While the stereotypical image of the wealthy Chinese tourist may look like Ray-ban sunglasses, six-star Dubai hotels and Gucci shopping bags, the current trends of luxury travel from China reveals itself to be more understated, with tourists valuing exclusive luxury experiences over commercial goods. They are looking for more of a personalised holiday, with exclusivity and personal service being valued highly. Hotels, tour operators and tourist attractions can focus on these priorities in order to offer a competitive service. Globally, Chinese tourists spend the most overseas, to the value of USD 196.5 billion dollars in 2023, and the very wealthy make up an important percentage of the 150 million outbound travel market.
Female Tourists from Tier One Cities Lead the Way
According to a poll conducted by China Trading Desk in 2024, 62% of outbound travellers from China were female. Solo trips are becoming more popular among the young, educated female demographic, and they ‘exhibit a strong interest in independent travel, nature activities, and cultural experiences’. Women also tend to be in charge of booking family holidays, with 70% of family trips being led by women according to Ctrip. China’s wealthy female tourists wield huge spending power and cannot be underestimated. A report from Air4cast’s Luxury Shopper platform reveals some statistics behind the wealthiest Chinese travellers. The high-net-worth Chinese demographic is varied but tends towards the slightly older, with half aged over forty. They tend to live in concentrated urban areas like Shanghai and Beijing, and a significant 7% travelled via private jet on their last international trip. In a poll conducted by Air4cast among luxury travellers, Japan was revealed as the most popular destination followed by the USA, France, Australia and Italy.
High-spending Travel
A report from China Trading Desk reveals that 28% of Chinese tourists in 2025 are budgeting over CNY 50,000 (£5165) per trip. The report suggests a surge in high-spending travellers this year, who will be looking for premium experiences and luxurious hospitality.
What Defines ‘Luxury’ Travel for Chinese Travellers in 2025?
Offering unique travel experiences and VIP treatment is key in welcoming wealthy Chinese guests. While spa treatments, golfing and fine dining are still valued by some, most affluent travellers desire access to exclusive experiences not attainable by the masses. These could include private tours, behind-the-scenes access to famous attractions, helicopter tours, or private talks from museum curators. With the rise of social media, experiences are increasingly valued as status becomes defined through pictures online- travelling somewhere remote does not correlate to reduced visibility. Equally, wealthy tourists are becoming more influenced by social media trends, as travel blogging on platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin is more popular than ever, leading people to discover ‘hidden gem’ locations. There is notably a shift towards last minute bookings, as high spending travellers value spontaneity and convenience.
This may explain why Chinese tour operators are starting to offer more unconventional trips, including journeys to the South Pole and private tours of American national parks. Less flashy than trips to Las Vegas, New York, and Sydney, these tours are still steeped in quiet luxury. Getaways in nature may be viewed in a similar context to self-care, as a privilege accessible to those who can afford it. Why not spend time and money on a private tour of Yosemite, as opposed to a hotel spa day that is easily accessible back home? While shopping havens like London, Paris and Milan are still popular, affluent Chinese tourists are likely to be as interested in a private tour of La Scala Opera House as a day out shopping in Quadrilatero della moda (Milan’s high end fashion district).
Establishing a welcoming environment for these high-net-worth individuals must be a priority for businesses and brands- international spending by Chinese tourists accounts for 21% of total tourism spending worldwide, according to a study by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. In order to appeal to young Chinese female travellers, businesses should focus on promoting shopping and luxury experiences, as well as unique local activities that appeal to their interests, as said by Subramania Bhatt, CEO of China Trading Desk. Businesses should give VIP treatment to affluent travellers, offering a unique and high standard experience. It is also appreciated by Chinese tourists when payment is accessible via platforms like WeChat and Alipay, and a simple thing like this can go a long way in making them feel welcome. The habits and desires of the affluent Chinese tourist are fast developing, and brands must observe, adjust and listen in order to meet their expectations.
How to work with the Chinese Luxury Travel Trade?
It is also important to work with a select group of specialist luxury Chinese agents and operators and to understand and accommodate not only their product needs, but the highly efficient communication and booking processes that they require in order to respond to the demands of their potential customers. Familiarisation trips are important to reassure partners that the product delivery matches up to the expectations of their clients. These clients are more important than the single trip or experience. Their lifetime value to the agent can run into the hundreds of thousands, and none will be willing to gamble on their reputation. This is not a sector for the fainthearted, but if you are confident you can deliver, the opportunities to attract and service this market are immense and the rewards significant.
At Guanxi, we have strong connections with the luxury travel trade sector in China’s Tier One cities. For support in promoting your luxury travel product to Chinese operators and consumers, contact us.