Chinese Travel Demand: The Race to Get on AI Shortlists
A new study shows AI platforms are shaping Chinese travel demand early by filtering and determining destination shortlists.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Create Consulting China tested 240 travel queries across five major Chinese AI platforms.
- AI's biggest influence happens upstream by shaping which destinations enter a traveler's shortlist.
- AI favors destinations with easy visa access, short flight times, safety, and Chinese-language content.
- 44% of Chinese travelers use AI for planning, but still rely on OTAs for transactions.
As artificial intelligence takes on a larger role in travel planning, holidaymakers in China are increasingly turning to chatbots for destination recommendations. This shift raises a critical question for travelers and marketers alike: what options are being filtered out before they are even seen?
Marketing firm Create Consulting China tested 240 travel queries across five major Chinese AI platforms, namely Baidu's ERNIE Bot, ByteDance's Doubao, Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen, DeepSeek, and Tencent Yuanbao. The research utilized eight traveler profiles to compare broad destination searches with continent-specific queries, such as inquiries about the best countries to visit for National Day holidays.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The research reveals that AI's most consequential influence on travel occurs early at the consideration set stage. By determining which destinations make it into a traveler's initial shortlist, the technology can leave certain locations out entirely before travelers even consider them. Furthermore, how a question is phrased dramatically alters these recommendations.
This upstream influence means destinations must adapt their digital presence to align with how AI models process queries. Lesser-known locations that fail to appear in AI-generated shortlists face a severe disadvantage, as algorithmic preferences tend to reinforce existing travel patterns rather than unearthing hidden gems.
The study highlights that AI tends to be more conservative than human travelers, weighting specific factors heavily:
- Easy visa access and entry requirements
- Short flight distances
- Strong safety records
- Abundant availability of Chinese-language content
These criteria create a compounding feedback loop that continuously favors already-popular destinations like Singapore, Thailand, and Japan during broad, open-ended queries. In contrast, continent-specific prompts successfully surface diverse locations such as South Africa and Mexico that never appeared in open-ended results.
Despite AI's growing role in discovery and consideration, it does not yet handle the final transaction. Data shows that while 44% of Chinese travelers utilize AI for planning trips, they still turn to traditional online travel agencies to compare options and complete bookings.
Source: Skift
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