New trends in winter consumption in 2024: Diversified choices from ice and snow to warm winter

As winter approaches, consumers are becoming more diverse in their choices of winter activities. On the one hand, the popularity of ice and snow sports and winter tourism in northern cities continues to rise; on the other hand, indoor entertainment and warm winter tourism in the south have also become new favorites. The article deeply analyzes the new trend of winter consumption in 2024.

As winter approaches, people's choice of winter activities shows two trends: one is to pursue the ultimate winter ice and snow experience, and the other is to find a warm way to "hibernate".

People who pursue the ultimate winter experience may choose to go to northern cities, enter the real world of ice and snow, and participate in activities such as skiing and ice and snow parks; people who enjoy a warm winter are more inclined to participate in indoor entertainment activities or go to the south where the climate is suitable.

Under this trend, Growth Black Box observed that the winter tourism market showed diversified characteristics. Ice and snow tourism in the north is getting more and more popular year by year, while the consumption of hot springs, hot pot, playing cards and drinking tea is also rising steadily.

In addition, since there are many festivals for returning home and reuniting with family, becoming beautiful and relaxing the body and mind are also major pursuits of people in winter.

We found that online group buying has injected new vitality into the development of the winter economy, providing a variety of discount packages to meet the needs of different users.

In this report, Growth Black Box and Douyin Life Service jointly analyzed the seven major trends in the fields of winter catering, tourism, hotels, and comprehensive entertainment. These trends not only reflect people’s pursuit of a better life, but also provide businesses with valuable market insights.

1. Ice and snow tourism continues to be popular, and northern cities are in the limelight

After the Winter Olympics, more and more people began to understand and fall in love with ice and snow sports, and many regions continued to add ice and snow sports facilities to meet the growing demand.

Data shows that the search volume and order volume of ski resorts have led the way in month-on-month growth. Harbin, Shenyang and Changchun, the capital cities of the three northeastern provinces, have become the cities with the most tourists and consumption. The skiing business in major northern cities such as Beijing, Xi'an, Shenyang, Zhengzhou, Changchun and Tianjin is also booming, indicating that skiing is no longer a niche sport, but has become a widely accepted form of winter entertainment.

In addition to ice and snow sports, ice and snow parks are also becoming increasingly popular. Last winter, Harbin was very popular, and the "Southern Little Potatoes" organized a group to go to the Ice and Snow World to experience the joy of winter. Many northern cities have also launched festival activities, and ice and snow theme parks have ushered in a peak season for consumption.

Correspondingly, sales of ice and snow related products have skyrocketed in northern cities, especially in the Northeast.

Based on consumer preferences in 2023, we expect that in the coming winter of 2024, the concept of "Ice and Snow Travel +" will still be the marketing focus of merchants.

Merchants can focus on ice and snow projects, integrate hot springs, travel photography, food, scenic spots, etc., to create packages and activities that integrate skiing, accommodation, travel and entertainment, and add interactive scenes with strong social attributes for key groups such as young groups and parent-child groups, such as skiing competitions, snow play projects or family ski days; they can also create winter-themed parks, such as Christmas villages or Arctic expeditions, to create a strong ice and snow atmosphere and enhance users' sense of participation and immersion; or they can integrate regional cultural characteristics, and create a winter carnival with ice and snow landscapes and folk performances to increase entertainment and viewing.

This year, Douyin's life service also focuses on the concept of "Ice and Snow Travel +", launching the "Douyin Life Ice and Snow Hot Spring Season". With the support of platform resources, it will work with more businesses to stir up the ice and snow craze.

2. Hotpot is experiencing a surge in popularity in winter, with gatherings around the stove becoming the main scene

In winter, hotpot is one of the most popular dining options, and its consumption has increased significantly. Traditional Sichuan and Chongqing spicy hotpots are still popular, but trying new flavors has also become a consumption trend.

