On Xiaohongshu (RED), various travel methods and destinations are becoming increasingly popular and attracting significant attention. In celebration of 618, the Australia tourism bureau collaborated with Xiaohongshu to create “Just Rush to Australia on 618.” This programme brings together 40 travel brand partners and offers different departure routes based on regional locations, as well as group tours, free tours and customised tours etc.
The Dubai tourism bureau has also partnered with Xiaohongshu to launch “Dubai can also play like this” themed activities for the upcoming summer. They have invited numerous travel influencers to explore Dubai, collaborating with Dubai’s hotels, shopping malls, and tourist attractions to offer discounts. Users can participate in the topic #Dubai can also be played like this# for interaction and task check-ins, using points to win round-trip tickets, hotel vouchers, and more.
Xiaohongshu gathers people with common interests, creating an aggregate effect. Trends such as city walks, “twenty minutes in the park” theory, Zibo barbecue, and Tianshui malatang have been gaining popularity. The platform addresses users’ actual travel needs, and queries such as “where to go, how to play, what route to take, what hotel to stay in” are highly searched for.
Australia and Dubai tourism bureaus are not the first to collaborate with Xiaohongshu. In March this year, following the implementation of the Singapore-China mutual visa exemption policy, the Singapore tourism bureau and Xiaohongshu launched a branding campaign called “Theatre in Singapore.” This campaign invited consumers to draw inspiration from the theatre around them and explore new ways to experience Singapore through a H5 interactive page. Additionally, the Singapore tourism bureau created an offline experience space at Shanghai’s trendy Xintiandi, featuring an outdoor naked-eye 3D screen showcasing the best theatre plays.
In June last year, the New Zealand tourism bureau and Xiaohongshu officially announced their partnership in Shanghai. New Zealand’s Tourism Minister, Peeni Henare, stated, “Global competition for tourists is fierce, and the partnership with Xiaohongshu, often called China’s Instagram, will help engage its 260 million monthly active users, attracting more tourists and driving our economic growth and recovery.”
It’s not just Xiaohongshu. Spain, Singapore, New Zealand, and South African tourism bureaus have also partnered with the Xiaoyuzhou podcast this year. In January, the South African Tourism Board partnered with the stand-up comedy podcast “Wuliaozhai” (无聊斋). The hosts’ discussions about their experiences in South Africa inspired many listeners to consider it as a prime destination for adventure. In June, Dubai Tourism partnered with Xiaoyuzhou and Ximalaya to launch “Dubai Mysteries: See More Than From The Eye” and “Dubai Mysteries: A Thousand and One Nights,” featuring six podcasts that narrate Dubai’s multifaceted story from the perspectives of its history, people, economy, alongside real-life travel experiences.
Podcasts have captivated millions of Chinese listeners with their sense of companionship. After the travel restrictions of 2020 and the limited travel opportunities in 2021, the allure of travel is resurging. Through the promotion of Xiaohongshu and podcasts, tourism bureaus aim to attract Chinese tourists back to the global village.
