Douyin is changing tourism industry.

 Hello everyone,

Olivier Verot here, founder of Gentlemen Marketing Agency (GMA), your trusted guide to mastering China's digital landscape with over 15 years of hands-on experience in Shanghai. As of September 2025, Douyin

the Chinese POWER behind TikTok

IT is nott just dominating short-form video; it's straight-up revolutionizing the tourism industry. With 835 million users projected this year, Douyin has morphed into a one-stop travel engine, blending viral content, live streams, and seamless bookings to drive a massive resurgence in both domestic and outbound trips. Domestic tourism alone hit 3.674 billion trips in 2023 (up 75.5% YoY), with Douyin's travel videos racking up 926.4 billion views in the first three quarters numbers that have only accelerated into 2025.

YesToday, let's unpack how Douyin is reshaping tourism, from inspiring wanderlust to closing sales in real-time. For Western destinations and brands, this is a goldmine—I'll share actionable tips at the end. Buckle up!

1. Viral Short Videos: Turning Destinations into Must-Visit Obsessions

Douyin's bite-sized magic is the spark igniting travel fever. Short-form videos—think 15-second clips of hidden gems in Paris or serene French Riviera sunsets—go viral faster than you can pack a suitcase, influencing decisions for 90% of young Chinese travelers. In 2025, trends like "water travel" (beach escapes and cruises) exploded on Douyin, with searches for summer getaways surging 133% in June, fueled by campaigns like "This is My Favorite Way to Spend Summer." For Gen Z, who make up the bulk of Douyin's 407 million travel-interested users (up 13% YoY), these visuals trump traditional ads, building trust through peer-like authenticity.

Take niche spots: A study on Gen Z's Douyin habits shows perceived usefulness and enjoyment drive intentions to visit offbeat locales, with gender tweaks ;; women prioritize social proof, men chase adventure. On X, users buzz about Douyin's "Life Services" heartbeat list, where travel clips lead straight to bookings for hotels and tours, blending O2O (online-to-offline) like a seamless e-commerce dream. Result? Cities like Xi'an saw youth appeal skyrocket via Douyin challenges, proving short videos aren't just fun—they're funneling billions into bookings.

2. Live Streaming: Real-Time Immersion That Converts Views to Voyages

Live commerce on Douyin is the game-changer, transforming passive scrolling into instant action. In 2025, livestreams for tourism!!

KOLs demoing Eiffel Tower climbs or Loire Valley wine tastings—generate millions in sales per session, with 30% of Chinese online purchases now travel-related. Platforms like Douyin host flash deals on flights, hotels, and tours, capitalizing on FOMO during peaks like the Dragon Boat Festival (600 million domestic trips, up 9.4% YoY). Travel agencies report 1.6 billion views on Douyin content in 2023 alone, a 252% spike in September, and that's carried into this year with outbound recovery.

Why the shift?

GOood Question 

Chinese tourists crave interactive experiences; a TAT partnership with similar platforms like Kuaishou brought 20 KOLs to Thailand for live events, spiking bookings. For affluent travelers (surveyed in EternityX's 2025 insights), Douyin influences every stage—from planning (with Xiaohongshu crossovers) to in-trip vibes via WeChat integration. Agents say conversion rates on Douyin outpace traditional channels, especially for Asia-Pacific routes, where visa waivers make it a no-brainer. It's not hype; it's reshaping how destinations like France pitch "immersive adventures" to 35-54-year-olds eyeing medical tourism or luxury escapes. read more here https://chinesetouristagency.com/douyin-best-way-to-promote-destination-travel

3. Influencer Power and User-Generated Buzz: Authentic Endorsements Driving Demand

KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) are Douyin's secret sauce for tourism, with influencers on the platform generating ROI through genuine storytelling—think a celeb like Yang Yang promoting "Douyin Life Services" for hotel bookings and transport. In 2025, 71% of agents see economic confidence boosting outbound travel, but it's Douyin's community that seals deals: Millennials (largest demo) and Gen Z flock to peer reviews and celeb collabs, with 68% citing consumer power as a tailwind. Platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu now drive higher sales conversions than OTAs like Ctrip, per Dragon Trail's January survey.

Outbound's booming too: Agents predict full pre-pandemic recovery by year-end, led by Asia (proximity wins), but Europe—hello, France!—follows close, thanks to Douyin's creative showcases. X threads highlight Vietnamese users now livestreaming on Douyin (phone verification lifted), hinting at global experiments that could amp cross-border appeal. For theme parks and events, Douyin's sway is huge: Viral dances and challenges (like WayV's trendy contest) tie into "event tourism," redefining affluent trips around concerts and sports.hehe

4. Data-Driven Personalization: Tailoring Trips for the Tech-Savvy Traveler

Douyin's AI algo personalizes like a psychic travel agent, recommending niche spots based on your scrolls—eco-tourism in Provence? Done. With 746.5 million MAU in 2023 growing to 835 million this year, it's a demographic dynamo: 54% male, urban youth in tier-1/2 cities, spending big on micro-vacations and sustainable jaunts. The 2025 Outbound Trade Survey notes social media's role in reshaping marketing, with agents using Douyin for targeted ads yielding above-average conversions.

Challenges? High costs and geopolitics loom, but Douyin's positivity filter keeps content uplifting, aligning with China's "harmonious" travel push. For France, this means optimizing listings on Douyin-integrated OTAs for dynamic packages—flights + chateaus + tours.

5. Broader Ecosystem Shifts: From Recovery to Exponential Growth

Douyin's ripple effects? A full outbound rebound by 2025, with 66% of agents expecting pre-COVID levels, per surveys. Domestic hotspots like Beijing and Chengdu thrive on its content boom, while global spots leverage it for inbound (e.g., Tongxiang's 143% international visitor spike). Live streaming's interactive edge—real-time Q&A on French cuisine—beats static brochures, fostering loyalty.

In sum, Douyin's changing tourism by making it social, instant, and hyper-personal—fueling a market where 700 million+ travelers rewrite rules with bullet trains, Alipay, and zero-crime vibes.

For French brands and destinations? Jump in: Partner with Douyin KOLs for viral challenges (we boosted a client's Riviera campaign 150% last quarter), run live streams with flash deals via Life Services, and A/B test content for Gen Z authenticity. At GMA, we craft Douyin strategies that turn scrolls into sold-out tours—contact me for a free audit and let's make France the next Douyin darling!