With outbound travel surging, Chinese travelers are redefining how destinations are discovered, shared, and chosen. Increasingly, that journey begins not with brochures or booking agents but on Douyin, where short videos and interactive marketing campaigns inspire journeys and influence millions of travel decisions every day.

For overseas destinations and travel brands, this shift presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Competing for attention in the world’s fastest-growing travel market requires more than traditional ad campaigns. It requires strategies designed for Douyin that can capture attention, spark interaction, and push travelers from inspiration to booking.

This post explores the role of Douyin as a travel touchpoint, the trends shaping Chinese travel demand, and the strategies global destinations are using to engage audiences and convert interest into action.

New momentum in China’s outbound travel market

The willingness of Chinese travelers to venture abroad has surged since the end of the global pandemic. In 2024, the number of outbound tourists exceeded 130 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 45%. China also ranks as the world’s top outbound tourism spender, spending $250.6 billion in 2024, according to a 2025 UN Tourism report.

While Hong Kong, Macao, and destinations in the Asia-Pacific remain popular choices, demand is expanding beyond the traditional “our-hour flight circle” to a “twelve-hour flight circle”. Rising interest in destinations like Iceland, Norway, and Egypt shows that Chinese travelers are increasingly adventurous, trading short-haul convenience for long-haul experiences.

In 2024, travel orders skyrocketed with airlines registering a 2,250% increase year-on-year, OTAs climbed by 410%, and the broader travel industry rose by 245%. These numbers highlight just how quickly demand is accelerating, creating an urgent opportunity for brands to rethink their China travel marketing strategies.

Douyin as the engine of travel inspiration

Every major shift in consumer behavior begins with where people spend their time. In China, one in three minutes of screen time now belongs to Douyin. With over 600 million daily active users, the platform is not just an entertainment app—it is now a full ecosystem of content, commerce, and community. Travelers use it to watch short videos, search for information, browse e-commerce livestreams, and even make bookings directly through in-app shops.

What makes Douyin travel content so powerful is its authenticity. A family exploring Kyoto’s cherry blossoms, a solo traveler sampling street food in Bangkok, or a student vlogging from the streets of Paris—all of these short, vivid stories offer Chinese audiences a relatable glimpse into what their own trips could look like. Unlike traditional travel advertising, which often rely on polished brochures or TV spots, Douyin thrives on user-generated content that feels real and trustworthy.

This depth of engagement has made Douyin central to how Chinese consumers imagine and plan their journeys. According to the China Outbound Tourism Behavior Study, 83% of Chinese travelers discover destinations through social media, far surpassing online ads, search engines, or word of mouth. Within that, Douyin dominates with 74% of outbound tourists saying it is their primary source of travel inspiration, ahead of RedNote (66%) and WeChat (59%).

Institutional and enterprise behavior mirrors this consumer enthusiasm. Registrations of official Douyin accounts by foreign tourism bureaus jumped 79%, while travel agencies increased by 31% and business travel agencies by 28% in 2024. This wave of institutional and enterprise engagement underscores how competitive China’s outbound travel market has become, as destinations and brands race to capture attention throughsocialadvertising and an active online presence.

Douyin travel marketing strategy

For brands in the travel sector, succeeding on Douyin requires more than visibility. It requires a strategy that mirrors how Chinese consumers discover, engage with, and act on travel inspiration. Ocean Engine provides a framework for merchants to build this journey step by step, from initial exposure through to conversion.

Exposure

The first stage is exposure. By running targeted ad formats such as auction ads, in-feed placements, or branded hashtag pages, brand accounts can attract attention, spark interest in destinations, and drive users to their official website or campaign landing page. These creative entry points also help “plant the seed” of a travel idea in consumers’ minds by making destinations feel both aspirational and accessible.

Engagement

The second stage is engagement. Here, marketing tools like Lite Mission and Mission for All campaigns encourage users themselves to generate content. By inviting audiences to participate—whether posting their own videos under a campaign hashtag or engaging with branded challenges—destinations and travel brands can harness user-generated content to create broader visibility and a sense of authenticity. This interactive layer is especially powerful in travel, where peer-to-peer storytelling carries enormous weight. Auction ads, meanwhile, can be used during this phase for retargeting.

Conversion

Finally comes conversion. Ocean Engine enables brands to capture demand through lead generation, app downloads, and mini-program integrations that connect directly with booking platforms. This ensures that when interest peaks, there is a seamless bridge to action—whether that’s filling out a form, downloading an app, or completing a purchase. Lead collection can be implemented using auction ads or conversion links from travel creators.

In short, China travel marketing on Douyin is not about one-off impressions but about guiding consumers through a structured journey: inspiring them, engaging them, and then giving them the tools to act. For overseas destinations competing in China’s rapidly growing outbound travel market, this strategy is the difference between being noticed and being chosen.

Case studies: Turning inspiration into action

The power of Douyin travel is best seen in how destinations translate cultural moments into measurable growth. Two recent examples, Qatar and Western Australia, illustrate how overseas destinations can use Ocean Engine to capture attention, drive engagement, and ultimately convert interest into action.

Qatar
In Qatar’s case, the strategy was rooted in event synergy. The Qatari tourism board timed its campaign to align with Web Summit 2025, a global technology showcase that brought international attention to the country. Using in-feed ads with interactive add-ons, Qatar showcased three distinct travel modes—solo, family, and group—within a single experience.

By pairing these creative formats with direct booking integration, the campaign achieved a remarkable 215% year-on-year increase in search volume for “Visit Qatar”. This advertising strategy also highlights the effectiveness of connecting cultural events with travel intent.

Western Australia
Western Australia took a different approach, combining precision targeting with celebrity-driven storytelling. The campaign identified high-consumption Chinese users with a demonstrated interest in outbound travel and delivered content featuring Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo, one of the region’s most recognizable figures.

This blend of aspirational content and smart targeting produced outsized results, with follower growth rates 127% higher than the industry benchmark. For overseas destinations, it was a reminder that authenticity—delivered through a familiar face—can be just as persuasive as a polished campaign.

Your turn in the new era of China travel marketing

Now is the time for overseas tourism boards, airlines, hotels, and travel companies to rethink their approach to China.

The recent travel boom presents both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is to compete in a crowded, fast-moving environment where attention is scarce. The opportunity lies in leveraging Ocean Engine’s targeting capabilities to turn cultural moments into measurable outcomes.

Whether it’s through native ads that blend seamlessly into feeds, Chinese KOL partnerships that amplify credibility, or search placements that capture high-intent travelers, travel marketingon Douyin allows destinations to meet audiences exactly where their decisions are being shaped.

Ready to reach Chinese travelers where their journeys begin? Contact Ocean Engine today to learn how Douyin marketing can help your destination capture attention, drive engagement, and inspire the next wave of Chinese travelers.