Data shows that beef and mutton hotpot and Hong Kong-style hotpot not only have high and continuously growing search volumes, but also perform well in terms of month-on-month orders. This reflects that these two types of hotpot are highly sought after in cold seasons due to their warm and nourishing characteristics, and the market demand has increased significantly.

At the same time, the diversity and freshness of ingredients have become the new focus of the hot pot market. From the classic tripe in Sichuan and Chongqing hot pot to the king crab in seafood hot pot, to the freshly cut meat slices in beef and mutton hot pot, consumers have higher and higher requirements for ingredients, pursuing a rich and diverse combination of ingredients to meet different taste requirements.

The rise of takeaway services has further boosted the prosperity of the hotpot market. Whether it is a party at home or a get-together with friends, the door-to-door hotpot service allows customers to enjoy a complete hotpot experience without leaving home, greatly improving convenience.

In order to stand out in the winter hot pot market, merchants can adopt the following strategies: constantly update the categories of ingredients, provide diversified options, and meet the needs of different consumer groups for rich ingredient combinations; at the same time, actively promote the source and freshness of ingredients to enhance consumers' trust. Consider providing door-to-door delivery services to ensure food quality and delivery efficiency, and further improve customer convenience. Finally, design flexible package combinations, focus on the needs of small gatherings, provide reasonable prices and rich dish choices, and create a more private dining environment to meet the needs of family and small circle gatherings.

Of course, facing the market homogeneity competition, businesses need more new marketing methods to attract consumers. Take Haidilao as an example. After the "Subject Three Dance" became popular last year under the promotion of user UGC, it continued to explore brand marketing. This year, it has successively cooperated with brands such as Boonie Bears, Honor of Kings, Maybelline, etc. to play cross-border joint names, which not only expanded the gameplay, but also accurately defined the target group behind the brand. In addition, in terms of the enrichment of "hot pot pairs", Haidilao also joined hands with Yili to launch the "Milk Fizzing Pot", creating a rare taste scene with a strong sense of contrast.

In order to meet the innovative marketing needs of the hot pot category, Douyin Life Service will launch the "Douyin Life Hot Pot Season" platform category marketing campaign in November. Its integrated diverse resources and gameplay provide an ideal position for business operations and marketing innovation.

3. Bathing and massage have been greatly upgraded, and the demand for the ultimate experience is stronger

Bathing and sweat steaming are the first choice for people to relax and keep warm in winter. Overall, the payment volume and order volume almost doubled month-on-month; from a gender perspective, both men and women love bathing and massage, but men usually spend more.

Shenyang is a veritable "big bathing city", followed closely by Zhengzhou. The "traditional skills" of the north are gradually affecting the south, with Suzhou and Nanjing having the fastest growth rates.

The increase in searches for steam sauna and hot springs in cities such as Suzhou, Hefei, Nanjing, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, and Ningbo has exceeded 300%, indicating that consumers in new first-tier and second-tier cities are rapidly growing in demand for high-end bathing experiences.

The rise of young consumer groups has brought new vitality and development opportunities to the bathing industry. Compared with traditional consumer groups, young people not only require bathing centers to be clean and hygienic, but also hope that the environment is elegant and the atmosphere is relaxed, and that they can provide a full range of services from reception to bathing, massage, leisure and entertainment.

Looking at the more popular bathing and massage centers on the market today, the unexpected scenarios such as unlimited food and entertainment, 24-hour operation, and water parks determine the choice of most users.

Therefore, enriching entertainment attributes has become an important direction for the transformation and upgrading of the bathing industry this winter. Since consumers have some expectations for bathing and massage to provide a surprising experience, if businesses can provide an extreme experience, they will be more popular.

Merchants should consider providing a higher-end environment, including comfortable lounge areas and exquisite dining areas, to provide customers with meticulous care; introduce a variety of entertainment facilities such as cinemas, KTVs, game rooms, etc., combining entertainment elements with bathing services; launch overnight packages as well as innovative marketing methods and event planning, etc., to attract more young consumers.

