According to a recently published report that focused on the behavior and demands of China's high-end tourists, Chinese luxury travelers are looking for more than just a holiday; travelling around the world, exploring the polar regions and adventure travel are among the intrepid goals they set their sights on.
These information are according to the results of the 2017 Chinese Luxury Traveller report, issued jointly by Hurun Report and ILTM, focusing on the behavior and demands of China's high-end tourists, to understand and interpret the direction in which the industry is heading.
The 2017 Chinese Luxury Traveller report based on the responses of 334 high-end travelers with average travel consumption of 380,000 yuan, 220,000 yuan of which is spent on retail, reveals that Chinese travelers' most memorable travel experiences in 2016 were the Antarctica (13.5%), followed by the United States (6.9%) and Fiji (6%).
Antarctica is clearly leaving a deep impression on Chinese tourists, having also ranked first in the previous year, with its scarcity of human life, endless magical snowscapes, fascinating wildlife and towering glaciers distinguishing it as one of the world's most incredible destinations. The variety of experiences to be had in the United States, from the sun-scorched deserts of its wild west to the vibrant cities of its coasts, need no introduction, and Fiji's inclusion on the list reflects this year's island-hopping trend, as luxury travelers seek comfortable climates and stunning ocean views.
Thailand holds a special place in the heart of millennial respondents, surpassing Japanand France in 2016 as their destination of choice, with its welcoming culture and developed tourist industry hard to top. Japan, South Korea and Europe all showed sharp declines among this demographic, as millennials look beyond traditional destinations in pursuit of exotic new adventures.
Time of Travel
Over a third (37%) of respondents experienced their most memorable travel experience of the year outside of Chinese national holidays, making the most of the smaller crowds of tourists for enhanced enjoyment. Chinese New Year accounted for 24%, and is considered a suitable time to travel due to the lower likelihood of being affected by business issues or overtime at work.
On the trip that most impressed them, all respondents were travelling either with family or with friends. The average number of travel companions was three, with 1-2 people accounting for 39% of responses, and 3-6 people for 46%. The average number of days spent on this trip was 10.
In planning a suitable travel itinerary, fine-tuned packages offered by travel agencies (27%) and fully customized packages (23%) were the most popular methods.
Standard packages fell by 11% compared with 2015, as they increasingly come to be perceived as unable to fulfill the needs of high-end travelers, with tailor-made packages set to become more and more prevalent in their place. Luxury travelers are becoming more assertive in their choice of destination, with 64% viewing themselves as the primary decision maker.
