Chinese Travellers Drive 21% Of Global Tourism Spending
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) found that spending from Chinese travellers abroad now makes up 21% of all tourism spending worldwide. In addition, each Chinese traveller spends on average more per trip than tourists from any other country.
As a result, the impact of from Chinese tourists on the luxury industry is now significant. Retailers, hotels, restaurants and travel companies all need to adapt their services in order to appeal to this new audience.
In a new report, Luxe Digital identifies four critical travel trends shaping luxury Chinese tourism abroad. By understanding these new trends, luxury leaders and marketing managers will be able to develop new strategies to attract and engage with their potential Chinese consumers.
4 essential Chinese tourism trends
First of all, the profile of the typical Chinese traveller is evolving. Where it used to be primarily people signing up to organised tours, 60% of Chinese tourists are now planning their trip themselves. They are increasingly female and younger travellers as well.
As a direct result of this first trend, the new Chinese tourists are increasingly digital-savvy and expect to find every information that they need to plan their trip online. They will search on the brand website of course, but also on WeChat and social media to find recommendations on things to do.
Thirdly, it’s interesting to notice that Chinese tourists still prioritise spending on shopping above everything else. While tourists from other countries prioritise accommodation and dining, Chinese travellers will dedicate a whopping 25% of their budget to shopping.
Finally, Chinese tourists are now coming from different parts of China. New cities are emerging as large urban centers with a growing affluent population. This new middle-class is eager to explore the world and use some of their money to shop abroad.
Luxury brands need to adapt their strategy to win over to the Chinese travellers
As the number of travellers from China will continue to increase in the coming years, luxury brands who want to win over this new market will need to adapt their strategy. They should tailor their services to capture these new affluent spenders.
It is particularly important for marketers to think about both the planning phase and the travelling phase. Luxe Digital found indeed that affluent Chinese tourists will plan their holidays in great details before leaving their country. As a marketer, it is important that your brand and products are visible during that phase if you want to be considered during their trip.
The modern Chinese travellers are attracted by the image of an international lifestyle and want to go beyond traditional shopping. Luxury brands need to cater to their preferences if they don’t want to miss on the opportunity.
Source: Luxe Digital
