Web celebrities promote faraway journeys

China's web-celebrity industry is estimated to be worth 52.8 billion yuan ($7.65 billion) and is forecast to exceed 100 billion yuan in 2018, a 2016 report by Beijing-based consultancy Analysys says.

These influencers are emerging in greater numbers as media categories expand beyond traditional types, Mafengwo.cn's tourism research head Feng Rao says.

Famous Chinese travel bloggers simply wished to share their experiences rather than pursue profit like the blogging heydays 10 years ago, he says.