Welcome to Guanxi Chinese Travel Whispers! Here we share the latest buzz from the Chinese travel-trade scene, along with our own insights. It’s a quick snapshot for those short on time.
1. The hottest news this week is the mass migration to Xiaohongshu (Red Book) by disgruntled hashtag #tiktokrefugees in protest against the US ban on TikTok. Xiaohongshu was the most downloaded app in the USA this week. Read more about this story here.
2. This is a protest move, but it could potentially lead to a huge surge in the brand value of Red Book. There may also be a need for the platform to find a solution to the challenges of a significant mix of English and Chinese posts, with many Westerners very interested in engaging with Chinese users. Possibly not something Beijing is going to be pleased about.
3. The Chinese New Year holidays have, for many, already started, with many overseas-based Chinese DMCs having already flown back to see family in China. If you need to speak to a Chinese partner about an important matter, suggest you get onto it asap.
4. The Wintersports market is becoming more and more important to the outbound Chinese travel market. If you are a ski resort or a wintersports destination, take a look at our latest blog on www.guanxi.group/news/ about the phenomenal rise in popularity of ski, skating, and other wintry activities.
5. There’s so much in the news about the emerging Chinese travel trend of self-drive. It makes a lot of sense as the market matures, travellers become more confident, and young people with better language skills grow up to become tourists.
6. Value for money is very important to Chinese travellers, but this doesn’t necessarily equate to cheap. Great deals, second hand clothes, exclusive experiences with lots of added value; all of these are of interest in a country with a less buoyant economy than it’s been used to.
7. Safety first. The shocking story of the Chinese actor, Wang Xing, who was abducted by criminal fraudsters on arrival in Bangkok and taken to a ‘scam centre’ in Myanmar. Thai police recovered him after three days, but the incident has led to cancellations and fear of travel to Thailand over the Chinese New Year holiday. This is a serious issue for Thai Tourism which depends heavily on the Chinese travel market, especially during this holiday season.
8. Back to Little Red Book. If you are running campaigns on LRB, you’ll know that you need to be careful about the platform pausing your traffic if your post shows signs of commerciality. You’ll also know that hooking up with the Commercial Department is going to be an expensive date. Instead, try working through the LRB Community Department, which exists to serve the interests of its users. If you can convince them there’s something in it for the users, they’ll consider supporting your promotion, and it’s a lot lot cheaper.
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