Labour Day 2025 Signals Powerful Comeback and New Era in Chinese Outbound Travel. China’s outbound travel market is experiencing a powerful resurgence, with fresh insights from EternityX’s Labour Day 2025 Travel Trends & Insights Report revealing a striking 28.7% year-on-year increase in cross-border travel over the holiday period. More than just a rebound, this trend marks a transformation in the way Chinese travellers experience the world, with digital fluency and a hunger for personalised, meaningful journeys reshaping the global tourism landscape.
The report highlights double-digit growth across key travel indicators: 10.9 million border crossings, 11.15 million air passengers, and outbound tourism spending reaching ¥180.3 billion (~USD 25 billion), up 8.0% from the previous year. “This isn’t just a rebound. It’s a redefinition of how Chinese travellers explore the world,” noted Charlene Ree, CEO of EternityX. “They’re seeking depth over distance, driven by digital experiences that align with their lifestyle values.”
A clear trend emerging from this travel boom is the prioritisation of experiences over traditional sightseeing. Attraction ticket sales soared by 150% year-on-year, with strong interest in scene-based travel such as anime-themed hotels in Japan and audio-guided museum tours in France. Adventure travel is also gaining popularity, with notable increases in bookings for snorkelling in Malaysia and trekking in Nepal. These shifts indicate that today’s Chinese travellers are seeking experiences that are not only memorable but deeply immersive and personally enriching.
Digital ecosystems continue to redefine the travel journey. Platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay saw a 30–50% surge in usage, now serving as full-service travel companions rather than just payment tools. In-app mini-programs guided everything from restaurant choices to museum tours, underscoring the need for international destinations to build seamless digital touchpoints that integrate directly with Chinese consumers’ preferred platforms.
Airlines are responding to this renewed demand with an aggressive expansion of international routes. Air China added new services to Cairo, Toronto, and Central Asia while resuming popular routes to Tokyo and Paris. China Eastern launched a new Shanghai–Abu Dhabi connection, and United Airlines introduced seven new US–China routes. Cathay Pacific increased its Shanghai flights by 48% year-on-year, enhancing connectivity across both business and leisure travel segments.
Looking ahead, Chinese outbound travel is forecast to reach between 177 and 185 million in 2025, with 111 to 116 million travellers expected during the summer season alone. Golden Week in Q4 could see a further 12.4 million Chinese tourists exploring the world, particularly seeking luxury and culturally immersive experiences in long-haul destinations such as Europe and the Middle East. “The rise of digital-native, experience-seeking Chinese travellers is no longer a trend—it’s the new market reality,” said Deric Wong, Chief Business Officer, Global at EternityX.
EternityX emphasises that global brands must move beyond seasonal promotions to effectively reach this evolving market. A data-driven, full-funnel marketing approach, aligned with travel intent and powered by localised, platform-native content across ecosystems like WeChat and Alipay, is now essential. With the summer travel window rapidly approaching, the opportunity is substantial—but so is the competition.
As Labour Day 2025 demonstrated, the future of Chinese outbound tourism is both dynamic and digitally driven. Brands that engage early with strategic precision and cultural intelligence will be best positioned to convert this momentum into lasting impact across global markets.