4. Winter travel back home is coming, becoming more beautiful and pleasing yourself

Beauty, hairdressing, nail art, eyelash extensions and other beauty-related projects usher in a boom period in winter, especially during New Year's Day, Spring Festival, Dragon Head-raising Festival and other festivals. The large-scale "return to hometown" has led to more gatherings, and naturally there is a self-demand to "say goodbye to the old and welcome the new".

In addition to traditional items such as hair and nails, consumers' pursuit of beauty involves more and more aspects. Spa body beauty, slimming and body shaping, hair removal and other niche needs in the past are becoming more and more popular.

With the change of seasons, warm care and nourishing and repairing projects have become popular. In recent years, the public aesthetic has shifted from a sense of refinement to a sense of relaxation, and the essence of relaxation is to first relax yourself physically and mentally and experience comfort.

From a gender perspective, although women are the main consumer group, men's interest in beauty and hairdressing services is also growing, especially in hairstyles and facial care.

Merchants can carefully design limited-edition service packages and launch seasonal special projects, such as "Winter Warm Care Package" and "Festival Shining Modeling Package", to meet consumers' dual desire for beauty and warmth in cold weather. By providing warm care services and holiday-themed modeling designs, consumers' pursuit of beauty can be met, and they can also be given spiritual comfort and warmth.

During festivals such as New Year's Eve, Spring Festival, and Dragon Head-raising Day, merchants can incorporate warm seasonal elements into online store page design, product displays, and even customer service conversations to create a warm and friendly online experience, allowing customers to feel the warmth and care of home while enjoying the service.

In addition, using social media platforms to carry out online interactive activities, such as the "Most Beautiful Winter Look" selection and sharing of beauty and hairdressing tutorials, can also help increase brand exposure and enhance user stickiness. In terms of policy, Douyin Life Service recently lowered the deposits of merchants in multiple comprehensive categories on the platform, such as the deposit for beauty and body care stores to 5,000 yuan and the deposit for chain stores to 10,000 yuan. This move will also be more conducive to the operation of merchants.

5. Go to the south to find a warm winter, hot spring hotels become a new popular destination

The "China Consumer Trends Survey 2024" released by McKinsey pointed out that the material needs of the new middle class in first- and second-tier cities have been relatively saturated, and they value more stress-relieving and experiential spiritual consumption.

Under this trend, warm winter destinations have become the ideal pursuit of many consumers. Cities such as Kunming, Dali, Xiamen, Sanya, and Xishuangbanna, which have warm climates, picturesque scenery, and can make people "slow down" physically and mentally, have welcomed a large number of "migrant birds".

Hot spring resorts, travel retreats and other forms of leisure and healing have emerged. Data show that the number of group purchase orders for hot spring hotels, high-end hotels, and inns has increased significantly year-on-year. Hotels are no longer just accommodation during travel, but have become a part of the healing tourism experience.

In addition, the emergence of the concept of healing has also made "how to love yourself" more and more concrete. New healing methods such as Zen photography therapy, aromatherapy, singing bowl therapy, etc. are attracting more and more attention with their unique charm, and even developed many supporting healing spaces and even healing homestays.

For hot spring hotels and resorts, they can take advantage of the rise of therapeutic tourism, provide a variety of special hot spring projects, and use elements such as green plants, flowing water, and wooden materials to create a natural, harmonious, and relaxing environment.

Non-hot spring hotels can provide healing services such as SPA, aromatherapy, yoga meditation, etc., and highlight the hotel’s characteristics and cost-effectiveness through KOC content and user reviews; or design staycation weekend packages that include snow view rooms to provide a unique homestay experience.

For the tourism industry, tailor-made products such as "a healing journey of X days and X nights" can better attract consumers who are pursuing high-quality healing experiences.

