ofo Resurfaces After Five Years; Red Tourism Booms in China

In a development that has reignited memories of China’s bike-sharing bubble, the long-dormant social media account of ofo — the once-dominant bike-sharing company — posted for the first time in nearly five years on July 15, sparking widespread nostalgia and a fresh wave of demands from millions of users still awaiting deposit refunds. Separately, China’s “red tourism” sector is experiencing a major summer surge, with students flocking to revolutionary heritage sites for immersive educational tours.

ofo’s Unexpected Return

On July 15, ofo’s official WeChat public account broke a five-year silence with a post advertising a skin disease patient assistance program — content entirely unrelated to bike-sharing. According to NetEase News, the post quickly went viral, with netizens flooding the comments section demanding answers about their unpaid deposits. “My 199 yuan — when will I get it back?” became a recurring refrain.

The deposit crisis dates back to November 2018, when users discovered they could no longer immediately withdraw their deposits. By 2019, nearly 16 million users were waiting for refunds, with queue numbers stretching into the millions and estimated wait times of several years. In 2021, the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court disclosed during enforcement proceedings that ofo’s operating entity “has no property available for enforcement.”

Despite being functionally defunct, ofo’s operating entity — Beijing Baikeluoke Technology Co., Ltd. — remains legally registered as “active” on China’s corporate information platform Tianyancha, carrying high-risk indicators including numerous lawsuits and enforcement actions. As Sohu News reports, the company’s legal status means the debt obligation technically persists.

Lawyer Wei Wei of Shanghai Xieli (Nanjing) Law Firm told Yangtze Evening News that consumers’ deposit claims remain legally valid. “The company entity has not been cancelled, and the debt relationship still exists,” Wei said. However, he cautioned that the statute of limitations remains a concern, noting that actions like continuously queuing on the app or filing complaints with authorities can be considered “asserting rights” and interrupt the statute of limitations.

Meanwhile, ofo founder Dai Wei, who left China to start the coffee brand About Time Coffee in the United States in 2022, has seen that venture fail as well — all its New York locations now show as permanently closed on Google Maps.

Red Tourism Booms During Summer Holidays

In a separate but equally significant cultural trend, China’s “red tourism” — educational study tours focused on the country’s revolutionary history — is experiencing a major boom this summer. Students are visiting patriotic education bases across the country in record numbers.

According to CCTV News, key destinations include the Peking University Red Building, the Xiangshan Revolution Memorial Hall, and the Xi’an Jiaotong University West Relocation Museum. These sites have designed immersive, experiential learning programs — “walking ideological and political lessons” — that take students beyond textbook learning.

Tang Haochen, head of the Information and Data Department at the Peking University Red Building memorial, noted that among 3.2 million visitors over the past five years, youth accounted for over 60%. “We invite young people to explore the glorious deeds of revolutionary pioneers through walking, and to draw strength from the red venues,” Tang said.

Student participants expressed genuine enthusiasm. Wang Yangboya, a student from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Experimental School, said: “This time I came to see the environment in which the revolutionary predecessors worked and fought. It’s much more impressive than what’s in the textbooks.” Liu Lisheng, from Beijing Chenjinglun High School Branch, cited the popular TV drama “The Age of Awakening” as his motivation for visiting.

The Xiangshan Revolution Memorial Hall has planned 10 series of activities for the summer, with differentiated reading materials and pop-up books designed for different age groups. The venue houses over 800 historical photographs and more than 1,200 cultural relics, including a wooden boat used in the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign and cannons from the founding ceremony of the People’s Republic of China.

Analysis: Two Sides of Contemporary China

While seemingly unrelated, both stories reflect deeper currents in Chinese society. The ofo saga represents one of the largest consumer protection issues in modern Chinese business history — a cautionary tale about rapid expansion without sustainable business models. The bike-sharing industry has since shifted to a deposit-free model, with competitors like Meituan Bike, Hellobike, and Qingju all operating without deposits.

The red tourism boom, meanwhile, reflects the intersection of government policy promoting patriotic education, the cultural resonance of revolutionary-themed media, and the post-pandemic recovery of domestic tourism. The “study tour” model is becoming increasingly institutionalized, with schools incorporating these trips into summer programming.

What’s Next

For ofo’s millions of creditors, the path to recovery remains unclear. While legal experts confirm that deposit obligations persist on paper, the company’s insolvency leaves few practical options. As for red tourism, the summer of 2026 represents a peak in a trend that shows no signs of slowing, driven by both policy support and genuine cultural interest among younger generations.