Last Updated on May 30, 2025
Chinese tourists research and book travel very differently from Westerners. These consumers are accustomed to using a super-app ecosystem where local platforms dominate every stage of a trip, from inspiration to booking to social sharing.
In fact, today’s Chinese travelers are increasingly using online tools to plan overseas trips, and nearly all significant bookings happen through Chinese online travel agencies (OTAs).
At the same time, Chinese visitors rely on local social media platforms (WeChat, Weibo, Xiaohongshu, Douyin, etc.) for recommendations.
In short, understanding the Chinese digital ecosystem is crucial for foreign marketers.
Through this guide, we’ll discuss the top China travel apps that influence how Chinese tourists find hotels, attraction tickets, and restaurants abroad.
What are the China Travel Apps Locals Are Using When Travelling Abroad?
Online Travel Agency Platforms (OTAs)
1. Ctrip (携程旅行)
Ctrip is China’s largest online travel agency. It claims 400+ million registered users and about 69 million monthly active users. Chinese travelers use it to book nearly everything: flights, high-speed trains, hotels, attraction tickets, and tour packages.
The app integrates domestic mobile payments so Chinese users can complete purchases seamlessly without needing to top up funds on a separate application.
Ctrip’s Website Homepage
With its rich user content ecosystem, travelers can post reviews, Q&A, and travel “notes” directly on the platform. It even features a forum-like section where users ask and answer specific questions.
Ctrip was also among the first Chinese apps to roll out a WeChat mini-program. This means users can find and book Ctrip’s services inside the social media platform without switching apps.
2. Qunar (去哪儿)
Qunar is another major Chinese OTA (now owned by Trip.com Group). It is best known as China’s original travel search engine for bargain hunting. It has about 29 million monthly active users who typically shop for discount flights and hotel deals.
Chinese tourists often use Qunar to compare airfares across carriers (especially to nearby Asian destinations) and to bundle cheap package tours.
Qunar’s Website Homepage
From a marketing viewpoint, Qunar is important for reaching price-sensitive visitors. Its user base is accustomed to hunting for bargains, so limited-time offers and flash sales promoted on live streams or banners can drive immediate conversions.
3. Fliggy (飞猪)
Fliggy (formerly Alitrip) is Alibaba’s travel brand. It pioneered travel live-streaming and virtual tourism, with campaigns like “Let’s Cloud Travel (一起云游)” during the pandemic.
Beyond traditional travel booking, users can discover destinations via short videos, live stream shows by KOLs or KOCs, and pop-up promo deals.
As Alibaba’s tourism platform, it links directly to Alipay and other related travel services. For foreign brands, having a presence on this app (e.g., being listed or selling tickets on Fliggy) exposes them to Alibaba’s broad base.
Like other apps listed under this category, Fliggy acts like an e-commerce-style online travel agency where users can browse travel inspiration content, apply coupons, and make purchases all within one app.
Its strong emphasis on sales and livestreams makes it useful for promotions to a younger, digital-savvy segment.
4. Tuniu (途牙旅游)
Tuniu is a travel booking platform that gained popularity for affordable package tours and customised itineraries. It‘s especially prevalent among middle-class families and first-time overseas travelers.
Users often rely on the app for guided international tours, group packages, and family-friendly travel plans. It currently has partnerships with over 2,000 travel service providers worldwide.
Tuniu Homepage
It’s a valuable digital marketing channel for selling packaged travel experiences to a more conservative, family-oriented Chinese audience.
Since this platform is not as popular as other China travel apps, its users may not be as active on social media or DIY bookings. That’s why it’s important to tap this user base to reach more Chinese tourists.
Chinese Social Media Platforms
5. Douyin
Douyin is a short-video app with over 900 million daily users. As TikTok’s domestic version, it’s not surprising that it’s hugely popular with younger Chinese travelers.
In fact, a 2023 Dragon Rail report found 407 million Douyin users interested in travel, a number that has grown 13% year over year.
The platform even rolled out a feature for booking hotels in mid-2023. This allowed Douyin users to search for hotels within an internal interface and book rooms directly on the app.
September (九月)’s Profile on Douyin
To reach Chinese tourists using Douyin, brands often collaborate with travel KOLs to create short videos or live streams (sometimes with “shopping” features).
Most of these campaigns typically include direct links or mini-program pop-ups to book flights, tours, or hotel coupons on the spot. The app also has a built-in commerce feature, so travel deals shown in videos become shoppable.
