How can local businesses promote consumption through Chinese Douyin content creation?

The hotel and travel industry has long relied on passive consumer decision-making, much like the food and beverage and offline retail sectors. Although Online Travel Agency (OTA) platforms offer features such as price comparisons, maps, and reviews, individual hotels and lodgings often struggle to proactively reach potential guests or fully demonstrate their service capabilities.

This is where Douyin marketing changes the game. On Douyin, interactions between travel businesses and consumers become more direct and dynamic. More importantly, the platform generates new travel inspiration even among users without concrete travel plans.

During the 2023 May Day holiday, exorbitant hotel prices and the phenomenon of “no room left” left a deep impression. Yet the reality is that the travel industry faces over 200 days of low season each year. This imbalance between supply and demand contributes to intense peak-season crowding. During off-peak times, many hotels and homestays can only sustain business through price reductions and packaged tour groups.

Travel is a multidimensional experience—encompassing cuisine, scenery, service, and more. While these elements are difficult to convey through text alone, they are perfectly suited to short videos and live streams. This makes Douyin an ideal platform for sparking travel desire (“grass-planting”).

Take the example of Sunmei Hotel Group’s brand Shankeyou. When a tourist in Zibo lost their backpack and was helped by a local resident, the story went viral on Douyin. In response, Shankeyou launched a promotional campaign: “Enjoy barbecue in Zibo—leave your bags with Shankeyou,” offering luggage storage services. This initiative gained massive traction.

“This kind of content has high viral potential on Douyin. It not only enhances brand visibility but also drives tangible customer flow to our properties,” said Mr. Xie, CEO of Shankeyou.

Thanks to its powerful content-display and engagement capabilities, Douyin offers the travel industry new opportunities. Most importantly, it allows hotels and travel service providers to engage consumers who hadn’t previously considered traveling, effectively reshaping their decision-making logic.

Through Douyin Advertising, hotels can use short videos to highlight their unique offerings and service quality. Live streams allow them to answer questions in real time and promote discounts on tickets, dining, and accommodations.

For instance, the MGallery by Mercure Qingdao, though not in a central location, successfully attracted customers by showcasing its buffet, interior design, and concept via Douyin.

Hengdian World Studios also leveraged the platform by shifting from traditional marketing to content-driven approaches. By sharing behind-the-scenes footage, celebrity updates, and themed travel routes, they significantly increased exposure and conversion rates.

Collaborating with celebrities and producing variety-style content, Hengdian utilized its status as the world’s largest film and television production base to draw massive attention and visibility on the platform.

In summary, Douyin offers local businesses a valuable channel to boost consumer interaction and loyalty through creative content and targeted engagement strategies. For the hotel and travel sector, advertising on Douyin can not help attract guests during low seasons but also improve inventory management and operational efficiency.