More than one in five INTRO Travel customers has put China among their top choices for a future trip. Now the Australian-founded group tour operator is preparing to launch its first China programme, betting that easier entry, competitive pricing and growing interest will bring more younger travellers to the country.
INTRO Travel is working towards a September launch, with a proposed route travelling from Hong Kong through Yangshuo, Zhangjiajie, Chongqing, Chengdu and Xi’an before finishing in Beijing.
The itinerary is still being developed and may change before launch, with Shanghai also being considered as part of a longer option.
Across a year of polling 13,256 travellers, more than 20 per cent named China as one of their top destinations for their next trip.
Thailand, Bali and Vietnam are already well established with younger travellers, while Japan has surged in popularity. China still feels a little less obvious, and that is part of the appeal.
China Just Got Easier
British and Australian ordinary passport holders can currently enter mainland China visa-free for qualifying tourism stays of up to 30 days, removing a chunk of admin and cost that previously came with the trip.
Price is another factor. INTRO’s own comparisons suggest a China tour of a similar, or even longer, duration could cost around 20–40 per cent less than equivalent tours in Japan or South Korea.
Flights are not part of INTRO’s tour price, but customers still consider the total cost of a trip. The company believes China’s flight options also look increasingly attractive while conflict in the Gulf adds uncertainty and cost to some traditional routes into Asia.
China is also appearing far more often across social media, with Zhangjiajie’s sandstone peaks, Chongqing’s vast cityscape, high-speed trains, food and nightlife giving younger travellers a different view of the country.
Bryce Collins, Marketing Director at INTRO Travel, said:
“It’s really about offering something fresher and better value than the usual suspects. The visa-free changes could be a massive shake-up for travellers keen to see a different side of Asia, flight options are broader, and we’re seeing China explode across social media at the same time.”
For travellers who have grown up with Thailand and Bali firmly on the travel map, China still carries a bit more edge. It can also take more figuring out independently, which suits the group travel model.
A Different Kind of Asia Trip
INTRO Travel started in 2005 and now operates tours for 18–40s across more than 20 destinations. India joined its programme in 2024, followed by South Korea in 2025.
China brings a different set of practical challenges. Language, payments, transport, apps and the distances between cities can all add friction for a first-time visitor.
INTRO’s model is built around removing much of that.
The company’s travel personality quiz found almost half of respondents preferred trips of less than two weeks, while safety and whether they would be looked after was the most commonly selected travel concern.
Those findings are not China-specific, but they fit the type of product being developed: relatively compact, organised and able to cover a lot without asking travellers to arrange every part themselves.
Hong Kong to Beijing
The current working itinerary is based around a roughly two-week journey beginning in Hong Kong before heading into mainland China.
Stops under consideration include Yangshuo, Zhangjiajie, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi’an and Beijing, with Shanghai potentially forming part of a longer version.
The final route, trip length, pricing and departure details are still being worked through ahead of launch.
Find out more at introtravel.com.