6. Little Red Book (Xiaohongshu)
Xiaohongshu started as China’s version of Instagram. Today, the platform has a dynamic content ecosystem that allows Chinese tourists to discover or share travel tips and product reviews.
It sees hundreds of millions of travel-related searches every year. As of 2024, outbound travel searches on Xiaohongshu had nearly 500 million queries (a 107% annual increase).
Some users post “notes” (short media-rich blogs) with pictures and reviews of their trips. These user-generated posts (often called “content seeding”) are incredibly influential. Foreign companies can gain huge visibility, especially if featured in a popular note on Xiaohongshu.
Travel KOLs on Little Red Book
7. WeChat
More than 1.4 billion people use WeChat’s services monthly. It combines messaging, social sharing (Moments), media (articles and videos), and mobile payment (WeChat Pay) in one platform.
Modern tourists use it in multiple ways. Before a trip, they may join WeChat group chats about a destination or follow a country’s official WeChat account for travel news. During a trip, they share photos on WeChat Moments and stay in touch with friends.
Furthermore, WeChat Pay lets them make financial transactions everywhere, from restaurants to hotels abroad, as long as Chinese payment options are available.
Marriott Hotels’ Video Advertisement on WeChat
8. Weibo
Weibo is China’s microblogging platform (often likened to Twitter/X). It has roughly 591 million monthly users, many of whom are aged 19–29.
Chinese travelers use this social media app to follow travel news, celebrities, and viral content. While not as crucial for direct booking as WeChat or OTAs, it’s very important for awareness and buzz.
Travel brands and tourism boards maintain official accounts on Weibo to post updates, giveaways, promo deals, and cultural content.
Online Niche-Specific Forums
9. Zhihu
You may think Zhihu is not among the apps for Chinese tourists, but this online forum’s niche-specific nature makes it a perfect place to build a community around your business organically.
Its audience tends to be educated urban professionals. Since it’s not social media or a platform to watch travel-related live-streaming, Chinese tourists use Zhihu to seek authoritative answers to detailed, niche-specific questions.
There are thousands of travel-related questions and answer threads on Zhihu, covering every country and city. Many travel agencies and DMOs even maintain official business accounts on the platform to publish long-form destination guides or respond to FAQs.
Airbnb answering questions and topics on Zhihu
10. Mafengwo
Mafengwo is also an important app among Chinese online platforms for travel inspiration. Its interface lists almost every destination, with reviews and feedback from local users.
It has a dedicated community of primarily young Chinese tourists. A recent report noted that millennials and Gen-Z make up most of Mafengwo’s users (with over 90% born after 1980).
Chinese tourists use Mafengwo to post travel diaries, share itineraries, and browse in-depth guides. The platform’s “Club” system lets users join destination-specific groups where they exchange tips (e.g., a Japan travel club, a Europe backpacking club).
It’s a hybrid of social media, an online forum, and an OTA, so travelers can plan an entire trip on this platform.
Because it’s community-driven, positive word-of-mouth on Mafengwo can directly influence other Chinese tourists. In effect, it drives bookings via social proof.
Quick Q&A
What apps do Chinese tourists use the most?
Chinese tourists rely on local apps like Ctrip, Qunar, Fliggy, and Tuniu to book flights, hotels, and attraction tickets. For inspiration and travel tips, they turn to Xiaohongshu, Douyin, and WeChat, which also support mobile payments, social sharing, and in-app mini-programs that simplify their travel experience abroad.
Do Chinese people travel a lot?
Yes, Chinese tourists are traveling abroad in increasing numbers. Projections indicate that outbound trips will reach 155 million in 2025, matching pre-pandemic levels, and are expected to rise to 200 million by 2028. Notably, nearly 38% of these travelers are embarking on their first-ever international trip.
Your Trusted Tourism Marketing Partner in China!
Chinese tourists are digital-first travelers. They plan trips, book flights and hotels, pay, and share experiences almost entirely through Chinese apps and mobile tools. With a deep understanding of how these platforms work, marketers can devise an effective strategy to reach their intended audience.
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We at Sekkei Digital Group have an in-depth experience handling the changes and challenges in China’s digital ecosystem. With our first-hand knowledge, our goal is to help foreign companies build a presence on platforms that Chinese tourists already use.
Whether you intend to work with travel KOLs or launch an advertising campaign for your brand, we have the digital solutions you need. Get in touch with our team, and let’s start mapping your strategy in the Chinese market!
