The total number of trips exceeded 120 million in 2015. Despite slowing GDP growth, that number should top 130 million this year. Spending has risen accordingly. In 2014 alone, Chinese travellers spent approximately US$165 billion overseas, an increase of 27% over the previous year according to UN’s World Tourism Organisation.
However, the distribution of this growth has been uneven. Certain destinations have actually seen a fall in visits, whilst others have benefited from a huge influx of Chinese travellers. Companies need to anticipate the precise characteristics of the demand, and consider how to capture it more effectively. Businesses require a cohesive Chinese traveller strategy, where the realities of each region and destination must be considered separately, whilst always keeping the big picture in mind.
Chinese travellers are a key source of revenue to many industries, including Retail and Consumer Goods, Leisure, Hospitality and Transportation. It is therefore imperative to understand the spending preferences of Chinese travellers in detail. We have conducted a survey of 1750 Chinese people who had travelled abroad in the past year. In this point of view, we share the results of our survey and seek to dispel some common beliefs regarding Chinese travelers.
