Trending Now: China's Social Media Highlights #7July-13July#

Weibo

China-Malaysia Visa-Free Policy to Start 17 July A new visa waiver allows Chinese and Malaysian travellers up to 30-day stays from 17 July, facilitating short leisure, business and family visits and expected to significantly boost bilateral tourism flows. read more

Retirees’ Pension Increase Fuels Silver Economy Travel Boom China’s pensions will rise by 2% from 1 January 2025, benefiting 150 million retirees. This policy supports the burgeoning “silver economy” — seniors now represent 15% of travel spending, preferring wellness trips and heritage experiences. read more

Chinese Tourist Kidnapped in Thailand: Renewed Safety Concerns A shocking incident in Pattaya where a Chinese tourist was abducted at gunpoint by criminals impersonating police, highlights security issues as Thailand’s tourism faces its first projected decline in three years. read more

Chinese Tour Group Robbed in Italy Near Pisa Travellers report frustration after their coach was looted near the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This comes amid a 24.7% rise in Chinese visitors to Italy this year, raising questions about tourist safety and insurance compensation processes. read more

Chinese Tour Bus Overturns in New Zealand A tragic accident saw one critically injured among 12 Chinese passengers on a New Zealand tour bus. CTD Travel Sentiment Data shows 46% Chinese travellers now prefer independent travel over group tours. read more

Young Chinese Balance Frugality and Indulgence in Travel Online discourse explores how young Chinese navigate rising living costs yet spend liberally on emotional experiences such as travel, concerts, and “social currency” moments. read more

Douyin

Summer Travel: Families and Parent-Child Trips Dominate Short videos on Douyin show families accounting for over 50% of bookings this summer. Parent-child travel is now firmly the season’s main theme. read more

Night-time Consumption Outpaces Daytime During Summer Holidays Official data reveal that 60% of summer spending now occurs at night, with night tours generating three times the revenue of daytime attractions. read more

Baidu

Image Source: Baidu

Malaysia Surpasses Thailand as Top Southeast Asia Destination Malaysia has become the new “darling” of Chinese tourists, with traffic rising nearly 38% year-on-year. Kota Kinabalu’s sunsets have captured social media attention, but there are growing concerns about price surges and strained service infrastructure. read more

Zhihu

Should Young People Travel? Zhihu Users Say Yes A popular Zhihu thread highlights support for travel as an essential youthful rite of passage. CTD data show 56% of Chinese outbound travellers are under 30, affirming this generational enthusiasm. read more

Young Consumers Get Smarter, Not Meaner Zhihu users debate the evolving consumption mindset: not stingy but savvy, as young travellers chase value without sacrificing quality, for instance, summer apparel capped at 100 yuan while saving for premium travel experiences. read more