The number of Chinese tourists is increasing
More and more Chinese are traveling abroad. Check out these examples from Europe:
Tourist arrivals from China, 2010 vs. 2016 (in thousands)
(Source: Eurostat 2018)
All countries saw a dramatic increase in just six years. Take for example Germany: tourist arrivals increased from 491,000 to 1.3 million. Iceland was not on the Chinese tourist radar in 2010 whereas in 2016 a whopping 129,000 Chinese visited the country. A staggering figure given that the population of Iceland is just over 334,000.
European hotels, attractions and tourist associations were not fully prepared for this massive influx of Chinese visitors as the needs of Chinese travelers are different from their Western counterparts and often no information or materials were available in Chinese language. Up to today a lot of business is lost because businesses have not been optimized to deal with Chinese visitors.
The days of Chinese sticking to travel groups are over
Chinese tourists are not all traveling in groups as the data below clearly shows:
Which type of travel do Chinese visitors prefer?
(Source: Nielsen 2017)
As you can see from this up-to-date information from Nielsen, the days were Chinese tourists only arrived in large bus tours, often visiting several European capitals in just a few days are over. While Chinese visitors still follow a tight schedule, 66% of them now prefer non-package tours, trying to find great experiences themselves.
This creates great opportunities for business owners to tap into this very attractive market. No longer are the tour operators the gatekeepers, but Chinese people are exploring freely, looking for unique things to shop and unique experiences. With no knowledgeable tourist guide to help them they are looking for recommendations from friends, highly rated sites on Chinese travel portals and information they can find in maps.
Chinese travelers are spending more on shopping
Chinese travelers are spending more money on shopping than non-Chinese tourists, as data from Nielsen shows:
Average amount spent by Chinese and non-Chinese tourists on shopping per trip:
(Source: Nielsen 2017)
Chinese tourists love to shop and hunt for a good deal. The overall price of the item often is not as important as the perceived discount, as well as the value. Chinese visitors are definitely interested to pay for quality and uniqueness.
Are you ready?
Chinese tourists are arriving in ever greater numbers and are willing to spend for great products and experiences. Is your business prepared? If you are reading this, chances are that you are looking to grow your business with visitors from China. Getting started sounds daunting, but we have created eight effective ways to make your business more attractive to this new and growing customer group:
8 effective ways to make your business more successful with Chinese tourists
If you would like to grow your business with Chinese tourists it helps to follow all the eight steps, to ensure a great customer experience from start to finish.
1. Choose the right Chinese name for your business
It all starts with the name of your business. In Chinese every character has meaning and you cannot just phonetically translate your company name into Chinese. Your Chinese name must convey great meaning, sound similar to your company name and be attractive as well as easy to remember. Find out more about the art of choosing the right Chinese name for a business.
2. Be found on Chinese travel websites
Where do you start your holiday planning? Most likely in front of a computer, reading reviews and looking at maps. With 66% percent of Chinese now opting for non-package tours you have to be found and engage visitors before they even leave their country and while they are planning their trips. Probably you are familiar with Tripadvisor, but do you know the Chinese equivalents qyer.com and mafengwo.com? Read more for tips on how to position yourself on those portals and to reach Chinese travelers in the booking and planning stage of their travels.
3. Provide key information in Chinese language
Just imagine you explore a city where everything is written in Chinese. Friends have mentioned that there are great Cafés where you can buy Chinese tea and other souvenirs. You walk through the narrow alleys, but you are lost. All the signs, advertisements, maps, tourist information: everything is in Chinese. Suddenly you see a small wooden sign on one of the shops: “English spoken here. Great green teas available”. Wouldn’t you be attracted to this shop? Chinese tourists experience the same thing everyday when visiting Europe or the US. Finding information in Chinese is hard, but businesses who provide it stand out, attract Chinese tourists and boost their sales. Find out how we can help you!
4. Put your business on the Chinese map
How often do you see people wandering the streets looking at their phones? We are all using the maps in our phones to get where we want to go. Exploring restaurants nearby, looking for a natural attraction or simply trying to find our hotel in a foreign city: maps are used by travelers constantly. You might be on Google maps (if not, do it today!), but are you aware that Chinese tourists use other maps in their phones? Learn how to register your business on Chinese map applications.
5. Tell your story
Chinese travelers are constantly in a rush to see and experience as much possible in a short time. How to get into such a busy schedule? The key is to tell a story and show why you are relevant to the city you are in and a must visit place.
6. Create a centerpiece for photos
Did you notice how much Chinese tourists love to take photos and selfies? An experience only counts if all friends back home can see it and experience it together on social networks like WeChat. Needless to say, it should be your goal to get your business into all these photos so that tourists spread the word about your attraction, destination, shop or hotel. A simple way is to create a good centerpiece for photos. How does that work?
7. Be mindful of Chinese culture
Chinese culture is unique and has some interesting quirks. Do you know why Chinese hotels often have no fourth floor? Why restaurants and shops often feature fishes in their display? How Chinese people like to hunt for bargains while shopping? How Chinese visitors like to order and share their food? How to manage an unhappy Chinese customer? Learn more!
8. Understand the needs of Chinese tourists
Are you interested to dive deeper into the data and insights? You can read on the specific needs of Chinese tourists in our insights blog.
Is your business prepared for Chinese tourists? Take the free online test!