Published on : Friday, August 3, 2018
“The desire of seasoned Chinese travelers to experience authenticity and nature is getting bigger,” said Wolfgang Arlt, director of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute.
He added, “Consequently, for many service providers and destinations, the easy harvest of low hanging fruit seems to have come to an end.”
The number of Chinese outbound tourists reached a record in 2015 of 117 million, according to the China National Tourism Administration.
More of those tourists are independent travelers who are looking to “travel and live like locals.”
It is important that foreign tourism marketers do not stereotype the Chinese market, said Alastair Morrison, former president of the International Tourism Studies Association and CEO of Belle Tourism International Consulting, based in Shanghai.
“It is important to avoid stereotypes, because the outbound Chinese market is becoming more sophisticated, more mature and more segmented. I do not think foreign marketers should use stereotypes to portray the Chinese market in their advertising and promotion,” said Morrison.
With the Chinese outbound market maturing, there will be more independent travelers and fewer who opt for package tours. This means that foreign tourist destinations will need to develop new types of tourism products and new arrangements for Chinese tourists.
“It will be a good opportunity for special interest tourism, involving history, art, culture, cuisines, the natural environment and ecology,” Morrison said.