Empowering global airports to deliver exceptional, passenger-centric experiences to engage Chinese travelers and maximize in-airport spending.
Increased Chinese Passenger Traffic
Improved Digital Engagement
Enhanced NPS & Passenger Satisfaction
Elevated High-Value Traveler Activation
Boosted Cross-Category Revenue
Maximized Dwell Time and Spending
The Key Target Audiences
Chinese Travelers
Mainland Chinese citizens traveling internationally for business, leisure, or study. This group is highly digital, values seamless experiences, and expects localized services and communications throughout their journey.
Chinese Diaspora
Ethnic Chinese living, working, or studying abroad who frequently travel between China and other countries. This group is diverse, stays connected to Chinese culture, actively uses platforms like WeChat, and has significant spending power in duty-free shopping and premium services.
A successful airport strategy should tailor digital touchpoints, communications, and offerings to resonate with both groups.
The Opportunities: The Chinese Travelers Are a Crucial and Expanding Market Segment
155 Million Chinese Outbound Trips
projected in 2025 — surpassing pre-COVID levels.
Macau:
Over 21 million arrivals from mainland China (72% of total visitors) in Q1-Q3 2025
Hong Kong:
3.45 million arrivals from mainland China (75% of total visitors) in October 2025
Japan:
Chinese travelers among the largest and most important inbound visitor groups.
South Korea:
31% year-on-year increase in Chinese tourist volume in July 2025.
More and more airports worldwide are intensifying their efforts to better serve Chinese travelers…
The Challenges: Why Many Global Airports Struggle to Reach and Convert Chinese Travelers
1. Limited Customer Data & Timely Activation
Many airports do not have robust systems to capture, analyze, and act on data from Chinese travelers, leading to missed opportunities for timely, personalized engagement that could boost in-airport spending.
2. Uncertainty in Touchpoint Investment
Unclear knowledge of which touchpoints to prioritize causes scattered, ineffective investments and impact across the traveler journey.
3. Disconnected Touchpoints
Disconnected digital systems and the absence of a unified strategy hinder seamless O2O engagement, making it difficult to guide travelers through the airport journey.
4. Lack of Consistent Engagement Strategy
Airports often lack a defined strategy to engage Chinese travelers, resulting in inconsistent messaging, infrequent engagement, low awareness of offerings, and poor reach.
Understanding the Distinct Chinese Passenger Journey
To effectively engage Chinese travelers, global airports must connect with them on their preferred channels — demanding a fully integrated, localized digital ecosystem designed specifically for the Chinese market.
1. Pre-Trip
- Research (Navigation & Services): Via Douyin (TikTok), Xiaohongshu (RedNote), WeChat ecosystem (Official Accounts, Channels, and Mini Programs), and other Chinese social platforms.
- Planning & Booking: Via website, WeChat Mini Programs (MP), and online travel agencies (OTAs).
- Duty-Free Shopping: Pre-order via Mini Programs for seamless in-airport pick-up.
2. In-Airport (2-7 Hours)
- Seamless O2O touchpoints: Parametric QR codes connecting travelers (O2O) to WeChat (Official Account and Mini Program) for more information.
- Navigation and Real-time Promotions: Across duty-free shopping, lounges, dining, airport hotel, other entertainment, airport transfer booking, and visitor support services.
3. Post-Trip & Retention
- Loyalty Program Engagement (For High Spenders and Frequent Buyers): Coupons, points redemption, exclusive offers.
- Personalized Retargeting: Ongoing engagement via WeChat (Official Account and Mini Program) to drive future in-airport spending and advocacy.
How We Help
2023 Gold & 2024 Bronze Agency of the Year Winner
Top Hospitality Digital Consultancy in China 2024
Traveler Journey & Touchpoints Audit
Assess all digital and physical passenger touchpoints to identify opportunities for improvement and innovation, with a focus on cross-border engagement.
End-to-End Strategy & Implementation
Guide you through a 3-year digital transformation roadmap (from strategy consulting, MarTech tool selection, and tech development) to deliver measurable results and enhance the traveler experience.
Global Collaboration, Local Operations
Collaborate with ITC’s consultants in China, Vietnam, and Singapore for seamless cross-border operations and communication with Chinese, APAC, and international stakeholders.
