CTD has launched its latest China Outbound Travel Sentiment Survey.

Chinese outbound travellers continue to present significant opportunities for travel retail, but brands must work harder to convert purchase intent, according to the latest China Outbound Travel Sentiment Survey from China Trading Desk (CTD).

The Q2 2026 survey found that 66.5% of Chinese outbound travellers are likely or very likely to shop at the airport while waiting for their flight, while 68.3% say they are likely to make a purchase after seeing a product promoted on social media.

The findings suggest that although airport retail demand remains strong, purchasing decisions are increasingly influenced before travellers arrive at the terminal.

According to the report, more than half of respondents intend to travel within the next six months, with almost one-quarter planning to travel within three months. High-net-worth travellers show the strongest propensity to shop in airports (78.1%), followed by frequent travellers (74.2%).

Beauty remains the leading duty-free category, with 62.1% of respondents planning to purchase beauty products during their trip. Fashion, leather goods, watches and jewellery rank second at 47.3%, while fragrances, fine food and souvenirs continue to perform strongly.

The survey also highlights the growing importance of digital engagement throughout the travel journey. Travel apps, Xiaohongshu and destination websites are now among the primary sources of shopping inspiration, with product research taking place before flights are booked, after ticket purchase and following hotel reservations.

For travel retailers, this means the airport increasingly serves as the point of conversion rather than the beginning of the shopping journey.

Chinese travellers are almost equally split between male and female shoppers, with 27 per cent falling within the 25 – 29-year-old age range.

Price and product availability remain critical drivers of purchase. Discounted prices compared with domestic markets and confidence in product authenticity were cited as the leading reasons for shopping duty free.

However, the survey also identified barriers to conversion. Among travellers who choose not to purchase duty free, 62.6% said they could not find the brands or products they wanted, 55.3% felt prices were too high and 39.2% said they lacked sufficient time to shop. Almost all respondents (98%) said they compare duty free prices with online retailers at least occasionally.

Price is a particularly important purchase driver for Chinese shoppers.

The findings also reinforce the importance of promotional activity within airport retail. Price promotions and gifts with purchase emerged as the strongest engagement drivers, while sampling initiatives and knowledgeable staff continue to influence purchasing decisions, with 78% of respondents saying sales assistance is important when shopping duty free.

“Chinese travellers are not walking away from travel retail; they are becoming more selective about when and why they buy,” said Subramania Bhatt, Founder & CEO of China Trading Desk.

68.3% of Chinese travellers say they are likely to make a purchase after seeing a product promoted on social media.

“The Q2 findings show that demand is active, but conversion is no longer automatic. Brands and operators need to build desire before the airport, make value easier to understand, and remove the friction that stops shoppers from buying in the moment.”

The report concludes that future growth in Chinese travel retail will depend on connecting product discovery, pre-trip planning and airport conversion into a seamless omnichannel journey, with brands that clearly communicate value and simplify the purchasing process best positioned to capture spend.

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