Chinese New Year Travel Surge: Influencer Marketing Strategies for Brands

Chinese New Year (CNY) is not only the most significant cultural celebration in China but also a period of intense consumer activity.  In 2025, domestic travel soared to 501 million trips, marking a 5.9% increase year-on-year (YoY) and an astonishing 20.7% rise from pre-pandemic levels in 2019.  Tourism spending followed suit, reaching 677 billion RMB ($92.9 billion), up 31.7% compared to 2019.

For brands, this presents an unparalleled opportunity to engage Chinese travellers through influencer marketing.  Whether consumers are exploring historical sites, indulging in shopping sprees, or booking luxury experiences, strategic influencer collaborations can drive visibility, trust, and sales.  But how can brands effectively leverage influencer marketing during this peak season?

Key Travel Trends That Define Chinese New Year 2025

Before diving into influencer strategies, it’s essential to understand what drives consumer behaviour during CNY travel:

• Rising interest in cultural heritage tourism – Searches for “intangible cultural heritage tourism” surged 40% YoY, with cities hosting folk festivals and lantern shows seeing record footfall.

• The dominance of Gen Z and Millennial travellers – Younger generations are blending tradition with modern travel, driving demand for unique and immersive experiences.

• Luxury and retail spending remains strong – Key retail and catering sales rose 4.1%, while online shopping defied the usual holiday slowdown, growing 5.8% during the CNY period.

By aligning influencer campaigns with these trends, brands can seamlessly integrate into travellers’ journeys, making a lasting impact.

How Influencer Marketing Can Maximise Impact During CNY Travel

Influencer marketing is a powerful tool to capture Chinese consumers’ attention, especially when they are actively engaging with content while travelling.  Here’s how brands can optimise their strategies:

1. Leverage Travel KOLs to Inspire Itineraries and Experiences

Chinese travellers often turn to KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) and KOCs (Key Opinion Consumers) on platforms like RedNote (Xiaohongshu / RED), Douyin (Chinese TikTok), and WeChat for recommendations on travel destinations, accommodations, and activities.

• Case Study: Luxury hotel group Rosewood collaborated with RedNote (Xiaohongshu / RED) travel influencers to showcase its CNY-exclusive cultural experiences.

• Best Practice: Work with influencers who specialise in travel content to create detailed itineraries, incorporating your brand’s services or products naturally into their storytelling.

2. Promote Limited-Time Offers Through Live Streaming and Social Commerce

Live commerce continues to thrive in China, with platforms like Taobao Live, Douyin, and Kuaishou driving real-time engagement and conversions.

Source: Taobao

• Why It Works: During CNY, consumers are already in a festive shopping mindset, making them more likely to engage with time-sensitive promotions.

• Example: A beauty brand partnered with Douyin influencers for a CNY-exclusive skincare bundle, selling out within hours.

• Tip: Use influencer-led livestreams to highlight exclusive travel deals, seasonal discounts, or special CNY-edition products.

3. Tap into Niche Travel Trends with Micro-KOLs

While top-tier influencers provide broad exposure, micro-KOLs (10K–50K followers) offer highly engaged audiences and authentic recommendations, especially for niche travel trends like:

• Reverse travel – As major city dwellers flock to smaller towns, brands can use local influencers to showcase unique rural experiences.

• Experiential travel – Younger travellers prefer immersive activities such as tea culture workshops, calligraphy classes, and traditional craft-making.

• Luxury retreats – Upscale hotels and premium brands can collaborate with influencers who focus on high-end, experience-driven travel.

4. Integrate Brand Messaging into User-Generated Content (UGC)

Chinese travellers love sharing their journeys on social media, especially on RedNote (Xiaohongshu / RED), WeChat Channels, and Weibo.  Brands can encourage UGC through:

• Branded hashtags – Launch a CNY-themed campaign where users post travel experiences using a unique hashtag.

• Incentivised participation – Offer discounts, giveaways, or exclusive perks for travellers who tag the brand in their posts.

• Interactive challenges – Partner with influencers to kickstart viral trends, such as city-hopping challenges or cultural experience showcases.

Final Thoughts: Winning Over Chinese Travellers with Influencer Marketing

Chinese New Year 2025 has proven that travel and consumer spending are stronger than ever, making it an essential period for brands to capitalise on.  With 501 million trips recorded and retail sales rising by 4.1%, the opportunity is massive.

By leveraging influencer marketing effectively, brands can engage travellers where they seek inspiration — on platforms like RedNote (Xiaohongshu / RED), Douyin, and WeChat, create authentic content that aligns with trending travel behaviours, and drive real-time engagement through live streaming, social commerce, and user-generated content campaigns.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

InfluenConnect™ is one of the fastest-moving ethnic influencer networks, helping brands discover influencers beyond borders and language barriers for a more authentic reach.  With over 105K influencers across 12 platforms, we are the biggest search engine for Asian influencers, making influencer marketing simple, accessible, and purposeful.  Contact us today to explore how we can help you expand your global presence!