17 live collabsHotels, tour operators and brands across China — every brand running a creator program right now.
China is moving fast as a creator destination, and brands are finally catching up. Right now, we’re seeing a mix of luxury hospitality groups like Four Seasons and the Banyan Group—which includes Angsana, Dhawa, and Garrya—looking for high-end travel content for their properties. These stays usually focus on property showcases, on-site dining reels, and destination storytelling.
Beyond hotels, you’ve got regional DMOs like Hainan Tourism and specialty tour operators such as Exodus and Boundless Adventure P Ltd looking for boots-on-the-ground footage. Most of these collabs are set up as trade-for-stay or trade-for-experience, though some mid-sized operators offer flat rates for specific campaign deliverables. Since the market is spread across 25 cities, focus your pitch on your specific niche, whether that’s urban photography, culinary travel, or adventure trekking, to stand out to these local teams.
While having a presence on local platforms like Little Red Book (Xiaohongshu) or Douyin is a massive advantage, many of these international hotel groups and operators are specifically looking for creators to help them reach Western audiences via Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Most hotel collabs involve a multi-day stay in exchange for specific deliverables like a set number of Reels, a carousel post, and high-res raw footage for their internal use. Tourism boards may also cover your domestic travel expenses if you’re producing a longer-form video or a comprehensive guide.
Not necessarily. Properties like Homm or the Banyan Group collection often prioritize high-quality aesthetic photography and storytelling over raw follower counts. If your portfolio matches their brand vibe, you have a solid shot regardless of your size.
If you land a collab with a DMO or a larger tour operator, ask them upfront if they can assist with the business visa invitation process or provide a local guide. Having a brand sponsor your visit makes securing the necessary paperwork significantly easier.
Most hotel partners prefer a 2-3 night stay to get enough footage without rushing. For destination-wide campaigns, plan for at least 5-7 days to capture enough depth for a meaningful feature.