[Event Report] Intersect Communications Explains AI Utilization and Changes in Travel Planning for Chinese Inbound Tourists at CJTC-Hosted Online Seminar
Intersect Communications presented at an online seminar hosted by CJTC, explaining the utilization of AI by Chinese inbound tourists and the changes in their travel planning. A survey revealed that over 90% of Chinese tourists use AI for travel planning, highlighting the increasing importance of GEO in addition to SEO.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 12, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 12, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 13, 2026 at 07:31 (19h 59m after Collected)
Intersect Communications Inc. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Tam Fung), which provides marketing, cashless, and AI-driven DX support in the inbound tourism sector, announced its cooperation and employee's presentation at the online seminar "Latest Trends and Future Prospects of Chinese Inbound Tourism ~Changes in Travel Decision-Making with AI Utilization and Inbound Demand from Aviation Data~" hosted by the Japan-China Tourism Business Association (CJTC) on Friday, April 24, 2026.
The seminar focused on the latest trends in information gathering and travel planning by Chinese inbound tourists, which are changing due to AI utilization, and changes in inbound demand based on aviation data.
From our company, Ryo Tatsumi, a media planner in the Overseas Advertising Promotion Group, presented on the theme of "AI Utilization and Changes in Travel Planning for Inbound Tourists," explaining the changes in the decision-making process of Chinese tourists and the importance of AI measures in future tourism and customer attraction strategies.
This release will briefly introduce and organize the presentation content, focusing on our company's part, for reporting purposes. For the overall content of the seminar, please refer to the release from the organizer, the Japan-China Tourism Business Association (CJTC).
■ Japan-China Tourism Business Association (CJTC) Event Report
Please refer to the URL below.
March 2026 Webinar Report | Latest Trends and Future Prospects of Chinese Inbound Tourism
~ Changes in Travel Decision-Making with AI Utilization and Inbound Demand from Aviation Data ~
https://note.com/cjtc/n/n6e93d704d786
■ Our Presentation Theme
AI Utilization and Changes in Travel Planning for Inbound Tourists
In our presentation, based on a part of our survey targeting inbound tourists during the 2026 Chinese New Year period, we introduced how Chinese tourists utilize AI in their travel planning.
The survey showed that over 90% of the 429 respondents planning a trip to Japan during the Chinese New Year period utilize AI for travel planning. The presentation introduced the process where travelers interact with AI approximately 40 days before departure to gradually concretize candidate destinations, routes, hidden gems, and belongings.
Previously, search engines like Baidu, SNS platforms like Xiaohongshu (RED) and Douyin, and travel information platforms like Mafengwo played important roles in collecting travel information in the Chinese market. However, in recent years, the use of generative AI such as DeepSeek, Doubao, and Yuanbao has become widespread, with travelers concretizing itineraries and destinations through dialogue with AI.
Based on this change, our presenter explained that in addition to traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimization), "GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)" is highly important in the Chinese market to ensure AI correctly understands information about one's company, region, products, and services.
In the presentation, SEO was defined as a measure "to be found in search results," while GEO was defined as a measure "to be correctly incorporated into AI's answers."
■ Key Points Presented in the Lecture
1. The starting point of travel planning shifts from "search" to "dialogue with AI."
Chinese tourists are not just searching for destinations and tourist spots; they are now consulting AI for personalized itineraries and candidate destinations by conveying their conditions. In particular, there is a trend to seek highly individualized suggestions such as "hidden gems," "secret spots," and "touring routes."
Therefore, if information about tourist destinations, facilities, shops, and local governments is not correctly recognized by AI, it may not be considered in the initial stages of travel planning.
2. Information preparation is necessary for AI to speak correctly.
AI generates answers by referring to publicly available information on the internet. Therefore, the accuracy, freshness, quantity, and structure of information published on official websites, SNS, local platforms, reviews, and articles will be important for attracting inbound visitors in the future.
The presentation also touched upon the risk of AI referencing incorrect or outdated information, explaining that companies and local governments need to continuously disseminate correct information themselves and create a state where it is easily recognized by AI, and that they are in a position to support this through one method.
