‘Indispensable’ Xiaohongshu app fuels Chinese tourism

In Beijing's popular tourist spots, professional photographers compete for clients, often directing women in traditional robes to pose at scenic locations for photos to be shared on Xiaohongshu, China's influential lifestyle app.

Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, is reportedly preparing for an initial public offering and has profoundly impacted China's tourism sector, which is experiencing record domestic travel. With an interface resembling Pinterest and often called "China's Instagram," the app allows users to post photos, videos, and livestreams. Travelers increasingly rely on it to find new destinations and craft itineraries centered around visually appealing spots, referred to as "daka" or "check-in" locations, which Xiaohongshu helps popularize.

Photographer Li Geng, 18, charges 10 yuan per photo, facing intense competition from peers with substantial social media followings on Xiaohongshu. "Many of my competitors have a significant social media presence," she told AFP, noting that one competitor with 45,000 followers on the app charges less. This situation forces photographers without a large online following, like Li, to rely solely on street solicitation for customers.

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Many of my competitors have a significant social media presence, including one who has 45,000 followers on Xiaohongshu and charges lower prices for photos.

Domestic travel in China reached unprecedented levels last year, with over 6.5 billion trips, a 16 percent increase year-on-year. Xiaohongshu's user base has expanded to 350 million monthly active users, up from 300 million a year prior. The app has been instrumental in promoting smaller businesses and directing tourists to unexpected places, such as Zibo, an industrial city that gained popularity after its barbecue skewers went viral on the platform. Ming Yii Lai, a senior strategy consultant at Daxue Consulting, stated that Xiaohongshu is now the primary source of travel inspiration for many younger travelers.

Mina Chen, a 20-year-old student from Hunan province visiting Beijing's Shichahai area, used Xiaohongshu recommendations to plan her trip. Searching keywords like "citywalk" provided daily itineraries, including dining options and efficient routes between attractions. "It is now indispensable to me," she told AFP, highlighting the app's crucial role in her travel planning.

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It is now indispensable (to me).