As Chinese travelers flow into the United States
in ever-increasing numbers, NTA is hosting a definitive analysis of the
burgeoning market—and helping tour operators cash in on the rising tide.
At Contact, a business retreat for tour operators held Aug. 15–17 on Hawai‘i, the Big Island, NTA is offering the China Market Forum, a four-part program geared to help operators develop new product and improve existing offerings. This is the latest milestone in the association’s successful journey within theChina
market, begun in 2008 and punctuated by partnerships with the China National
Tourism Administration, the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial
Service and Brand USA .
The China Market Forum is part of a larger education program for tour operators attending Contact, held at theHilton Waikoloa Village .
Each of the forum’s four sessions focuses on a distinct aspect of China-U.S.
tourism:
Market Overview—China market experts will examine the Chinese government’s recently announced initiatives aimed at increasing travel for its citizens and will discuss what the U.S. is doing to welcome these travelers.
• Isabel Hill, director of the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries with the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, will present travel data and predictions.
• Jay Gray, vice president of BrandUSA ,
will outline the United States ’
China
market initiatives.
• Nick Hentschel, director of business development and legal affairs for AmericanTours International, will discussChina ’s new tourism laws.
Ask the Top China Operators—A panel of Chinese travel agents will provide an overview of their operations and helpU.S.
tour operators grasp current trends and anticipate coming changes.
• Tony Ong, Beijing Hua Yuan International Travel Service, will discuss how to develop travel product for Chinese travelers.
•Skylar Jiang , China Youth Travel Service, will
cover operational issues and ways to meet customers’ needs.
•Mark Wang , China
Travel Service, will explain what U.S. tour operators should know
about the Chinese government’s influence over Chinese travel agencies’
practices.
Packaging Travel for the Chinese Traveler—Participants in this session will examine all aspects of an itinerary and explain how to work with destinations and tour suppliers to create and market a meaningful, top-quality tour for the Chinese traveler.
• Tony Ong, Beijing Hua Yuan International Travel Service, will offer a Chinese travel agency’s perspective.
• Gil Buitrago, Delta Air Lines, will focus on the role of airline services.
• Jay Geng, Wasabi International Tours, will represent receptive operators.
• Tony S. Vericella, Island Partners Hawai‘i and Luxe Travel Hawai‘i, will represent destinations and tour suppliers.
China-ready seminars for the Travel Industry—Daniel Crain of BRIC Marketing Group will describe a series of seminars soon to be rolled out for tourism professionals. The sessions will explore three components of becoming “China-ready”—product, sales and service—and will be offered to the industry this fall in both in-person and online courses.
Chinese visitation to theUnited States
increased 41 percent in 2012, according to OTTI. As the fastest-growing
U.S.-inbound market, China
is ranked as the nation’s eighth-largest source of visitors and is projected to
become No. 6 by 2015. Chinese arrivals into Hawai‘i increased 28 percent last
year (through November), and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority projects the
China/Taiwan market to grow an additional 40 percent in 2013.
OTTI also notes that spending by Chinese travelers who visited theU.S. rose 19 percent in 2012,
following 47 percent increases in both 2010 and 2011. Visitors to Hawai‘i from China are the
highest spenders of any market, averaging $391.80 a day.
Visitation numbers could climb even higher. In February, the Chinese government announced new initiatives to guide the development of the country’s travel industry. Measures include adding paid holidays, increasing budgets on travel infrastructure, encouraging incentive and conference travel, and providing more opportunities for student travel.
At Contact, a business retreat for tour operators held Aug. 15–17 on Hawai‘i, the Big Island, NTA is offering the China Market Forum, a four-part program geared to help operators develop new product and improve existing offerings. This is the latest milestone in the association’s successful journey within the
The China Market Forum is part of a larger education program for tour operators attending Contact, held at the
Market Overview—China market experts will examine the Chinese government’s recently announced initiatives aimed at increasing travel for its citizens and will discuss what the U.S. is doing to welcome these travelers.
• Isabel Hill, director of the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries with the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, will present travel data and predictions.
• Jay Gray, vice president of Brand
• Nick Hentschel, director of business development and legal affairs for AmericanTours International, will discuss
Ask the Top China Operators—A panel of Chinese travel agents will provide an overview of their operations and help
• Tony Ong, Beijing Hua Yuan International Travel Service, will discuss how to develop travel product for Chinese travelers.
•
•
Packaging Travel for the Chinese Traveler—Participants in this session will examine all aspects of an itinerary and explain how to work with destinations and tour suppliers to create and market a meaningful, top-quality tour for the Chinese traveler.
• Tony Ong, Beijing Hua Yuan International Travel Service, will offer a Chinese travel agency’s perspective.
• Gil Buitrago, Delta Air Lines, will focus on the role of airline services.
• Jay Geng, Wasabi International Tours, will represent receptive operators.
• Tony S. Vericella, Island Partners Hawai‘i and Luxe Travel Hawai‘i, will represent destinations and tour suppliers.
China-ready seminars for the Travel Industry—Daniel Crain of BRIC Marketing Group will describe a series of seminars soon to be rolled out for tourism professionals. The sessions will explore three components of becoming “China-ready”—product, sales and service—and will be offered to the industry this fall in both in-person and online courses.
Chinese visitation to the
OTTI also notes that spending by Chinese travelers who visited the
Visitation numbers could climb even higher. In February, the Chinese government announced new initiatives to guide the development of the country’s travel industry. Measures include adding paid holidays, increasing budgets on travel infrastructure, encouraging incentive and conference travel, and providing more opportunities for student travel.