As China boasts the highest number of social media users worldwide (over 983.3 million as of 2025), it is understandable that trends and social media virality play a huge role in Chinese outbound tourism. Many attractions at risk of fading into obscurity have been revived by viral posts on platforms such as Douyin and Xiaohongshu (RedNote). Xiaohongshu has been compared to Instagram for the Chinese market, however is equipped with unique features that make it useful and convenient for planning travel. Users can scroll through aesthetically stunning images of tourist hotspots, while reading personalised reviews and restaurant recommendations. This personal feel gives Xiaohongshu an edge above other tourist guides- along with the fact that many online resources are inaccessible to the Chinese market due to the language barrier.
Ijen Volcano in Indonesia
Aang Koen’s Indonesian travel agency was at risk of collapse during the Covid-19 pandemic- and since a Chinese client helped him set up an account on Xiaohongshu, his business has almost doubled in size. This is because of the viral attraction that is the Ijen volcano complex- young Chinese tourists flock to the rim of this active volcano, famous for its acidic crater lake and beautiful ‘blue fire’ phenomenon. In pre-pandemic years, Koen’s clientele was predominantly European but since early 2023 he has seen a huge shift– now 60% of his clients are Chinese tourists, most of whom found his business through Xiaohongshu.
University of Sydney, Australia
The University of Sydney’s Quadrangle building has observed a significant increase in Chinese tourists recently, due to its stunning neo-gothic architecture reminiscent of Hogwarts in the ‘Harry Potter’ movies. The Harry Potter franchise is hugely popular in China, and young tourists can be seen on platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu dressed in Slytherin robes and carrying wands as they wander around the campus. There is a prevailing misconception that scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed at the University of Sydney, encouraged by tour guides online and exacerbated by social media virality.
Iceland’s ‘Loneliest House in the World’
Iceland’s ‘loneliest house in the world’ has gone viral in China on platforms like Xiaohongshu, contributing to the transformation of Elliðaey from an uninhabited and remote island into a popular tourist attraction, with young people attending boat tours and organising drone photography from surrounding islands in order to best capture images of the solitary house (originally a hunting lodge built in 1953).
‘Four Boxes’ in Barcelona, Spain
In Barcelona, a sculpture that lies on the beach called ‘Four Boxes’ (officially known as L’Estel Ferit) has become an internet sensation on Chinese social media. This influences many tourists to visit the attraction, with some apparently feeling ‘disappointed’ at the reality of the structure, which appears to be less tall and more dilapidated than the pictures make out. However, a great benefit of this sculpture’s virality on Chinese platforms is in drawing tourists in to visit the surrounding beach and local area. While the ‘Four Boxes’ appeals to tourists as a feature to take photographs of, its virality influences tourists to visit and spend their money and time in the local area.
University of Cambridge, England
The Xu Zhimo memorial in Cambridge is visited by many Chinese tourists, as it stands as a monument to one of China’s most prominent literary figures- Xu Zhimo’s most famous poem ‘Second Farewell to Cambridge’ is known to many Chinese school children by heart. Cambridge offers a lot in terms of cultural enrichment and sees thousands of Chinese tourists visiting the town each year, with social media virality playing a part in its popularity. Posts showing young Chinese tourists punting, visiting the apple tree associated with Isaac Newton’s theory of gravity, and standing outside the famous Trinity College are all popular on sites like Xiaohongshu.