Trending Now: China's Social Media Highlights #28July-3August#

Weibo

Seoul Tourism Ambassador K-pop icon Jennie has been named Seoul's new tourism ambassador, fuelling a strategic campaign to help Korea reach 30 million international visitors by 2025. Data from China Trading Desk’s Travel Dashboard reveals that 2.6 million Chinese tourists are expected to visit Korea in the next 4 months — a YoY increase of 94,000. Read more

Japan Safety Warnings for Tourists Two serious assault incidents involving Chinese tourists in Tokyo and Osaka have stirred concerns. Coupled with an 8.7-magnitude earthquake in Russia triggering a tsunami warning across 22 prefectures, safety fears are rising. Yet, in June 2025, 798K Chinese tourists still visited Japan, contributing ¥516B in spending, or 20.4% of total Q2 tourism consumption. Read more

2025 Hainan International Tourism Island Carnival kicked off on August 2 with 98 themed activities blending culture, sports, food, and tech. In June alone, Hainan welcomed 6.7 million tourists, of which 4.8 million were overnight domestic visitors. Read more

Thailand Bans Tourist Drones Thailand's aviation authority banned all non-authorized drone flights from July 30 to August 15 in light of recent regional conflicts. Violators face severe penalties, even for test flights at hotels. Travellers are advised to consider alternatives like Da Nang or Penang if tensions persist post-August 15. Read more

Douyin

WeChat Lowers Withdrawal Fees On July 25, WeChat updated its withdrawal fee policy, setting the minimum service fee to ¥0.01 even for small transactions. While the lifetime free withdrawal quota remains ¥1,000 per ID, fees beyond that are 0.1% per transaction. Read more

Youth Embrace Spontaneous Road Trip Chinese Gen Z travellers on Douyin are embracing spontaneous road trips, ditching rigid itineraries for last-minute adventures with friends. This “freestyle tourism” trend mirrors a broader emphasis on emotional freedom and group bonding. Read more

Girls Flock to Grassland Getaways Horseback riding and grassland photography have become the must-do girls’ trip of the summer on Douyin. The strong visual appeal of vast meadows and serene landscapes fuels this trend, driven by female-led niche tourism. Read more

Baidu

Luxury Tour Group Scandal A luxury 130-person tour group was left stranded for 6 hours at a service area due to a dispute over ¥300,000 in tour fees. Kunming authorities quickly intervened with a ¥100,000 compensation order, spotlighting consumer rights. Latest figures show only 24% of Chinese travellers opt for guided tours, with 77% preferring DIY or semi-DIY formats. Read more

“Loser Tourism” Becomes a Hit Forget adrenaline — “Loser Tourism “ is in vogue. Think: gentle bungee jumps, escalator hiking, and lazy river floats. This humorous, low-pressure tourism trend reflects a shift toward self-mockery, emotional release, and visually shareable experiences. Read more