China is by far the country whose citizens traditionally spend the most when traveling abroad. Five years ago, if tourists from France, England, and Germany spent 41, 64, and 81 billion dollars respectively on holidays abroad, then the Chinese – 261 billion dollars. Statistics show that before the pandemic, the average spending of citizens of the Asian giant was twice as much. Today, many countries are planning to develop a strategy to attract and promote this important source of income.
After the restrictions on moving to other cities were overcome, China began to turn on domestic travel engines. Analysis shows that in 2022, 60 million Chinese citizens will take to the streets and shops of the world’s great capitals.
The Chinese tourism market is the dominant force in the structure of world tourism, and its growth potential is huge. If 149 million citizens left the country in 2018, and 220 million did so in 2019, experts already believe that this volume will be able to return very soon. The main beneficiary countries will be its neighbors – South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Thailand: since most of those who pack their bags remain in Asia, but their preferences are rapidly evolving towards other latitudes.
Their behavior patterns are significantly different from travelers from other countries. The propensity of these tourists to shop is well known, in addition to attracting their attention, it is useful to know that the vast majority of travelers are middle class, that they travel through travel agencies, that their average age is 34, and that they most often travel in groups. When it comes to sticking their hands in their pockets, these citizens do so mainly to bring back to their country items purchased at their destinations.
Ensuring a constant and regular flow of Chinese tourists has become a priority for countries that attract their attention, as this human flow contributes to local industry and trade, as well as additional effects that are achieved through interaction with these tourists. Especially when you consider that the average cost of travel spending on Chinese tourists purchases exceeds $4,000 per trip and travelers in Europe and $5,000 in the US. According to China’s domestic data, 16% of middle-class household income is spent on domestic or overseas holiday travel. Thus, placing your destination on the map of Chinese travel preferences has become a must for many countries.