Last year 97 million Chinese travelled abroad, up 14 million from 2012, and more than 50% of these travellers now book accommodation online via the web or mobile, up from 45% in 2013, according to a Hotels.com survey.
More Chinese are travelling abroad for holidays
The OTA’s third annual Chinese International Travel Monitor (CITM) reveals less than half of those surveyed use online accommodation websites and online reviews sites to research their trips, and a third check social media.
The report, which surveyed more than 3,000 Chinese international travellers and 3,000 hoteliers around the world, reveals insights into the changing behaviour of these travellers and how the global hotel industry is adapting to maximise the benefits of this new market..
Other key findings:
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84% share their photos and experiences on social media during and after an international trip.
- 59% cites the provision of free Wifi as as the most important service in a hotel
- Young Chinese travellers are shedding group travel for independent travel, with two-thirds of respondents saying they now prefer to travel independently, 5% up from 2013.
- More than 60% of hoteliers surveyed have seen a boost in the number of independent travellers in the last two years.
- More than half of the hoteliers say there has been an increase in Chinese guests in the previous 12 months.
- 36% of the hoteliers believe that the influx of Chinese tourists will have the most impact on their business in the next 12-24 months.
Abhiram Chowdhry, vice president and managing director APAC of Hotels.com, said, “There are many factors driving the desire of the Chinese people to explore the world. The rising affluence of the growing middle class with higher disposable incomes, the upward trend in the number of repeat travellers, more relaxed visa conditions and improved local infrastructure are all dovetailing to expedite this growth.
“However, our report quantifies another factor: the rate at which technology is transforming the landscape of Chinese overseas travel.”
According to the China Internet Network Information, internet penetration in the country climbed to 45.8% last year to 618 million internet users, with 500 million choosing to access the web via a mobile device, More than 90% of internet users reportedly have a social media account.
• Featured image credit (Chinese travellers): Odua Images/Shutterstock
