According to new data released in EternityX’s Labour Day 2025 Travel Trends & Insights Report, China’s outbound travel market is experiencing a robust resurgence.
Over the Labour Day holiday period, border crossings, international flights, and overseas spending all climbed at double-digit rates, reinforcing forecasts that 2025 will mark a pivotal year in global Chinese tourism.
“This isn’t just a rebound. It’s a redefinition of how Chinese travellers explore the world… From digital behaviours to experiential priorities, the landscape has fundamentally shifted,” said Charlene Ree, CEO of EternityX.
“The modern Chinese traveller is digitally fluent, experience-driven, and increasingly values depth over distance. Brands who want to win in this space must move beyond traditional tourism marketing and instead build relevance across the entire travel journey – from discovery to purchase to sharing,” added Charlene.
This Labour Day surge is a clear signal, it’s time for brands to engage with intentionality, creativity, and data-backed strategy.
Key Labour Day Metrics Point to Sustained Global Demand
- 10.9 million border crossings, a +28.7% year-on-year increase
- 11.15 million air passengers, up +11.8% YoY
- ¥180.3 billion (~USD 25B) in outbound tourism spending, up +8.0% YoY
(Source: fasion.ce.cn, citing Trip.com and Tongcheng Travel, 30 April 2025)
This rebound underscores surging traveller confidence and unlocks new momentum for tourism-dependent economies in Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.
Experience Is the New Currency of Travel
Chinese travellers are shifting from mass-market sightseeing to personalised, meaningful journeys:
- Attraction ticket bookings surged 150% YoY, led by scene-based travel such as anime-themed accommodations in Japan and museum audio tours in France.
- Adventure travel gained ground, with spikes in snorkelling bookings in Malaysia and trekking in Nepal.
(Source: EternityX, citing Trip.com and DragonTrail, May 2025)
This marks a significant shift: today’s Chinese outbound traveller seeks depth over distance, and value through experience, not volume.
Digital Wallets Drive New Era of Seamless Travel
- Usage of Alipay and WeChat Pay increased 30–50% YoY, now serving not just as payment tools, but as end-to-end travel companions.
- In-app mini-programs recorded significant engagement spikes across Asian destinations.
(Sources: BusinessWire & NewsMorningPost, 6 May 2025)
These tools now influence everything from itinerary planning to dining, shopping, and even museum visits—reshaping the travel ecosystem for both consumers and merchants.
Airlines Fuel Recovery with Route Expansion
- Air China added flights to Cairo, Toronto, Central Asia, and resumed Tokyo and Paris services.
- China Eastern launched a Shanghai–Abu Dhabi route on 28 April 2025.
- United Airlines introduced 7 new US–China routes, including Los Angeles to Beijing.
- Cathay Pacific increased flights into Shanghai by 48% YoY.
(Source: Public Information, 10 May 2025)
This expansion unlocks critical capacity and convenience, reinforcing recovery in both business and leisure segments.
Future Outlook: Travel Forecasts and Strategic Implications
Based on 2019–2028 growth trends, Chinese outbound travel is forecast to reach 177–185 million in 2025:
- Summer 2025: 111M–116M travellers expected (62.7% seasonal share)
- Golden Week 2025: 11.8M–12.4M travellers (6.7% share)
(Source: EternityX projection model using Trip.com data and National Bureau of Statistics trends)
Family-led short-haul travel (particularly to visa-free Southeast Asian destinations) will dominate Summer 2025, while luxury and immersive travel will characterise Golden Week in Q4.
“Chinese outbound tourism is not just rebounding—it’s evolving. With 111 to 116 million travellers expected this summer and up to 12.4 million during Golden Week, brands have a narrow but powerful window to connect. For Summer 2025, the focus should be on family-led, experience-rich travel, especially across visa-free Southeast Asia.”
“As we move into Q4, high-spend travellers will be seeking immersive, cultural, and luxury experiences in long-haul markets like Europe and the Middle East. Acting early and activating with precision will define the winners in this next wave of travel.” said Deric Wong, Chief Business Officer, Global, EternityX.
“The rise of digital-native, experience-seeking Chinese travellers is no longer a trend – it’s the new market reality,” Deric added.
Labour Day 2025 has validated not just a recovery in volume, but a transformation in traveller expectations and behaviours. The implications for global brands are clear: winning in this space requires more than seasonal promotions, it demands a shift toward precision planning, market segmentation, and full-funnel activation.
With over 115 million travellers projected this summer and another 12 million during Golden Week, the opportunity is substantial—but so is the competition. Brands must calibrate their strategies now: align content with evolving intent, leverage digital ecosystems like WeChat and Alipay for contextual engagement, and localise experiences that meet Chinese travellers where they are – both physically and culturally.
The window to influence is narrowing. Brands that adopt a data-informed, experience-led approach, anchored in early activation and platform-native engagement, will be best positioned to convert momentum into measurable market impact.
Click to download a copy of EternityX’s Labour Day 2025 Travel Trends & Insights Report.
