Making up around 15% of China’s population, Gen Z is a powerful driver of luxury consumption. We dissect the cohort’s leading 2025 characteristics.

Most western brands are only scratching the surface when localising for China, missing opportunities such as creating China-relevant occasions or appealing to Chinese senses. Here are six areas to provide inspiration

Chinese tourists have been using publicly accessible surveillance feeds to capture their group travel photos at iconic locations.

Australia's tourism sector is showing robust signs of recovery as international visitors return in significant numbers following the pandemic. Recent data reveals international visitor arrivals to Australia are forecast to reach 8.3 million this year, representing 88 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. This recovery is expected to continue, with arrivals projected to surpass pre-pandemic numbers by 2026, reaching a record 10 million international visitors. By 2029, international arrivals are forecast to grow to 11.8 million, a 41 per cent increase compared to 2024 figures.

Major tourism platforms in China have integrated AI technologies, while various provinces and cities have launched AI tourism service platforms with unique features.

The "new reality" of China's consumer market is characterized by single-digit consumption growth. Our latest research shows three key trends shaping the market.

Data from Alipay and other Alipay+ partner payment apps indicates a notable increase in both outbound and inbound tourism spending in China

As China's tourism industry further embraces technology, robot-assisted hikes and AI-guided sightseeing tours are among a number of travel experiences that have become increasingly common across the country.Over the recent May Day holiday – one of China's

Alibaba and Xiaohongshu have just taken a major step toward tighter integration between content and commerce.

The new partnership enables merchants to embed product links from their Taobao and Tmall stores directly into Xiaohongshu posts. When users tap those links, they’re redirected to the Taobao app to complete their purchase—creating a smooth, app-to-app path from discovery to transaction.

This is a smart move for both sides. Alibaba gets access to one of China’s most influential content ecosystems. Xiaohongshu enhances its creator and merchant tools, while maintaining focus on community and inspiration.

It also comes at an interesting time—Xiaohongshu has been steadily rolling out its own native e-commerce capabilities. But this collaboration shows that interoperability still matters. The goal is to give users and merchants more options, not fewer.

For brands, it means a more direct line from top-funnel content to bottom-funnel conversion. One of the notable features under the new partnership is that there are joint merchant accounts and performance dashboards—so merchants can track the journey from Xiaohongshu content to their stores. Being able to attribute specific completed orders to specific XHS campaigns is a massive step to help brands optimize ad spend.

For users, this partnership creates a more seamless way to act on Xiaohongshu inspiration.

And for China’s e-commerce industry, another sign that it’s becoming more integrated—and more user-centric.

In an attempt to rein in bureaucratic excess and promote frugality, the government has renewed guidelines taking aim at conspicuous consumption and glut.

China’s e-commerce scene is evolving fast — and it’s not just about JD.com or Taobao anymore. From group-buying giants to AI shopping assistants, here’s a breakdown of the key players reshaping how people shop online 🛒📱

📍 Taobao & Tmall – Alibaba’s duo dominates with viral Gen Z collabs and premium memberships
 👥 Pinduoduo – Group buying + rural reach + global push through Temu
 🎥 RedNote & Douyin – Where social content meets seamless shopping
 🤖 SMZDM – AI-powered shopping assistant Xiaozhi who helps you buy smarter

E-commerce in China is no longer just about transactions — it's about ecosystems, tech, and trends.

📩 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e6ykQvP

#Ecommerce #SocialCommerce #RetailTrends #DaxueConsulting #DaxueStories

Big moves in China’s travel space this month! Here’s what’s catching our attention:

1️⃣ Aviation & Access Milestones:
-Air China launches Beijing-Toronto direct flights (May 20)
-First direct route in 33 years
-Two weekly flights (Tuesdays/Saturdays)
-Inbound tourism surges 61% YOY (131.9M visits in 2024), boosted by new visa-free policy for 38 countries

Speaking of momentum, here’s what’s happening in the digital space:

2️⃣ Digital Evolution:
-Global influencers tap into China market for maximum engagement
-Xiaohongshu’s (Little Red Book/Rednote) 300M monthly active users reshaping travel discovery

Curious about what else is shaping China’s travel landscape? Check out more highlights from our May 2025 Market Report below.

From car plants to breweries and even robot labs, companies are looking to capitalize on the growing interest in industrial tourism.

China's emerging youth travel market is rapidly transforming the global tourism landscape, as young Chinese travellers embrace technology, spontaneity, and individualism.

Much has been written about China’s “consumption downgrade” and “deflationary pressures.” It is true that China hasn’t experienced significant inflation like in the West – average sales prices have remained flat, and prices in some sub-categories have even declined.

"If you don't understand how travelers from different Asian markets use short-video apps, it's impossible to market to them effectively," Bowerman explained. The shift highlights the crucial need for personalization, with destinations and platforms being chosen that connect with travelers through...

More young Chinese travelers opt for chills over thrills Asia News Network (ANN) is the leading regional alliance of news titles striving to bring the region closer, through an active sharing of editorial content on happenings in the region.

While retail sales grew during the five-day Labor Day break, cautious spending patterns reveal lingering economic concerns as China navigates US tariffs.

Chinese Travellers Spending: Chinese travelers spent 180.27 billion yuan during the May Day holiday, marking an 8% increase from last year, signaling a potential boost in consumer confidence. The tourism ministry recorded 314 million domestic trips, a 6.5% rise, though per capita spending remained below pre-pandemic levels. While restaurant spending increased, cinema ticket sales experienced a significant drop compared to the previous year.

Chinese tourists prioritize unique experiences over shopping in travel shift The travel formula of Chinese tourists is breaking down. For a long time

BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Standing beside the emerald waters of the Dulong River in southwest China