China overtakes USA, Germany on travel spend

[beijingwalker]

China overtakes USA, Germany on travel spend
MENAFN - - 8/26/2013 10:18:58 AM

Aug 26, 2013 (Menafn - AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION via COMTEX)

--According to data released by North American online booking site Hotels.com China has overtaken Germany and the USA as the world's biggest spenders on travel with Chinese travellers spending USD 102bn on international travel in 2012, an increase of over 40% on 2011.

The second annual Chinese International Travel Monitor released by Hotels.com reveals insights into the changing behaviours of Chinese travellers and how the global hotel industry is adapting.

Surveying more than 3,000 Chinese international travellers and more than 1,500 hoteliers around the world, theHotels.com report found 75% of hoteliers globally say Chinese travellers now account for up to 5% of their business and 45% say they have experienced an increase in Chinese guests over last year, with the greatest increases coming in APAC (61 per cent).

Hoteliers see China as a positive growth market over the next three years with one in 10 expecting to see an increase of more than 50 per cent and almost half (47%) anticipating an 11-50% rise.

According to the Hotels.com report the majority of overseas Chinese travel (96%) has been for leisure purposes, while just over half (52%) have also visited other countries for business or education.

In a growing trend, nearly two thirds (62%) of Chinese travellers say they prefer to travel independently and not as part of a group. This development has been confirmed by the hoteliers surveyed, who say 70% of Chinese guests now travel independently, compared with a much more even split in 2012.

In addition, the CITM highlights areas for continued improvement for accommodation providers. The ability to accept Chinese payment methods is seen as the single most important offering from hotels and over a quarter (26%) of Chinese travellers feel this is a key area for improvement.

Three quarters (75%) of Chinese travellers say hoteliers need to improve the provision of translated items, such as welcome literature, websites, TV programmes and newspapers, while almost half (42%) say that they would like more Mandarin speaking staff in hotels.

Highlighting a disconnect between the desires of Chinese travellers and provisions made by hoteliers, a quarter (25%) of hoteliers say they offer cultural awareness training to staff but only 11% offer welcome materials in Mandarin.

Hotels.com said it carried out a global survey of more than 1,500 Hotels.com hotel partners during May/June 2013. Responses were received from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Spain,Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK and the USA.

China overtakes USA, Germany on travel spend - Financial and Business News - MENAFN

 

[beijingwalker]

now RMB hit the record high against USD,that will encourage more people to travel abroad.

 

[itaskol]

we need more holiday. my wife has only 15 holidays in a year ex official holidays。