In the news: The spotlight is on China with a report on Chinese travellers’ growing interest in culture trips, Dorsett’s partnership with JegoTrip to expand customer base, and Guangzhou’s Heycars collaborating with Amadeus to reach more travel agents
Travel: Culture holds a fascination for Chinese travellers
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China’s outbound travel market is evolving, from group travel to FIT (free independent traveller), from sightseeing and shopping as main activities to sports events and culture – the latter among the fastest growing segment in the country.
Local experiences and scenery are what travellers want most when going on a culture trip – to experience the destination’s culture and understand its history and customs. This could either be through cultural institutions such as museums or immersion in the local culture or attending events.
Just like for sports trips, events are important for culture travel too, according to the recently-released ITB China Travel Trends Report commissioned by ITB China, currently taking place in Shanghai (May 15-17), and conducted by international consulting and research company, Kairos Future.
The Chinese travel agents surveyed for the study named three types of seasonal events favoured by travellers. One is art and music festivals, such as the Mozart Week in Salzburg. Another is food-and-drinks-related, for example, the Munich’s Oktoberfest. Finally, local festivals connected to local or national holidays such as the Running of the Bulls during the San Fermín festival in Pamplona, Spain.
Culture travel is also the theme for which travellers have the highest willingness to pay, according to the survey respondents.
Findings also show that the stories of a place, through mediums like films, history, books and food, are important to inspire cultural travellers to visit a destination.
Apart from museums and other traditional institutions, more immersive travel products are gaining popularity and the demand for different cultural experiences is becoming increasingly diverse.
“Many of today’s Chinese travellers visiting Europe, for example, are keen to experience wine culture through visiting wineries and to sample and learn about the local cuisine,” states the report.
The respondents also point out that as many culture travellers are typically older than those opting for other themes, they face a language barrier when travelling abroad. Chinese-speaking guides, described as “an upgraded service” for these travellers, will remain in demand.
The Chinese agents surveyed suggest that experts and ‘opinion leaders” at the destinations – preferably Chinese-speaking – can be engaged by tour operators for guiding services, as well as for product development to increase the perceived authenticity of tours.
About 62% of the respondents forecast an expected growth of 30% or more over the next three years in the culture travel sector.
Partnership: Dorsett goes to bed with China’s JegoTrip
(Image credit: Dorsett Hospitality International)
Hong Kong based Dorsett Hospitality International (DHI), one of Asia’s fastest-growing international hotel groups, has sealed a strategic partnership with JegoTrip to provide one-stop travel related services such as communication, accommodation and entertainment, to Chinese outbound travellers.
JegoTrip, developed by China Mobile International Limited (CMI), is an integrated travel platform for overseas China Mobile subscribers that includes overseas data pack products, VOIP and travel services.
One of the key projects of this cross-platform collaboration is the member-matching programme, offering JegoTrip VIP members a free membership upgrade to the next tier when they sign up for the hotel group’s loyalty programme, Dorsett – Your Rewards.
The loyalty programme memberships come in four tiers – Basic, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Member benefits include room upgrade to suite, free cancellation, 50% off the room rate in birthday months, late check-out up to four hours and free breakfast.
“Through a multi-faceted cross-platform promotion collaboration we are committed to providing travellers with an end-to-end travel experience from hotel accommodation to travelling, including shopping and sightseeing,” said Winnie Chiu, DHI’s president & executive director.
The two companies are also discussing different projects under the partnership that includes booking Dorsett Hotels and managing bookings directly through the JegoTrip app; online and offline (O2O) interoperability allowing users to receive goods and services purchased on the app; integration of DHI accommodation and JegoTrip’s online travel products.
DHI will also produce travel programmes and share it on the JegoTrip app for members to watch for free
Ground Transport: Guangzhou’s Heycars integrates into Amadeus platform
(Image credit: razihusin/Getty Images)
Chinese chauffeured service provider Heycars has made its services available to more travel agents through its integration with Amadeus Transfers and part of the Amadeus Transfers Platform.
The company, based in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, offers customised chauffeur driven cars, car rentals, as well as airport pick-up and drop-off.
With the two companies’ collaboration travel agents can give end-to-end service to their customers, who are now able to make bookings in advance through Check My Trip.
Peter Altmann, head of mobility and Insurance at Amadeus, commented that the integration of Heycars onto Amadeus Transfers Platform “brings together airline, hotel, alternative lodging, rail, ground transport and in-destination content all in one place.”
The technology company has plan to expand the platform to all content, to provide more choice and personalisation for travellers, he added.
Heycars is currently available in more than 300 cities and 160 airports in China and has expanded overseas in over 50 countries and 300 cities worldwide. It was part of Amadeus Next programme, the travel tech startup community in Asia Pacific.
• Featured image credit (Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery, or Little Potala Palace, in China’s Yunnan’s province): bunditinay/Getty Images
