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Chinese Travelers Embrace AI While Outbound Travel Surges Back

2025-09-24 03:35:35 英文原文

作者：Peden Doma Bhutia

Skift Take

The world’s biggest travel market is now being shaped by algorithms, as Chinese travelers lean on AI to plan trips, book last-minute, and travel more independently than ever.

China’s outbound travel market is back on track. International trips from mainland China are projected to hit the pre-pandemic peak of 155 million by the end of 2025, according to Dragon Trail Research. Flight capacity has reached 90% of 2019 levels, and 160 million Chinese citizens now hold valid passports.

But the real story this year isn’t just the numbers. It’s how artificial intelligence is changing the way Chinese travelers plan and experience trips.

At the start of 2025, China launched DeepSeek, its own AI chatbot. Since then, nearly every major online travel agency, booking site, and social media platform has rolled out new AI features.

Compared with a year ago, traveler attitudes toward AI have also shifted sharply, Dragon Trail reported in its Chinese Traveler Sentiment report releasing Wednesday.

Last year, more than half of travelers said AI travel assistants and functions

Key Points

  • China's outbound travel is rebounding, with international trips projected to reach pre-pandemic levels by 2025 and AI tools now widely used for trip planning.
  • Travelers increasingly value AI features like language translation and itinerary planning, while skepticism toward influencers and commercialized social media content remains high.
  • Independent travel has overtaken group tours, especially among younger travelers, with top destinations in Asia and Europe and shopping still a key activity.

Summary

China's outbound travel market is rapidly recovering, with international trips nearing pre-pandemic highs and flight capacity almost fully restored. The widespread adoption of AI tools, such as chatbots and travel assistants, has transformed how Chinese travelers plan and experience their journeys, with language translation and itinerary building among the most valued features. While social media and travel influencers remain influential, skepticism about authenticity persists, and independent travel—particularly among younger generations—now leads over group tours, with cost, convenience, and evolving motivations shaping travel decisions.

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摘要

China's outbound travel market is rapidly recovering, with international trips nearing pre-pandemic highs and flight capacity almost fully restored by 2025. The adoption of AI tools, such as chatbots and travel assistants, has transformed trip planning and execution, with language translation and itinerary building being highly valued features. Despite the influence of social media and travel influencers, skepticism about authenticity remains high, and independent travel is increasingly favored over group tours, particularly among younger travelers. Cost, convenience, and evolving motivations are key factors in travel decisions.

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