2024 Full-Year Weibo Rankings Report

ERPF (Engagement Rate per Post per Follower) measures how interactive an audience is by comparing total engagements to follower count per post. For instance, an ERPF of 0.01% means that, on average, only 1 out of every 10,000 followers engages with each post in that category.

Tourism Australia led the NTO category in 2024, achieving the highest engagement and an exceptional 1,142% increase compared to 2023, accounting for 39% of the category’s total engagements. Following closely, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) also saw a 104% rise in engagements, despite a decrease in posting frequency from 103 posts in 2023 to 66 in 2024. Additionally, three of TAT’s regional accounts—TAT Chengdu Office, TAT Kunming Office, and TAT Shanghai Office—secured spots in the top 20, ranking 3rd, 13th, and 15th, respectively.

The Turkish Tourism Board made a remarkable debut in the top 20, with engagements surging 1362% (from 4,711 to 68,896) and rising from 27th place in 2023 to 4th in 2024. This virality was largely driven by actor Gong Jun, who posted a 15-minute vlog about his trip to Turkey. The Turkish Tourism Board capitalized on his popularity by reposting his content, effectively using his influence to promote the country’s destinations.

The continued interest in European destinations was evident, with 9 out of the top 20 NTOs representing Europe. Notably, Norway and Denmark gained significant traction, with engagement increases of 1,419% and 1,702%, respectively. Meanwhile, Asian destinations such as Japan, Singapore, and South Korea remained consistently popular.

In Q4 2024, popular posts in the NTO category are primarily driven by celebrity influence, interactive engagement, and festive themes, making them highly engaging and shareable. The most liked post in this category came from Tourism Australia, welcoming actor Yu Shi on an adventurous journey in Australia. The post announced the launch of the campaign #于适的昆士兰假期# (Yu Shi’s Vacation in Queensland), which, as of February 1, 2025, has garnered 12.78 million views and over 558,000 discussions. In addition to this post, Tourism Australia consistently shares updates, video clips, and photos of Yu Shi’s trip to Australia, effectively leveraging his influence and strong fan base on Weibo to promote its destinations.

Tourism Australia’s posts featuring Yu Shi

The second most popular post features actor Gong Jun’s 16-minute vlog about his trip to Turkey, where he shares his daily itinerary, restaurant experiences, destinations, and hotels visited. The third most popular post, also from Tourism Australia, unveils Yu Shi’s new role as a PADI ambassador, highlighting his passion for the ocean and commitment to marine conservation.

Overall engagements for DMOs saw a significant increase from 2023 to 2024, with a remarkable rise of 206%, primarily driven by a surge in engagements from the Macao Government Tourism Office. The Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism and the Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing secured second and third place, respectively. Additionally, the Cannes Tourist Office experienced a 19-fold increase in engagements (from 1,179 to 22,606), moving up from 31st place in 2023 to 8th place in 2024.

Engagements for airlines dropped from 861,075 in 2023 to 119,075 in 2024, despite the posting frequency remaining largely unchanged. On average, each post garnered 25 engagements in 2024, compared to 181 engagements per post in 2023. This decline was primarily attributed to a significant drop in engagements for Cathay Pacific. In Q2 2023, Cathay Pacific received over 640,000 engagements for its apology letter following a discrimination incident, which contributed to a spike in overall airline category engagements. If Cathay Pacific is excluded from the rankings for both 2023 and 2024, the gap in average engagements per post narrows significantly, with averages of 41 engagements in 2023 and 22 engagements in 2024.

In 2024, all cruise line accounts experienced a decline in engagements compared to 2023. Viking Cruises and Royal Caribbean International reduced their posting frequencies by 82% and 61%, respectively. Meanwhile, other active accounts, such as MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises, increased their posting frequencies but saw minimal growth in engagements.

Popular posts in the cruise line category include Royal Caribbean’s first special interview episode with a loyal fan at Wusong Pier, a video showcasing a relaxing morning aboard the Spectrum of the Seas, and scenic highlights from Kumamoto in Kyushu, Japan, featuring the Royal Scenic Train, local grilled dishes, Aso Mountains, and Yatsushiro Sea.

In 2023, Hong Kong Disneyland was a significant outlier, accounting for over 97% of the category’s total engagements, which skewed the data. After excluding this account, engagement levels remained relatively steady from 2023 to 2024, with averages of 22 and 25 engagements per post, respectively.

Among attractions, the most popular post in Q4 featured Disney’s stop-motion animation of Duffy and Friends performing The Nutcracker. For museums, the Louvre Museum gained high engagement by sharing the story of Cupid’s mischievous side, as depicted in Edme Bouchardon’s 1750 marble sculpture, where he proudly tests a bow crafted from Mars’ weapons and Hercules’ club.

Attractions primarily focus on posts about upcoming activities, festive celebrations, themed merchandise, and special experiences, while museums tend to highlight the background of artworks and upcoming exhibitions.

Similar to Attractions, Marina Bay Sands Singapore was excluded from the data due to its dominance, accounting for over 80% of the category’s total engagements, which could skew the results. After removing Marina Bay Sands Singapore, the average engagement per post was 173 in 2024, compared to 144 in 2023, indicating a slight increase in overall engagement within the category. Aside from Marina Bay Sands Singapore, Hilton, Bulgari, and Marriott Bonvoy remain strong contenders in the rankings.