A structural change is happening in the way Chinese travel, according to trends research revealed by Chinese Outbound Tourism Express.

The products of a packaged tour with a busy schedule in multiple destinations are being replaced by all-directional development such as in-depth and theme tours.

“More and more Chinese tourists see outbound travel as a chance to broaden horizons, and experience foreign cultures,” noted the Tourism Express. “Therefore, they have higher demand for the content and patterns of travel. Seen from the sales of tour operators, half of the outbound tourism market has now been taken over by FIT tours.”

This shows that tourists are increasingly pursuing personalised tour experiences and are looking for authentic experiences and not for arranged shopping tours, yet still rely on the convenience of travel agents to arrange flights, hotels, and visas.

The way many Chinese consumers are finding out about new destinations and travel services, such as hotel or cruise brands, is via the Internet.

With over 450 million Internet users in China, more than in any other country, of which 92% engage in social media channels not including blocked sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Foursquare, more than 80% of Chinese travelers research and educate themselves about destinations and brands online.

According to the Digital Influence Index, social media is the most influential medium in modern China, more than travel agents, newspapers, magazines, or TV. Further 95% of Chinese Internet users trust a brand more that is active on one of the major Chinese micro-blogging platforms.