decisions is reshaping how travel retail operates.
With 33% of Gen Z travellers relying on social media platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin for trip planning and shopping, according to China Trading Desk’s latest Travel Sentiment Survey for Q4 2024, understanding their behaviour is crucial for brands and retailers aiming to capture this lucrative market segment in 2025.
China Trading Desk presents highlights from its Q4 2024 China Outbound Travel Sentiment Survey that are relevant for the global travel retail industry:
The Gen Z Impact on Global Travel Retail
“With their reliance on social media and preference for experience-driven purchases, Gen Z is reshaping the travel retail landscape,” comments Subramania Bhatt, founder of China Trading Desk, on the demographic focus within the latest survey.
“By focusing on authenticity, interactivity, and seamless digital integration, global retailers can unlock the immense potential of this influential generation. The rise of Gen Z in global travel retail isn’t just a trend—it’s a shift in how shopping decisions are made. Travel retailers that embrace the platforms, behaviours, and motivations of this dynamic group will be well-positioned to drive growth for their channel-specific strategies,” he adds.
The Gen Z Profile: What Makes Them Unique?
Gen Z travellers are not only the youngest segment of Chinese outbound tourists but also the most digitally savvy. Their travel and shopping habits reveal a generation that is spontaneous, adventurous, and highly influenced by visual content:
• Social media natives: platforms like Xiaohongshu, Douyin, and WeChat dominate their decision-making. 18% of Gen Z travellers rely on Xiaohongshu, and 12% use Douyin to discover brands, experiences, and shopping opportunities .
• Spontaneous and flexible: Gen Z are known for their spontaneity, with 46% of travellers booking trips within two weeks of travel. This impulsive behaviour carries over to their shopping habits; 17% research in-destination represents a valuable audience for local marketing efforts including real-time promotions and social media flash sales.
• Experience-driven: For Gen Z, travel and shopping are about creating shareable experiences. They prioritize Instagram-worthy purchases, unique local items, and products tied to their travel destinations. Activities related to culture, architecture and cuisine dominate (66%), indicating a preference for immersive and experiential travel.
How Social Media Drives Gen Z Shopping Habits
Social media is at the core of how Gen Z interacts with brands, destinations, and retail experiences. Here’s how it influences their shopping habits:
1. Discovery through visual content
• Platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu provide visually rich, user-generated content showcasing shopping experiences, travel itineraries, and must-buy products. Short videos highlighting exclusive deals, unboxings, or local shopping experiences are particularly influential for the 30% of Gen Z travellers who say they have made shopping decisions directly based on social media posts.
2. Authenticity and peer recommendations
• Gen Z values authenticity and often trusts influencers and fellow travellers over traditional advertisements. Reviews and recommendations from KOLs (6%) and on Xiaohongshu (20%) heavily influence their purchases.
3. Real-Time engagement
• Live-streaming on Douyin and Taobao (18%) has revolutionized how Gen Z interacts with travel retail promotions. Real-time product demonstrations and exclusive deals during live sessions allow brands to engage with this generation directly, driving impulse purchases.
Opportunities for Travel Retailers
Retailers looking to capitalize on Gen Z’s preferences must adapt their strategies to align with this generation’s unique behaviours:
• Seamless omnichannel experiences: integrate online and offline touchpoints, allowing Gen Z to transition effortlessly from discovering a product on Xiaohongshu to purchasing it in-store or online.
• Exclusive collaborations: partner with influencers and brands to create limited-edition or destination-specific products that appeal to Gen Z’s love for exclusivity.
• Hyper-personalized offers: use data insights to craft targeted promotions, such as discounts on items previously browsed on social media or personalized recommendations at physical stores.
About China Trading Desk:
CTD is a leading digital solutions provider that enables international brands to effectively target Chinese consumers and travellers. The Singapore-based company’s services include digital marketing strategies, programmatic advertising, social media marketing, and data analytics to deliver high-impact results for brands entering or operating in China. Follow China Trading Desk on Linkedin.
China Travel Dashboard—a real-time analytics platform that delves into the multifaceted behaviour of Chinese travellers. This tool combines real-time flight and booking data with qualitative insights gleaned from CTD’s proprietary surveys and consumer behaviour powered by UnionPay and GlobalBlue data, giving clients a 360-degree view of target demographics.
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