Over the past decade, Chinese travelers have played an increasingly important role in global tourism. Alongside the continuous surge in numbers since our inaugural survey in 2016, Chinese travelers have exhibited dramatic changes in terms of their travel behavior, preferences, and spending.
Oliver Wyman conducted a survey of 2,000 Chinese consumers who had travelled abroad in the past year. The online questionnaire was fielded in Chinese mainland in November 2019 to understand the evolving preferences of Chinese tourists.
The survey reveals that Chinese tourists have a strong desire to travel and spend, whether they are traveling domestically or abroad, and they are demonstrating more sophisticated needs compared to the past.
For example, they are increasingly keen to understand local culture and explore authentic local cuisine. They are willing to spend more to reward themselves with better service, and they appreciate the convenience of being able to use established mobile apps. Additionally, sharing social media worthy moments during their trips has become a must.
These changes illustrate the growing significance of Chinese tourists’ increasingly cultural, exploratory, individualized, and social needs when they travel. We believe these insights can help industry players to seize specific opportunities to grow their businesses.
