International air arrivals to Hangzhou increased nine per cent year on year between March and June 2026, according to Amadeus Travel Intelligence, with strong growth from several South-east Asian markets following the release of Chinese drama Pursuit of Jade.
Hangzhou serves as the main international gateway to Hengdian World Studios and West Lake in Zhejiang province, both featured prominently in the series. Leisure travellers accounted for 95 per cent of international arrivals during the period.
Vietnam recorded the strongest growth, with arrivals up 516 per cent year on year, followed by the UAE (57 per cent), Malaysia (56 per cent) and Singapore (48 per cent).
The drama premiered globally in March and reached Netflix’s Global Top 10 non-English chart during its first full week. While Amadeus noted that no single factor can explain the increase in arrivals, it said the trend is consistent with the rise of “set-jetting”, where travellers visit destinations featured in popular film and television productions.
The company’s Travel Trends 2026 report identifies entertainment-driven travel as one of the industry’s emerging trends, citing productions such as Bridgerton and KPop Demon Hunters as examples of screen content influencing travel decisions.
Longhaul markets also showed growing interest in Hangzhou. Between March and June, flight searches from the US rose 29 per cent year on year, while arrivals increased 22 per cent. In the UK, searches were up 23 per cent and arrivals increased 21 per cent, suggesting demand is continuing to build.
Meanwhile, international arrivals to nearby Ningbo remained broadly flat over the same period. Taiwan remained the city’s largest source market, accounting for 37 per cent of arrivals and recording nine per cent growth, while arrivals from Singapore increased 27 per cent.
Bing Han Kee, regional vice president, travel intelligence, hospitality, Asia Pacific, Amadeus, said: “What stands out in the data is the shape of the demand, not just the headline growth. Travel to Hangzhou is being driven almost entirely by leisure travellers, with the strongest gains coming from markets across South-east Asia, while in longhaul markets like the US and UK, searches are running ahead of arrivals – typically a sign of new interest still converting into trips. We can’t attribute demand to any single cause, but this appears to be the pattern that emerges when a destination captures the popular imagination.”
