Q3 2024 Weibo Rankings Report

The overall rise in NTO engagements was driven by increased posting frequency and celebrity-related content. Visit Denmark has experienced significant fluctuations in engagement from throughout 2024. After achieving 44,223 engagements and reaching first place in Q2, Visit Denmark dropped to 31st place in Q3, with only 441 engagements, marking a 99% decrease. Meanwhile, Tourism Australia maintained high engagement levels in Q3, climbing to the top of the rankings from 2nd place in Q2. The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s four Weibo accounts all ranked in the top 20, leveraging celebrity endorsements in their news and event announcements. Notably, five of the ten most popular posts in the NTO category came from Thailand, with four related to the “Nihao Month” initiative. This initiative celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival and China-Thailand friendship with a grand “Amazing Thailand Mid-Autumn Night” event in Bangkok on September 17, 2024. The event featured actor Yunxi Luo, the China-Thailand Cultural Friendship Ambassador (appointed by TAT in October 2024), and Thai artists, along with social media influencers promoting Thailand to Chinese tourists. TAT also collaborated with local businesses to offer special deals targeting Chinese visitors, aiming for 500 million impressions and attracting over 250,000 tourists from China. These four posts garnered a total of 71,608 engagements.

TAT’s “Nihao Month” initiative

In addition to Thailand’s success, Australia’s posts with the hashtag #TravelAustraliaWithYuShi# (#和于适在澳大利亚#) also gained significant popularity. On June 21, 2024, the reciprocal arrangement between China and Australia for 5-year multi-entry visas officially took effect. Following this announcement, Tourism Australia invited Chinese actor Shi Yu for a tour of Australia, which generated substantial attention on Weibo among his followers. Three of Australia’s posts with the hashtag #TravelAustraliaWithYuShi# ranked in the top 10 most popular NTO posts for the quarter, securing 1st, 2nd, and 9th positions.

The success of Australia and Thailand’s campaigns highlights that a highly effective strategy for attracting Chinese tourists involves NTOs organizing festivities around major Chinese holidays, inviting celebrities with strong fan bases, and promoting these events on social media through unique hashtags.

Qatar Airways fell to 7th place in Q3 from its previous position in 1st place in Q2. All Nippon Airways (ANA) led the airlines category with 6,075 engagements and an engagement rate of 0.06%. ANA’s most popular content includes a quiz inviting fans to identify the classic ANA blue color scheme, a poll asking whether they prefer salt or sauce for Japanese yakitori, and a fan giveaway celebrating the 14th anniversary of ANA’s official Weibo account.

The most popular post in the airlines category was Cathay Pacific’s documentary “Journey of Heart and Beyond,” featuring its brand ambassador Zhizheng Zhang, which garnered a total of 1,102 engagements.

Overall engagements for cruise lines decreased by nearly 90% in Q3, primarily due to a significant reduction in Viking’s engagements, which accounted for the majority of category engagements in Q2. Princess Cruises became active during this quarter and rose to the top of the ranking in Q3 with 198 engagements. The most popular posts included Viking unveiling its 2025 cruise itineraries, featuring new routes and promotions, as well as Princess celebrating World Tourism Day and announcing its return.

Hong Kong Ocean Park saw its engagement increase over threefold in Q3, rising to 1st place, followed by Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, La Pedrera, and the Louvre Museum. The park’s most popular post highlighted the excitement surrounding the birth of twin pandas An An and Ke Ke, garnering a total of 4,365 engagements. The account frequently shares updates on the six pandas residing at the park, such as Ying Ying’s exclusive sleeping cave and Le Le’s 19th birthday celebration, along with seasonal travel guides, holiday celebrations, and special events.

La Pedrera/Casa Mila attracted significant attention from K-pop fans with a post featuring Baekhyun’s Barcelona trip, including two photographs of his visit to the attraction. London’s V&A museum celebrated Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day) with a romantic giveaway of William Morris’ “Rose” gifts, which also generated considerable engagements. Disneyland’s special events and exclusive LinaBell merchandise, along with discounts and promotions, remained consistently popular.

(Left to right) Weibo posts from La Pedrera, V&A, and Hong Kong Disneyland

The hotel category has experienced a consistent decline in engagements since Q1 2024, with a 57% decrease from Q2 to Q3 (from 287,742 to 123,573 engagements), despite an increase in overall posting frequency. Marina Bay Sands Singapore, which saw significant engagement from posts featuring Xukun Cai in Q2, received less interaction for its celebrity-related content in Q3. Hilton, after posting only six times in Q2, increased its posting frequency to 20 posts in Q3 and successfully rose to 1st place in the rankings. Four out of the five most popular posts were from Hilton, all part of its Star Officer series, featuring celebrities Ling Huang, Zun Wu, and Xinbo Fu working as members of the Hilton staff at properties around China.