Ep 239: Fragmentation is the New Normal - Top 8 Chinese Outbound Tourism Topics to Watch in 2025

“In 2025, consumer demand in the outbound travel market in China will continue to fragment, particularly in terms of interests. This shift is one of the most significant changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.” Two years after China reopened for travel, the outbound tourism market continues to diversify and fragment. The landscape looks very different than it did in 2019 - and the 2025 Chinese New Year confirmed this.

To discuss the 8 Top Chinese Tourism Trends to Watch in 2025, Gary welcomes back Sienna Parulis-Cook, Director of Marketing & Communications of Beijing-based Dragon Trail international, to the show. We discuss the key takeaways from the CNY travel period - where did Chinese tourists fly to, how long did they stay and how much did they spend? We dissect the hotspot destinations, including Malaysia, Vietnam and Japan, old favourites like Singapore - and the social media tribulations of Thailand.

Plus, we tackle hot trends in Europe (Northern Lights) and the Middle East (Saudi Arabia), analyse new trends in family travel and discuss how the growth of self-drive travel is shaping itinerary planning.