The 17 Best Travel Industry Marketing Campaigns in China

Radar Report #11 features insights into the 17 best Travel industry campaigns in China and the 4 marketing trends driving their success.

As brands continue to innovate, we’re seeing exciting trends in experiential activations, cross-brand collaborations, art events, and platform interactions.

Companies are increasingly using immersive offline experiences to deepen consumer connections, partnering with mainstream brands for mutual benefits, integrating art into their offerings to enhance guest experiences, and leveraging platforms like RED and Douyin to blend online and offline activities.

Trend 1: Experiential Activations

Marriott’s #ExploreElsewhere campaign, featuring multi-city cycling events and workshops, generated 5.5 million views and 17,000 discussions through strategic partnerships, discounted packages, and user-generated content driven by social media.

Asia Airlines launched a mobile African Safari-themed bus parade in Shanghai and Guangzhou, promoting new African routes with live performances and prize draws. The campaign, featuring UGC hashtags and local KOLs, garnered 280,000 views and over 1,000 interactions on social media.

The Peninsula Hotel partnered with BROMPTON and Rayli for three themed cycling events in Beijing, including family rides and cultural tours. Activities featured DIY workshops, Hanfu experiences, and Zongzi packages. The campaign, promoted through RED hashtags and KOLs, garnered 180,000 views and strong community engagement.

Trend 2: Cross-brand Collaboration

Hilton partnered with Starbucks to integrate membership platforms and host joint promotional events, attracting new members. The campaign featured a Hilton hotel bed installation at Starbucks’ Green Workshop in Shanghai, generating content under the hashtag #StarbucksHiltonCollaboration. The collaboration’s co-membership benefits and social media push garnered 1.92 million views.

W Shanghai Hotel and Liushen teamed up for a rooftop live party, launching co-branded suites and gift boxes. The event featured themed installations, DJ performances, and exclusive cocktails. Live-streamed on Douyin, the party attracted 4.78 million views. Social media promotion via the hashtag #LiushenWStayCool and KOL content garnered an additional 1.43 million views.

Guangzhou Pullman Hotel partnered with Inlex Bear to launch themed suites and interactive activities, boosting brand visibility. The campaign featured a giant Inlex Bear installation, co-branded buffet, and a stamp-collecting event for prizes. UGC was encouraged through RED, where guests who geotagged and posted about the event received a co-branded fridge magnet. The campaign attracted 40,000 social media views.

Nanjing Golden Eagle Hotel and Chengdu Fairmont Hotel partnered with Guerlain to launch themed suites, offering guests complimentary dinners, afternoon tea, and Guerlain gifts like paper sculpture lamps. Additional perks included Guerlain samples, spa treatments, and discount vouchers. The collaboration garnered over 450,000 social media views, enhancing brand visibility and guest experience.

China Eastern Airlines and Disney launched a Zootopia-themed aircraft and co-branded flight package, featuring themed boarding passes and a lottery. The campaign garnered over 1.21 million social media views.

Trend 3: Art Events

Guangzhou Garden Hotel’s “Summer Garden Tour” offered immersive experiences with art stamp collections, plant detective hunts, and workshops like eco-themed salons and coffee DIY sessions. Promotion on WeChat and UGC on RED drove significant engagement, resulting in over 380,000 views and 20,000+ posts.

Waldorf Astoria Shanghai and AWHITE hosted a plush art exhibition with exclusive afternoon teas, featuring AWHITE’s dolls. Promoted on RED and Weibo with #awhitePlushArt, the campaign achieved nearly 290,000 views and high engagement through KOLs’ social media shares.

The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai and Pudong Art Museum’s “Radiant Era” event featured a Spanish art exhibition, themed afternoon tea, live performances, and a craft workshop. Promoted on WeChat and RED, it achieved nearly 160,000 social media views, driven by KOL engagement and interactive experiences.

Trend 4: Platform Interaction

The New Zealand Tourism Board’s #Off-SeasonNewZealand campaign utilized KOLs and social media to boost tourism. The campaign, featuring 15 KOLs, generated over 92 million views with nearly 33 million on RED and 59 million on Douyin, engaging over 50,000 participants.

The Australian Tourism Board’s #618HeadToAustralia campaign combined pop-up events with online promotion. Featuring coffee tastings and travel consultations, it achieved over 12 million views on RED and over 13 million total social media views, with more than 2,000 posts.

The Korea Tourism Organization’s #I’m Going to Korea campaign, with Qunar and RED, featured check-ins at Korean landmarks, exclusive gifts, and a dedicated H5 page. It garnered over 14 million views on RED and 2.27 million user interactions.

The Dubai Tourism Board’s campaign, in partnership with RED, used an H5 interactive experience and KOL endorsements to boost tourism. It achieved over 9.45 million views on RED and more than 12 million total social media views.

Royal Caribbean’s #ThisCruiseIsAmazing campaign, featuring a Spectrum of the Seas pop-up in Shanghai and multi-platform promotion, achieved over 830 million views and 20,000+ UGC posts across RED and Douyin.

Marriott Bonvoy’s campus campaign for June graduation featured themed events at three universities, including parades and performances. Promoted through Tmall Campus, RED, and Fliggy, it achieved over 210,000 views and engaged new members with exclusive benefits.

Resonance is a digital / social media marketing agency based in Shanghai, China. Our service is “everything digital x social marketing”. We’ve been around since 2008 and have done great work for many of the world’s most well-known lifestyle brands. Visit us on the web or email us to find out more.

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