What Changed in a Decade of Travel?

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In 2017, ITB China made its debut in Shanghai. At the time, Chinese travelers made more than 130 million outbound trips, while independent travel, online booking and demand for more personalized experiences were gaining momentum. China’s outbound travel market was expanding rapidly, and optimism across the industry was high. 

Just three years later, the pandemic brought international travel to an unprecedented standstill, disrupting not only countless journeys but the industry itself. 

When the market reopened, travel returned to a very different landscape. Where people traveled, how they made decisions, the products they sought and the role of technology had all evolved. 

Now, as ITB China approaches its 10th anniversary, we look back at this shared journey through 10 defining shifts that have shaped the travel industry over the past decade.

Following several years of disruption, China’s outbound travel market has returned to growth, reaching approximately 148 million trips in 2025. 

In the first half of 2026 alone, mainland Chinese residents made 88.02 million outbound trips, representing a 10.5% year-on-year increase.

A decade ago, the 144-hour visa-free transit policy applied only in selected regions. 

Today, travelers from 57 countries can use China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy through 65 ports of entry. China also offers 30-day unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of 50 countries and has comprehensive mutual visa exemption agreements with 29 countries. 

Greater visa accessibility has expanded the range of destinations available to Chinese travelers, creating more opportunities for spontaneous trips, short-haul travel and emerging destinations. 

 From 2017 to 2025, China's international air network underwent a sharp contraction during the pandemic, followed by a rapid recovery. By 2025, the number of countries and overseas destinations served had grown significantly from 2023, with the number of countries already surpassing 2017 levels. 

At the same time, connectivity across West Asia, Central Asia and Africa continued to expand, reshaping the regional landscape of China’s international air network.

A decade ago, Chinese outbound travel was still heavily concentrated around Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and neighboring Asian destinations. 

By 2024, Chinese outbound travelers had visited more than 210 countries and regions. 

Nearly 20 destinations welcomed more than one million Chinese visitors, while more than 60 destinations received over 100,000. 

The Chinese outbound market is no longer defined by a small group of established destinations.

Ten years ago, seeing famous sights and discovering a destination for the first time remained central to many outbound journeys. In-depth, themed and customized travel was only beginning to gain momentum. 

Today, travel is increasingly moving from destination-led to interest-led. 

Culture, gastronomy, outdoor adventure, sporting events, wellness and other specialist interests are creating new reasons to travel. 

The question has shifted from simply “Where should I go?” to “What do I want to experience?”

 Around 2017, group travel still had a strong presence in China’s outbound market, particularly among travellers from lower-tier cities. At the same time, semi-independent and private travel products were beginning to develop. 

By 2025, independent travel had become mainstream, while organised tours were becoming smaller, more flexible and more personalised. 

Today, travellers may book part of a journey themselves while relying on professional providers for transportation, accommodation, guides or local experiences. 

The boundary between group travel and independent travel is increasingly blurred.

In 2017, traveller profiles were still largely discussed in terms of age and family structure. 

Today, segmentation goes much further. 

Gen Z, families, silver travellers, premium travellers, adventure travellers and cultural explorers all represent increasingly distinct audiences with different motivations and expectations. 

As traveller profiles become more diverse, travel products are becoming more precisely designed around them.

Over the past decade, China’s online travel booking population has grown by around 139 million, while digitalization has expanded from booking into inspiration, comparison, trip planning and service delivery. 

Social platforms have become a key part of travel decision-making, with travelers discovering destinations through content before comparing products and experiences across multiple channels. 

Now, AI is shortening the path from inspiration to booking. Platforms including Trip.com, Fliggy and Tongcheng Travel are using AI to understand traveler needs, generate itineraries, recommend products and support real-time booking. As travel platforms evolve from selling standardized products to understanding needs and organizing resources, accessible product data, real-time connectivity and reliable service delivery are becoming increasingly important for travel businesses.

Since its debut in Shanghai in 2017, ITB China has grown alongside China’s travel industry, through expansion, unprecedented disruption and renewed growth. 

By connecting China with global source markets, destinations and industry partners, ITB China has turned face-to-face connections into new products, partnerships and business opportunities. Over the past decade, the continued commitment of exhibitors, buyers and partners has shaped ITB China’s growth — a shared journey of an industry and a platform moving forward together. 

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES 

Over the past ten years, the travel landscape has changed dramatically — from where people travel and how they book, to what they value and why they travel. 

As ITB China approaches its 10th anniversary, we will continue looking back at the people, ideas and industry shifts that shaped this journey — while exploring what could define the decade ahead.