Undated file photo shows Liang Yu, a 25-year-old from southwest China’s Guizhou Province, attending a local culinary workshop in Chiang Mai, Thailand. – Xinhua photo
ZHENGZHOU (May 22): As China celebrates its annual tourism day on Tuesday, a younger generation of Chinese travelers is redefining outbound tourism, shifting the focus from ticking off landmarks to seeking emotional value, cultural meaning and more personal encounters.
Shen Bing, an office worker from Shanghai who recently returned from Malaysia, said her travel habits have changed.
In her early 20s, she preferred packed itineraries covering as many places as possible, but after visiting Europe, the Americas and Southeast Asia, she is now more selective.
“I now pick places based on what I actually enjoy,” Shen said.
“I don’t pack the day too full. Maybe some local food, some snorkeling and time to just relax.”
The shift reflects the rise of China’s “experience economy”, as consumers seek more personalised and emotionally meaningful services.
A report on Eurasia Review said Chinese consumers are prioritising emotional value and cultural ritual over mere possession.
A 2025 travel trends report by Fliggy showed strong growth in bookings for local entertainment packages abroad, and Trip.com, a leading Chinese travel platform, reported a 78 per cent year-on-year rise in interest-based trips.
Travel agencies are also adapting. Yang He, a manager at Henan China Travel Service Group, said customised tours and small-group packages have become highly popular.
In one recent case, tourists asked to go sea fishing on Jeju Island in the Republic of Korea, and the agency built the entire itinerary around that request.
This experience-led trend is being driven largely by younger travelers. Data from Qunar showed that during the recent May Day holiday, outbound air ticket bookings rose 30 per cent year on year among travelers aged 19 to 22.
Meanwhile, they are looking further afield, with flight bookings to South Africa rising 180 per cent, Belgium 160 per cent and Kenya 111 per cent, according to Qunar.
Digital tools are also shaping how these trips begin, with a report finding that Chinese travelers mainly explore itineraries through Xiaohongshu, Douyin and travel apps.
According to the China Tourism Academy, 70 per cent of tourists have begun relying on artificial intelligence to plan their trips.
Behind the trend is a broader economic shift in China. Dong Yu, executive vice president of the China Institute for Development Planning at Tsinghua University, said that as China’s per capita GDP approaches US$14,000, consumer demand is shifting from goods to services and experiences.
Consumers now care more about the cultural meaning, aesthetic appeal and emotional value carried by products and services, Dong noted.
Policymakers have also taken note, with a plan released by the General Office of the State Council in January calling for the development of new growth areas in service consumption, including “emotion-driven and experience-based services”.
Liang Yu, a 25-year-old from southwest China’s Guizhou Province, has traveled to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand over the past year, planning each trip herself.
“Each country has a very different rhythm of life, way of handling things and overall spirit. That contrast is fascinating,” Liang said.
She added that travel has taught her to accept differences and embrace diversity, giving her a calmer and more open view of the world.
Young Chinese travelers are also becoming more confident cultural communicators. In overseas streets, museums and markets, some wear traditional Chinese clothing and share Chinese culture with local people.
Wang Siman, a young woman from southwest China’s Chongqing, traveled across Europe last year with a guzheng, a traditional Chinese musical instrument, performing in Barcelona, Florence and Athens.
Outside the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, her music drew Italian listeners, some of whom searched online for guzheng lessons and said they hoped to study the instrument in China.
Industry observers say the new pattern of outbound travel reflects China’s economic development, social progress and cultural confidence. It also provides new opportunities for tourism operators at home and abroad. – Xinhua
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