Xiaohongshu and Hong Kong Hotel Industry Join Forces to Boost Inbound Tourism - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Xiaohongshu Business and the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners have strengthened their cooperation to help Hong Kong's hotel sector capitalize on the growing demand for inbound tourism from mainland China. At the Hong Kong Hotel Playbook Seminar, held at Xiaohongshu's Hong Kong office, industry representatives explored strategies for sustainable business growth, digital marketing and customer engagement in an increasingly content-driven travel market.

Xiaohongshu strengthens its role in travel planning

With more than 400 million monthly active users, including over 130 million outbound travel users, Xiaohongshu has become one of China's leading platforms for travel inspiration and trip planning. According to company data, more than 90% of users actively search for travel-related content, while travel-related searches increased by 38% year on year during 2025.

The platform supports travellers throughout the entire planning process, from discovering destinations and reading recommendations to finalising travel decisions. As a result, Xiaohongshu is becoming an increasingly important marketing channel for hotels seeking to reach Chinese travellers before they book.

Hotels face changing market conditions

According to Xiaohongshu, Hong Kong's hotel industry is currently facing several structural challenges, including high online travel agency (OTA) commission costs, rising labour and customer service expenses, and increasing competition for long-term brand recognition.

At the same time, independent travellers from mainland China and international markets now account for a growing share of hotel guests. These travellers rely heavily on authentic online content and personal recommendations when selecting destinations and accommodation, creating new opportunities for content-based marketing.

"Demand for travel to Hong Kong is booming, with shopping, city walks and short getaways becoming increasingly popular," said Dodo Kwong, Regional Head of Xiaohongshu Commercial Cross-border Asia & Middle East. She noted that cross-border businesses face longer customer decision cycles and therefore require continuous optimisation of both content and advertising. Xiaohongshu will continue to develop dedicated industry campaigns to help tourism businesses improve conversion rates and grow revenue.

Three key traveller segments identified

Drawing on visitor data from the Hong Kong Tourism Board together with its own platform analytics, Xiaohongshu has identified three priority customer groups for Hong Kong hotels.

The first consists of young travellers from mainland China's first-tier cities with medium to high purchasing power who are willing to spend more on unique travel experiences.

The second group comprises business travellers who value convenient locations and high-quality business facilities.

The third includes families and concert-goers, with women aged between 30 and 45 serving as the primary travel decision-makers.

According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, independent travellers represented 74.5% of all hotel guests in Hong Kong during FY2024. Mainland Chinese leisure travellers staying overnight accounted for 60% of this segment, while visitors from North Asia represented 78% of the high-value, content-driven customer base.

Content guides travellers from inspiration to booking

To address these customer groups, Xiaohongshu has developed a three-stage marketing approach covering the entire travel decision process.

The first stage focuses on attracting attention through visually engaging images and short-form videos. The second encourages users actively searching for travel information through destination guides and authentic reviews. Finally, booking decisions are supported by genuine user recommendations together with official brand content pinned to hotel accounts.

According to Yingu, Platform Expert at Xiaohongshu Commercial Cross-border, travellers now spend more time researching accommodation before making a booking decision. Successful hotel marketing therefore requires content that reflects travel milestones, target audiences, travel scenarios and unique experiences. Combining high-quality content with targeted advertising creates a complete customer journey from initial inspiration to booking enquiry and confirmed reservation.

Long-term cooperation for Hong Kong hotels

During the seminar, Xiaohongshu also presented an end-to-end operational framework covering everything from establishing official hotel accounts to supporting customer conversion through private messaging. The company said the model has already delivered measurable results for several Hong Kong hotel brands.

Caspar Tsui, Executive Director of the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, said the seminar was designed to help member hotels better understand changing travel behaviour on Xiaohongshu and use the platform more effectively to attract their target audiences.

As inbound tourism to Hong Kong continues to recover, both partners expect closer cooperation between the platform and the hospitality industry to create new business opportunities and support the long-term growth of Hong Kong's hotel sector.

Image Credit: © Xiaohongshu