2024 New Wave Chinese Tourists

Hello, and welcome back to Aim2D and our update of what is new, trending or informative in the China business, marketing, social and tech scene. Today, as our title foretells, we are taking a quick look at China travel and tourism.

For many developed countries, travel and tourism is a major driver of the economy. In China, it doesn’t even nudge the needle. But maybe China has decided that it is time to do something about that.

Now that does tend to suggest that this is all a sort of overnight transformation, but of course, it isn’t true. TheBic can recall being part of a meeting to discuss inbound tourism, China’s readiness and the steps need to achieve that maybe back in early 2000. In the past decade or so, major international hotel chains have partnered with local in a massive hotel construction effort, especially in China’s mid to south western regions. China Govt has poured billions into high speed rail, international style airports, upgrading infrastructure, streamlining and modernising its major points of entry and refocusing officials on customer service.

However the most visibly obvious change perhaps came shortly after Covid restrictions were relaxed in China, but other countries still maintained anti China Covid barriers. The result was initially that Chinese domestic tourism came of age. Chinese were in love with their own country for a change. This also resonated with a Chinese economy clawing its way out of various Covid anchors. For the first time, China’s services industry began to see real growth whilst the consumer market grew stronger.

China’s consumer market continues growing momentum

If you’re considering China as a market destination, this neat little data info-graphic slide series is a must see.
As always. please press in the image to activate the slides.

After 3+ years of Covid restrictions, this pent up desire to “get out and spend” and the word still closed, could be termed a “captive market”

However, as many of China’s closest Asian neighbours followed suit, those with the means began exploring locations closer to home. Traditional holiday escape locations, such as EU, UK, NZ and Australia fell from popularity. But, for the mainstream, average Jenny Wang, China and its attractions still had a lot to offer. Domestic self drive, self catering travel grew stronger and stronger.

More recently, in the past 7 or so months we have seen China ease and relax visa restrictions for certain “favoured” countries and enter into reciprocal agreements with others.

China to Extend Visa-Free Travel to Visitors From New Zealand, Australia, Poland in July

**Please press image to read full YiCai artic**

Top 10 countries attracting Chinese tourists during upcoming summer vacation

**Please press in image to begin slide show**

If you’d like to chat or need advise about negotiating the complex China marketing landscape, why not book a free, confidential, short chat with Everlyne Yu -CEO and founder of Uengager? Could be the best value 20 minutes you ever spent~