6. Local tours lead the trend of "micro-vacation", and outdoor activities are as good as those in spring, summer and autumn

In this winter, outdoor activities and nearby tours have become popular choices for "micro-vacations". When people don't have time to travel far, they will find fun in the "nearby".

The search volume for outdoor activities such as barbecue, photography, strawberry picking, and fireside tea making all showed a considerable increase month-on-month. Even in cold weather, people are more interested in traveling than in autumn. In particular, outdoor parent-child activities around the city can not only allow the whole family to stay away from electronic products and enjoy fresh air, but also provide a good opportunity to enhance parent-child relationships, and are very popular among leisure and entertainment activities.

"So close, so beautiful, go to Hebei on weekends." As the back garden of the capital, the effect of Hebei's tourism promotion is particularly obvious in Tangshan. Since the beginning of this year, the number of related videos of Tangshan's "Hetou Old Street" on Douyin has exceeded 440 million. After Sun Yingsha returned from the Olympics and became the Hebei Tourism Ambassador, Hebei ushered in a tourism boom.

After the game "Black Myth: Wukong" was launched this fall, it quickly set off the entire network. Shanxi Province, as the most important filming location of the game, has also reached a new height of popularity in the tourism industry. During the National Day Golden Week, the number of tourists from provinces surrounding Shanxi has skyrocketed year-on-year. This craze is expected to continue throughout the fourth quarter and become one of the options for surrounding tours and short-distance tours.

In order to seize this business opportunity, businesses can start from the following aspects: select winter tour routes and provide one-stop travel services to allow customers to fully enjoy their winter journey; focus on promoting outdoor projects, provide professional equipment rental and safety guidance, and ensure that customers have a safe and enjoyable experience; carry out winter preferential activities, such as early bird tickets, family and parent-child packages, etc., to attract more customers to participate.

7. Locals have a lot of fun in their winter, and indoor entertainment is reaching a peak

The arrival of winter further increases people's demand for warm and comfortable indoor entertainment activities.

During holidays, local people especially choose to drink tea and play cards with relatives and friends. The demand for traditional projects such as teahouses, chess and card rooms, and KTV is still far ahead.

Game halls are also very popular, and many young people meet in winter to find the happy times of their childhood. The nostalgic experience and interactive fun provided by game halls have become an important place for them to release stress and enjoy collective carnival.

At the same time, there are some new modes of gathering for young people. The search volume for photo studios, party halls, private cinemas, script-killing games, escape rooms, and Internet cafes has increased rapidly month-on-month.

The high search volume for indoor entertainment venues further proves young people’s pursuit of diverse indoor group entertainment projects. They not only hope to relax through these activities, but also hope to enhance emotional connection and sense of belonging through interaction.

For businesses, they can attract customers by creating a relaxed, crazy and unrestrained atmosphere, especially during the New Year and New Year periods, and increase appeal through warmth, liveliness and a festive atmosphere. They can also work on theme decorations, special events, limited-time offers and social interactions to enhance customer participation and interactivity.

Conclusion

Based on data from last winter, we witnessed the rise of a series of consumer trends that not only reflect people's pursuit of warmth and comfort, but also their desire for personalized and social experiences.

From the craze for hot pot cuisine to the rise of micro-vacations, from the prosperity of indoor entertainment to the popularity of therapeutic tourism, to the transformation and upgrading of bathing centers and the socialization of ice and snow sports, each trend is a profound insight into the modern lifestyle, and together depicts a winter consumption landscape that pursues comfort, personalization and social experience.

As winter approaches, consumers' demand for unique winter experiences continues to grow. It is expected that in the coming months, markets such as ice and snow tourism, indoor entertainment activities and warm winter tourism will usher in a new round of growth peaks.

Merchants can meet consumers' desire for warmth and emotional connection during the cold season through innovative strategies and thoughtful services.

Editor｜Little Octopus Design｜Yang Brand