There’s a quiet revolution underway in China’s travel industry—and it’s travelling fast in two directions simultaneously.
On one side, you’ve got the TikTok-fuelled, passport-stamped millennials jetting off with curated playlists and even more curated itineraries. On the other? An increasingly well-heeled army of “active seniors”, whose idea of a good time no longer stops at a brisk stroll through the park but includes multi-country holidays and five-star stays. Good luck if you’re trying to define China’s “core” outbound traveller in 2025; it’s now a two-headed dragon.
That’s just one of the headline revelations from the newly released ITB China Travel Trends Report 2025/26, a collaborative intelligence feat produced by ITB China, Tourism Economics (an Oxford Economics company), and Chinese travel juggernaut Trip.com Group.
This year’s edition doesn’t just examine Chinese travel—it performs a full-body scan.
Outbound Travel: The Great Generational Split
According to data from Trip.com Group, in 2024, Chinese travellers born in the 1980s and 1990s made up 67% of the outbound market. So far, so expected. But here comes the twist in the tail: by the end of 2025, China is poised to field over 100 million senior travellers, collectively wielding over RMB 1 trillion in spending power (about AUD $216 billion at current rates).
Yes, you read that correctly. Grandma’s got the gold card and knows how to use it.
“This is not just about volume. It’s about value, variety, and vision,” explains Lydia Li, Deputy General Manager of Messe Berlin China. “We’re witnessing profound demographic and behavioural changes across Chinese outbound travel—and this report helps global stakeholders make sense of it all.”
The implications for travel providers are significant. Will product design bifurcate? Can brands speak to digital-native youths and their experience-hungry grandparents in a single marketing breath?
High Spenders Want Meaning—Not Just Margaritas
Gone are the days of racing through European capitals in nine days flat. Today’s Chinese traveller, regardless of age, is chasing more than just a photo-op by the Eiffel Tower.
82% of ITB China Buyer Circle members say they now offer customised destination programs, pivoting away from the traditional one-size-fits-all approach. Yet almost half of them—48%—still sell seat-in or small group tours, underscoring the importance of balancing freedom with structure.
And it’s not just about what they do—it’s about how much they’re willing to spend doing it. Tourism Economics says Chinese outbound travellers spent more per night in 2024 than any other nationality. That’s no small claim in an era of inflation and rising travel costs.
This surge in spending aligns with a shift toward emotionally rich, lifestyle-oriented experiences. Chinese holidaymakers want more than monuments—they want memories that move them.
Bleisure Takes Centre Stage in China’s MICE Evolution
Once upon a time, business travel was all lanyards and lattes. It’s just as likely to include a yoga session in Bali or a culture crawl through Lisbon.
According to the report, 83% of Chinese travel buyers prioritise “bleisure” (business + leisure) travel. In short, it may be yesterday’s news if your conference doesn’t come with a spa day or a hike.
What’s behind the shift? For Chinese corporations, it’s not just about efficiency anymore—it’s about employee well-being, brand value, and storytelling. Bleisure is no longer a buzzword. It’s a strategy.
This trend poses fresh challenges for destinations. They’ll need to tick more boxes: connectivity, cultural relevance, downtime activities, and sustainability. Having good meeting spaces is not enough; you need good reasons to stay after the meeting ends.
AI, Automation, and the Rise of the Travel Bot
Here’s something else the ITB report confirms: Artificial Intelligence has moved from gimmick to groundwork.
More than 50% of Chinese travel buyers now use AI in some form—whether to refine customer service, automate booking systems, or decipher data at scale. While automation is saving time, the real gold lies in personalisation.
But herein lies the perennial paradox: how do you keep the human touch in an increasingly automated world?
The report cautions companies must balance efficiency and empathy between seamless booking flows and truly memorable service. After all, even the most responsive chatbot can’t replace the joy of an unexpected upgrade or a well-timed smile.
China’s Inbound Travel Revival: The Sleeping Giant Awakens
While outbound travel often grabs headlines, the sleeping dragon that is inbound travel to China is stirring again.
Tourism Economics forecasts a solid upswing in China’s share of global inbound overnight stays. The drivers are loosening visa rules, reinstating more air routes, and cities are finally getting serious about experiential tourism.
The old “checklist tour” is fading fast. In its place, a surge in FITs (free independent travellers), who want authenticity, not artifice. They want to discover Hangzhou’s hip cafés, not just tick off the West Lake. They want local markets, regional festivals, and stories they can’t find on Instagram.
And they’re looking beyond Beijing and Shanghai. Non-traditional Chinese destinations—Chengdu, Suzhou, Xi’an, Guilin—are gaining international attention. For DMCs and regional governments, the moment to act is now.
Should they continue to pour dollars into legacy source markets? Or cast their nets into fast-emerging pools of global demand like India, the Gulf, or Latin America?
As the report wisely puts it, “In the next wave of international source-market competition, the winner will be the one who spots the inflection point first—and moves.”
It’s Not Just a Report. It’s a Roadmap.
The ITB China Travel Trends Report 2025/26 is more than a compilation of stats and quotes—it’s a strategic compass for anyone navigating the Chinese tourism ecosystem.
It explores the shifting sands of demand, the tools reshaping supply, and the silent forces changing how Chinese travellers engage with the world—and how the world responds.
Whether you’re a travel supplier, DMO, tech platform, or airline, the report offers invaluable context.
And context is king in a market as fast-moving—and occasionally mystifying—as China’s.
Where to Get the Report
The full ITB China Travel Trends Report 2025/26 is now available from the ITB China website.
📎 Download the full report here.
📎 ITB China Official Website.
By Charmaine Lu
