Business
Are Chinese travelers becoming more adventurous? That is what statistics from Wego.com seem to suggest. Chinese travelers are younger, more tech-savvy, and hungrier for independent and diverse travel.
3,500 Travel Destinations
In 2012, mainland Chinese travelers searched well over 3,500 travel destinations on line on Wego.com, almost 1,500 times more than in 2011.
For the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays, meanwhile, the number has risen even further. The increase cannot be attributed solelyto domestic destinations.
In fact, fully eight of out 10 searches on the Chinese language version of Wego.coms are now for international travel destinations.
25 Million First Time Travelers
An estimated 25 million first-time Chinese travelers are crossing China’s borders every year, according to Essential China Travel Trends 2012, and the evolution of the Chinese adventure tourist is continuing.
“Many more Chinese are freeing themselves of group travel restrictions and want to experience the real culture of the countries they visit,” says Dean Wicks, Chief Marketing Officer for the travel comparison site.
“They are looking to experiment with new destinations and brands while enjoying ultimate control.”
A quarter of Chinese travelers traveling abroad seeks value for money at five-star luxury hotels. A further 29% are looking for hotels in the four-star range, selecting branded and boutique hotel bargains at similar rates to hotels known to accommodate groups.
Only one in five internationally bound Chinese tourists is looking for budget accommodation hotel rooms.
In Search of Affordable Luxury
In common with travelers in other countries, Chinese travelers are now searching categories over and above their travel budget for hotel deals offering “affordable luxury” bargains, which they can find on the Internet.
Similarly, these Chinese travelers are increasingly willing to fly on other airlines than the tried and true mainland and Hong Kong air carriers that they are familiar with.
In 2012, Chinese travelers flew on 230 more airlines than they did the previous year – thanks to travel bargains and cheap airline tickets that they discovered on the Internet.
“They are more willing to book foreign carriers,” Dean says.
“Beyond familiar brands such as China Southern, Cathay Pacific, and Dragonair, they’ll try AirAsia or newcomer Scoot.”
Top 10 Chinese Travel Destinations
- Singapore
- Phuket, Thailand
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Bali, Indonesia
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Manila, Philippines
- Boracay, Philippines
- Koh Samui, Thailand
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Most Welcome Tourists
How times have changed! A few years ago, Chinese travelers were personae non gratae in many parts of the world.
Now – with their ever bulging wallets and spendthrift spending habits – Chinese tourists are being warmly welcomed at five star hotels, expensive restaurants, and high end shopping malls full of designer boutiques selling expensive timepieces, jewellery, and high end clothes.
Wego.com compares flights, hotels, deals, and holiday rentals from over 700 travel sites instantly to produce comprehensive search results, saving its users time and money on line.