Question: Hello, I’ve recently been looking into travel projects on Xiaohongshu and wanted to ask — is this something beginners can realistically do right now? How does it actually work?
Response: The Xiaohongshu travel project works like this: physical travel agencies use Xiaohongshu to generate leads, you funnel interested customers to WeChat, then hand them off to a travel agency to close the deal. Of course, if you have solid travel experience yourself, you can handle the sales directly and earn higher commissions.
If you’re looking for a side hustle with long-term growth potential — or want a piece of the travel market, which is currently in a boom period — then combining Xiaohongshu with travel is absolutely worth trying. That said, for beginners, the best initial goal is simply to build a solid foundation and master the skill of driving traffic.
One critical thing to be aware of: Xiaohongshu has been cracking down harder on off-platform traffic funneling. Beginners unfamiliar with platform rules in the early stages can easily get flagged for violations or even have their accounts banned. I’d recommend setting up at least two accounts so that if one runs into trouble, your operation can keep moving.
The core task is taking a project from zero to one — completing every step needed to validate a minimum viable product (MVP).
If you’re new to this, get a rough overview of how the whole thing works before diving into actual operations.
Domestic Travel#
Domestic travel is highly competitive right now. Product offerings are heavily commoditized and average transaction values are low, so I don’t recommend chasing low-ticket domestic group tours — you’ll get stuck in an endless race-to-the-bottom of customers comparing prices, and commissions are poor. We’re talking tens to 100 yuan per deal, meaning you’d need to close dozens or even hundreds of deals a month just to earn decent money. But to close that many deals, you’d need to add hundreds to thousands of WeChat contacts every month. For a newcomer, that’s an enormous challenge.
That said, domestic travel isn’t a complete dead end:
1. Domestic travel agencies are easier to connect with. Compared to international travel, finding a reliable domestic agency to partner with is relatively straightforward for newcomers who don’t have existing industry connections.
2. Domestic travel has a massive user base. There are huge numbers of domestic travelers, and travel guide posts for popular destinations on Xiaohongshu can easily rack up tens of thousands of followers. Reaching comparable numbers with international travel content is much harder.
3. High-ticket niches are viable. While low-end domestic travel is a grind, you can target high-value segments — customized tours, premium small-group experiences, parent-child educational trips, and so on. Average transaction values in these categories typically run from a few thousand to tens of thousands of yuan, meaning a single closed deal can put hundreds to thousands in your pocket.
International Travel#
From a practical standpoint, international travel is currently one of the better entry points in the travel sector. Three reasons:
1. Higher barrier to entry keeps competition lower. Connecting with reliable international tour operators is genuinely difficult — most people can’t easily find a dependable partner. But that barrier works in your favor: fewer competitors on Xiaohongshu.
2. Independent international travel is hard, so users are more likely to book tours. Language barriers, unfamiliar environments, and lifestyle differences mean most people planning international trips will opt for a group tour or customized package. This significantly increases your conversion rate.
3. High transaction values, attractive commissions. International and domestic commission rates are roughly similar percentages, but because the overall transaction value is higher — and solo travelers are rare — closing a single group tour can yield over a thousand yuan, and a single customized tour can potentially bring in several thousand.
Bottom line: If you can partner with a domestic agency that offers high-ticket, quality products — or break into international travel with a strong backend partner — travel remains a solid side hustle, at least through 2024.
One thing to keep in mind: while this project on Xiaohongshu is genuinely beginner-friendly (put in the effort and you will likely see results), domestic travel is competitive, and international travel has a longer sales cycle. From initial inquiry through visa processing, flight booking, and final payment, a single deal can take a month to close, and conversions require real skill. Go in with the right mindset — treat this as a long-term play, not a quick win.