On May 29, 2026, at Crowne Plaza Danang City Centre, with the approval of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Danang Tourism Promotion Center, in collaboration with Xiaohongshu, Blue Media, and Z Creative Partners Vietnam, organized the seminar “Reaching the Chinese Tourism Market through Xiaohongshu and Social Media.”
The seminar attracted representatives from tourism management agencies, travel companies, hotels, resorts, airlines, media organizations, international marketing experts, and representatives of digital media platforms from both Vietnam and abroad.
As Vietnam and China are implementing the “Vietnam–China Tourism Cooperation Year 2026–2027,” the event was considered an important opportunity for destinations and tourism businesses to strengthen connections, innovate promotional activities, and accelerate the recovery and growth of the Chinese visitor market in the new phase.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai An, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated that the Chinese market continues to be one of Da Nang’s key international source markets. The city is focusing on digitalizing its tourism promotion activities, increasing its presence on social media platforms, strengthening partnerships with Chinese media and tourism businesses, and implementing KOL and KOC engagement policies to enhance destination promotion amid rapidly evolving media trends and travel behaviors.
According to statistics, in 2025, Da Nang welcomed more than 565,000 Chinese visitors, an increase of approximately 48% compared to the previous year, ranking second among the city’s Top 10 international markets. In the first five months of 2026, visitor arrivals from China were estimated at over 320,000, maintaining its position among Da Nang’s fastest-growing international markets.
In addition to its geographical proximity, favorable climate, developed tourism infrastructure, and high-end accommodation system, Da Nang offers a wide range of tourism products aligned with emerging travel trends among Chinese visitors, including beach resorts, golf, gastronomy, entertainment, MICE tourism, and lifestyle experiences.
Notably, Chinese travel trends are shifting significantly toward FIT travelers, younger visitors, and high-spending segments. Travelers increasingly prioritize personalized experiences, premium leisure stays, culinary exploration, photo-worthy destinations, and information sourced from domestic social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu, Douyin, and WeChat, as well as online travel agencies including Ctrip and Fliggy.
A representative from Xiaohongshu shared: “Chinese travelers’ behaviors are changing rapidly, particularly their preference for authentic experiences, genuine content, and lifestyle-oriented destinations. Da Nang has strong potential to appeal to young travelers, independent tourists, and high-spending visitor segments.”
During the seminar, speakers discussed digital media trends in China; the role of Xiaohongshu in travelers’ information-search and decision-making journeys; the growing influence of KOLs, KOCs, and influencer marketing; OTA booking behaviors; and solutions for developing effective marketing ecosystems for tourism businesses in Da Nang.
A representative of Blue Media commented: “Xiaohongshu is no longer just a social media platform; it has become an important channel for information discovery, travel reviews, and tourism inspiration among young Chinese consumers. Through this seminar, we hope to provide Da Nang’s tourism businesses with practical insights, emerging communication trends, and effective solutions for reaching the Chinese market through digital platforms.”
Meanwhile, a representative of Z Creative Partners Vietnam emphasized that tourism marketing for the Chinese market has evolved beyond simple destination promotion and now requires the development of integrated content, communication, and booking-conversion ecosystems tailored to user behavior on China’s domestic digital platforms.
The seminar provided tourism authorities, businesses, travel agencies, accommodation providers, and media partners with valuable insights into China’s digital communication landscape and a deeper understanding of the role played by social media platforms, KOL and KOC ecosystems, and experiential content in shaping travel decisions and destination choices.
Presentations from international experts also offered practical experience in content development, multi-platform marketing strategies, and tourism promotion approaches suitable for young, middle-income, and premium traveler segments in China. The event opened up new opportunities for collaboration among tourism authorities, businesses, media organizations, and digital platforms to enhance the effectiveness of destination promotion for Da Nang in the Chinese market.
In the coming period, Da Nang will continue strengthening promotional efforts in China through business networking activities, famtrip programs, KOL and KOC attraction policies, partnerships with OTAs and digital platforms, and expanded communication campaigns on channels such as Xiaohongshu, Douyin, and Ctrip. These efforts aim to increase destination awareness and attract leisure travelers, independent tourists, and high-spending visitor segments.
The seminar served not only as a platform for information exchange, experience sharing, and updates on emerging digital communication trends, but also as a concrete step in Da Nang’s strategy to modernize and professionalize its tourism promotion efforts in alignment with evolving market behaviors. It contributes to enhancing the city’s destination competitiveness, expanding access to the Chinese visitor market, and fostering sustainable growth in international tourism, while supporting the city’s goal of achieving double-digit growth in the years ahead.
DANANG TOURISM PROMOTION CENTER
