The Changing Chinese Tourists: New Needs and New Expectations
China Tourism Academy，NationalTourism Data Center
Tang Xiaoyun
(February 28, 2018)

Distinguished Director of the European Travel Commission Eduardo Santander,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon! I’m honored to be invited to attend this panel discussion. I would like to talk about “The Changing Chinese Tourists: New Needs and New Expectations” in this few minutes.

Tourism has become a link between the friendly and economic and cultural exchanges between China and Europe. In the recent two years, the bilateral cultural and tourism activities between China and Europe have increased frequently. In 2017, the number of Chinese tourists to Europe has increased by 13.3% on year-on-year increase, which is the fastest growing market in all intercontinental markets. During the 2018 Chinese Spring Festival, the amount of Chinese citizens who travel to Europe has had a strong growth in the tourism market, and countries such as France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Luxembourg, Croatia and Serbia have attracted a large number of Chinese tourists. 150 routes that connect Europe and China with 2500 daily flights are becoming cordial bonds between Europe and China. Just as Professor Dai Bin, Dean of China Tourism Academy, has said: “Sino-European tourism exchange and cooperation are coming to the best historical period.”

Consumer upgrade and rising mainstream customers has led the new needs for travel to Europe. With the steady growth of China’s economy and residents’ income, the daily consumption needs of Chinese citizens is shifting from basic living consumption to developing consumption, and tourism and leisure are becoming important parts of people’s lives. The middle-class families and the 80s and the 90s consumer groups who grew up in the economic development have begun to dominate the consumer market trend, pushing quality, personalization, leisure, convenience and cultural consumption needs to steadily rise. So, we can see that the trend of young people in China’s tourism market is becoming clearer, people who start working at the age of 20-30 has increase more than 40%, people who under 30 years old have occupied the proportion of 1/3, and they have become the core potential market of the European tour, and will be the important force in the next 5 years. We can see that the demand for self-guided tours and characterized tours of Chinese tourists is more prominent, and the proportion of self-guided tours from China to Europe is on the rise (currently about 48%). Demand for customized, private tours, semi self-guided tours, and cultural, fashion or gourmet theme tours have risen sharply. And more and more Chinese tourists love small-crowded tourism destinations. We can also see that Chinese tourists are more in pursuit of quality. According to the order data of Ctrip.com, the largest online travel company in China, the demand for high-end and middle-rage products in 2017 is expected to increase by over 50%. The demand for qualified products of summer parents-children travel to Europe is increasing. The family-friendly tourism market with Chinese characteristics has made women who travel to Europe occupies the proportion of over 60%. Meanwhile, we have found that more and more people are no longer only for shopping, they come to Europe with the pursuit of Van Gogh, with the respect to the Great Square in Brussels, with the expectation of Michelin delicacy and Paris fashion week, which can tell that their demand for quality and life is becoming more obvious.

New customer needs comes along with the new expectation to European market from Chinese tourists. According to the survey, Chinese tourists traveling to Europe most concern about the personal and property safety, visa facilitation, Chinese language and logo service, hotel and scenic free-Wi-Fi, online payment (WeChat, Alipay), Chinese restaurant, Chinese television station, local services from Chinese enterprises, etc. Therefore, we would like to have more agencies to adopt “Welcome China” standards, providing services such as Chinese guides, Chinese logos and interpretation system, Internet access, UnionPay cards payment and WeChat payment, etc.

The interaction between the countries lies in whether the people of the two countries are close. We are looking forward that with the joint efforts of both China and Europe, tourism can become the bridge of friendship between Europe and China, and become the link in the dissemination and exchange of East-West cultures. China National Tourism Administration Data Center and China Tourism Academy have the will to reach cooperation with Europe in the aspect of exchanging and sharing tourism data and statistics, and in doing so, to promote the tourism development and cultural cooperation between China and Europe.

Thank you!