3. GEO measures are continuous initiatives of "diagnosis, strategy, execution, and improvement."
Our company views GEO measures not as a one-time initiative but as continuous improvement activities. The presentation introduced a process that starts with "brand diagnosis" to check how one's company or region is recognized on AI, followed by strategy formulation, information dissemination and content development, and data analysis and improvement.
For examples of media for the Chinese market, Xiaohongshu...
The seminar focused on the latest trends in information gathering and travel planning by Chinese inbound tourists, which are changing due to AI utilization, and changes in inbound demand based on aviation data.
From our company, Ryo Tatsumi, a media planner in the Overseas Advertising Promotion Group, presented on the theme of "AI Utilization and Changes in Travel Planning for Inbound Tourists," explaining the changes in the decision-making process of Chinese tourists and the importance of AI measures in future tourism and customer attraction strategies.
This release will briefly introduce and organize the presentation content, focusing on our company's part, for reporting purposes. For the overall content of the seminar, please refer to the release from the organizer, the Japan-China Tourism Business Association (CJTC).
■ Japan-China Tourism Business Association (CJTC) Event Report
Please refer to the URL below.
March 2026 Webinar Report | Latest Trends and Future Prospects of Chinese Inbound Tourism
~ Changes in Travel Decision-Making with AI Utilization and Inbound Demand from Aviation Data ~
https://note.com/cjtc/n/n6e93d704d786
■ Our Presentation Theme
AI Utilization and Changes in Travel Planning for Inbound Tourists
In our presentation, based on a part of our survey targeting inbound tourists during the 2026 Chinese New Year period, we introduced how Chinese tourists utilize AI in their travel planning.
The survey showed that over 90% of the 429 respondents planning a trip to Japan during the Chinese New Year period utilize AI for travel planning. The presentation introduced the process where travelers interact with AI approximately 40 days before departure to gradually concretize candidate destinations, routes, hidden gems, and belongings.
Previously, search engines like Baidu, SNS platforms like Xiaohongshu (RED) and Douyin, and travel information platforms like Mafengwo played important roles in collecting travel information in the Chinese market. However, in recent years, the use of generative AI such as DeepSeek, Doubao, and Yuanbao has become widespread, with travelers concretizing itineraries and destinations through dialogue with AI.
Based on this change, our presenter explained that in addition to traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimization), "GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)" is highly important in the Chinese market to ensure AI correctly understands information about one's company, region, products, and services.
In the presentation, SEO was defined as a measure "to be found in search results," while GEO was defined as a measure "to be correctly incorporated into AI's answers."
■ Key Points Presented in the Lecture
1. The starting point of travel planning shifts from "search" to "dialogue with AI."
Chinese tourists are not just searching for destinations and tourist spots; they are now consulting AI for personalized itineraries and candidate destinations by conveying their conditions. In particular, there is a trend to seek highly individualized suggestions such as "hidden gems," "secret spots," and "touring routes."
Therefore, if information about tourist destinations, facilities, shops, and local governments is not correctly recognized by AI, it may not be considered in the initial stages of travel planning.
2. Information preparation is necessary for AI to speak correctly.
AI generates answers by referring to publicly available information on the internet. Therefore, the accuracy, freshness, quantity, and structure of information published on official websites, SNS, local platforms, reviews, and articles will be important for attracting inbound visitors in the future.
The presentation also touched upon the risk of AI referencing incorrect or outdated information, explaining that companies and local governments need to continuously disseminate correct information themselves and create a state where it is easily recognized by AI, and that they are in a position to support this through one method.
3. GEO measures are continuous initiatives of "diagnosis, strategy, execution, and improvement."
Our company views GEO measures not as a one-time initiative but as continuous improvement activities. The presentation introduced a process that starts with "brand diagnosis" to check how one's company or region is recognized on AI, followed by strategy formulation, information dissemination and content development, and data analysis and improvement.
For examples of media for the Chinese market, Xiaohongshu...