In 2016, while international travel grew by about 4%, China registered a growth rate of 13%, further consolidating its position as one of the world’s most important source markets for international travel. The country exceeded the Asian Pacific average outbound growth rate of 9% in the same year.
There is also a shift in travel trends – destinations in Asia Pacific (APAC), city trips and Sun&Beach holidays are becoming more and more popular, while trips to Europe declined.
These are the results of a special analysis by the World Travel Monitor, conducted by IPK International and commissioned by ITB Berlin.
Here are the rest of the findings”
APAC’s rising popularity
South Korea’s popular with Chinese travellers (Historic Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul – image credit: TanawatPontchour/iStock)
In 2016 the Chinese went on 51.2 million international trips with overnights, not including trips to Macau and Hong Kong, amounting to an additional six million trips and an increase of 13%. China also strengthened its position as the world’s fourth largest source market behind Germany, US UK, while further distancing fifth-placed France.
Around three out of four outbound trips from China are to destinations within the Asia Pacific region with South Korea and Thailand among the top five destinations.
Coming sixth in popularity is the US is China’s sixth most popular destination, receiving 2.8 million trips last year.
The most preferred European destinations are Germany, Spain, France, Switzerland and Austria. However, following seven years of consecutive growth Chinese trips to Europe declined by 4% in 2016 compared to the previous year, receiving 16% of all Chinese outbound trips going to Europe. First trends for 2017, however, indicate a positive development for Chinese trips to Europe.
City trips, Sun&Beach holidays gaining ground
Sun, sea, sand appeal to Chinese travellers (Image credit: XiXinXing/iStock)
Holidays are the reason for over 80% of Chinese outbound trips. Holiday trips only, without visiting friends or relatives, have a significantly higher share among Chinese travellers at 72% compared to the global average of 57%.
For some years the most popular type of holiday has been round trips but city trips, as well as sun & beach holidays have been catching up recently.
Holiday trips increased by 11% last year compared to 2015, with average length of stay at six nights (slight increase compared to the previous year), while spending per night remained the same.
Preference for first class hotels and flying
Most Chinese travellers stay in four and five star hotels (Image credit: Michael Blann-DigitalVision.iStock)
Around 75% of Chinese outbound travellers chose to stay in hotels. Four and five star hotels were the preferred categories, accounting for 52% of accommodation on all trips. In the choice of luxury hotels the Chinese differed widely from the global average, which stood at only 39%.
Planes were the preferred means of transportation, making up for over 80%, significantly higher than the global average of around 60%. per cent.
Of travel agency and the Internet
The Internet is where travellers source for information (Image credit: ipopba/iStock)
Nearly 70% of Chinese travellers went to a travel agency for travel related information, compared to one in three travellers doing that worldwide. This also applies to travel agency bookings – almost 50% of Chinese booked their outbound trip compared to 30% globally.
The Internet was used by 88% of Chinese travellers sourcing for information before going on an outbound trip, only slightly higher than the worldwide average of 81%.
• Featured image credit: yongkiet/iStock