May Travel Trends 2025: A Social Media Snapshot of Chinese Holidaymakers

Weibo: Emotion, Chaos, and Niche Escapes Dominate the Discourse

A blend of emotional highs and infrastructural lows shaped Weibo’s travel narrative during the May holiday season. Notably, a massive power outage in Spain and Portugal triggered a level-three national emergency, yet this geopolitical blip didn’t dampen outbound sentiment—Chinese visitor forecasts for Spain rose 55% year-on-year, reaching 160,000 in the next quarter. Meanwhile, viral discussions around "stall tourism" redefined the holiday as a hybrid of leisure and hustle.

Young travellers transformed cities into pop-up creative markets, embodying a fusion of travel and micro-entrepreneurship. The downside of group tours also made headlines: 160 elderly tourists were left stranded at a highway rest stop after a tour operator defaulted on fees, fuelling public preference for independent travel. Infrastructure was stretched, too—Shanghai’s railways processed over 650,000 passengers in a single day, deploying extra services to accommodate the surge. Offbeat getaways like Tbilisi and Granada soared in popularity, buoyed by a 200% spike in searches for “quiet niche destinations,” further evidence of China's maturing taste for deeper, more curated journeys.

Douyin: From Tragedy to Trends—The Commercial Undercurrent

Douyin captured the juxtaposition of tragedy and transactional enthusiasm during May. A severe car crash near Yellowstone National Park that claimed five Chinese lives served as a stark reminder of the risks embedded in international travel. Compounding the sombre tone, nationwide protests in the U.S. over economic and academic policies stoked concerns about safety and social stability abroad. Despite these tensions, consumer energy remained high.

Domestic travel flourished with scenic villages, pedestrianised streets, and leisure resorts taking centre stage. Data revealed that May Day tourism revenue reached ¥180.27 billion, reflecting an 8% increase year-on-year. Online spending also jumped by 9.3%, especially for cultural tourism and hotel bookings, confirming that e-commerce continues to underpin China’s tourism ecosystem. On a more aesthetic note, a new trend emerged: sunrise-viewing journeys among female travellers. Shared beers, emotional bonding, and sun-drenched photos captured Douyin’s version of meaningful wanderlust in 2025.

Xiaohongshu: Rituals, Aesthetics, and Cross-Border Fluidity

Xiaohongshu remains the go-to platform for lifestyle-first travel inspiration, and May was no exception. A surge in content about pre-trip rituals revealed the performative and aspirational aspects of travel among young women. Packing suitcases, perfecting skincare routines, and getting nails done weren’t mere logistics—they became aesthetic rituals shared widely for validation and inspiration. This aligns with Xiaohongshu's broader identity as a visual-first platform where travel is as much about preparation as destination.

During the May Day holiday, Deepseek’s reviews spotlighted social-media-famous landmarks that drew overwhelming crowds and sent hotel prices soaring up to fourfold. This was further fuelled by China’s relaxed visa policies—since early 2025, inbound tourist numbers from Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia surged by 173%, turning major urban zones into cosmopolitan playgrounds. The interplay between aesthetics, status signalling, and logistical costs offered a layered view of how Xiaohongshu users approach modern travel.

Baidu: Big Data Reveals Macro Shifts in Outbound Travel

Baidu's search data illuminated the macro trends fuelling the travel sector, offering a real-time index of Chinese outbound and domestic activity. Central Asia's Uzbekistan, previously a hidden gem, faced an overwhelming wave of Chinese tourists this May. Landmarks in Samarkand and Bukhara echoed with Mandarin chatter, and local trains were booked with such frenzy that users described it as "burning out a mouse." Meanwhile, Baidu revealed that the top outbound destinations remained East Asian favourites—Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Bangkok, and Singapore dominated flight searches and bookings. Interestingly, Chinese travellers also explored “partner-style” tourism, with Gen Z users finding short-term companions for road trips or even pets as co-travellers. This new mode of travel speaks to a hybrid of social media-driven connection and flexible exploration. Finally, China’s announcement on 15 May to trial visa-free entry for citizens from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay marks a geopolitical expansion of the country’s tourist footprint. This initiative not only diversifies inbound travel sources but may also stimulate reciprocal outbound tourism in South America.

Zhihu: Nuance, Debate, and Diplomatic Ripples

Zhihu, known for in-depth debate and thought leadership, provided more contemplative insights on the ethical and societal edges of travel. A prominent topic involved the repatriation of four pandas from Japan’s Wakayama region—raising concerns about the impact on local tourism, which heavily relied on the pandas as a draw. Discussions ranged from animal diplomacy to economic dependencies, illustrating how tourism is entangled with national pride and soft power. Another incident that stirred debate was the denial of a visually impaired traveller and her guide dog from a high-end hotel, despite prior communication. The backlash revealed the disconnect between inclusivity policies and real-world hospitality practices. Finally, Zhihu's coverage of the visa-free agreement between China and Uzbekistan offered a constructive lens on bilateral cooperation. With over 14,000 Chinese tourists arriving in Uzbekistan in just two months—up more than 50%—the dialogue centred on how openness, regulation, and shared economic interests can reshape regional travel corridors.