Services We Offer
Pillar 1: Customer Experience
Omnichannel Experience Audit
Evaluate every digital and physical touchpoint across the Chinese traveler’s airport journey to identify opportunities for seamless engagement and increased in-airport revenue.
Digital Go-To-Market Strategy
Design and execute targeted digital strategies to effectively engage and convert Chinese travelers — maximizing awareness and revenue for your offerings.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Centralize and manage data for both mass-market and high-value, high-frequency travelers to strengthen engagement pre-, during, and post-trip.
Other CRM Solutions
Customer Data Platform (CDP)
Unify passenger data from multiple sources — public, private, and offline — to enable personalized, data-driven engagement, with localized solutions for China.
Marketing Automation & Social CRM
Automate communications and manage passenger interactions (especially on WeChat Official Account and Mini Programs) to boost engagement and sales.
WeCom & Clienteling
Use WeCom as a professional clienteling tool for secure, personalized communication with high-value, high-frequency Chinese travelers on WeChat.
Loyalty Program Strategy
Design targeted loyalty programs to engage high-value, high-frequency travelers —encouraging repeat purchases of duty-free and frequent use of premium airport services.
Data Governance & Compliance
Ensure all data practices meet regulatory standards and protect passenger information across platforms and borders.
Cybersecurity & Risk Management
Protect your systems and passenger data with advanced security measures and proactive risk management.
MarTech Operations Management
Oversee and optimize marketing technologies — such as CRM, CDP, Social CRM, WeCom, and loyalty engines — to ensure efficient, compliant operations across the entire airport.
Pillar 2: Technology Enablement
End-to-End Development
Design, build, and launch secure digital platforms and tools (including global and Chinese websites and WeChat Mini Programs) to seamlessly promote passenger services and information.
Landing Page
WeChat Mini Program
WeCom Mini Program
Native App (iOS/Android)
SaaS Platform
Internal Tool & Dashboard
Content Management System (CMS)
Implement and manage flexible, secure platforms (e.g., websites, Mini Programs, and apps) for efficient content publishing and updates.
WordPress
Other Custom Development
Build tailored digital solutions to meet unique airport needs and operational challenges.
Laravel
System Integrations
Plan, design, and connect data flows to streamline systems (e.g., PMS, POS, ticketing, CRM, CDP, and Social CRM) with digital channels for seamless integration and optimal service delivery.
DevOps & Infrastructure Management
Maintain, monitor, and optimize digital infrastructure for reliable, secure, and scalable airport operations.
Pillar 3: Experience Design
UX/UI Research & Strategy
Analyze passenger needs and map journeys to design user-centric digital experiences for targeted markets.
UX/UI Design
Create intuitive, accessible interfaces for effective digital solutions — serving both passenger-facing and internal airport needs.
Pillar 4: Talent Augmentation
Specialized Headhunting
Source and recruit top digital transformation talent for airports (including CIOs, CDOs, CTOs, IT Directors, and Heads of Digital Services).
Full-Cycle Talent Recruitment & Management
Oversee recruitment and staffing for digital transformation projects — from hiring and onboarding to ongoing support.
Pillar 5: Change Management
Change Management & Educational Workshops
Standardize training for global and local airport teams on best practices for digital transformation — especially when engaging Chinese travelers.
Standard Operating Procedure Development & Team Training
Create clear SOPs and provide training to ensure consistent, effective use of digital tools across teams.
Impact We Deliver
Website Revamp for the Global Hospitality Group Banyan Tree with Drupal
Learn how we helped a leading international hotel & resort group – Banyan Tree – revamp the websites for its 4 hotel brands and more than 200 properties to enhance global visibility and maximize ROI with Drupal.
Transforming Meliá’s China Digital Strategy
Discover how Meliá initiated its digital transition to meet the expectations of Chinese travelers and strengthen its presence in the APAC region.
“This has been an outstanding year. The ITC team has been consistently responsive and effective in supporting the development and maintenance of the French Football Federation (FFF) and Roland Garros websites. Communication has been seamless, and our collaboration highly productive. We look forward to continuing this successful partnership.”
Julia Nguyen, E-Commerce Manager, MYCOMM
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