Article from hetras.com
In recent years, the people of China have begun to travel more and more. In addition, the new Chinese generation has different expectations of foreign travel and tends to go abroad in order to find authentic foreign products. Generally, traveling is seen as sign of wealth and is essential to maintaining a certain image. Last year, Chinese tourists spent $215 billion abroad.
Not surprisingly, the Chinese overseas tourism market is huge. In 2014, there were 107 million outbound Chinese tourists, and that number is expected to top 130 million by the end of 2016. China is already the number one outbound tourism market in the world. The percentage of Chinese tourists traveling out of China continues to rise by 17% to 20% each year and is expected to continue to increase considerably, according to the China Tourism Academy. The same group estimates that there will be around 200 million Chinese traveling abroad by 2020. Most of them will stay in hotels available worldwide.
How do Chinese tourists choose hotels?
While Chinese tourists can be receptive to offers or promotions they find on the Internet, their decisions are generally based on specific needs and preferences.
For that reason, hotels must be willing to consider many features that aim to satisfy a larger audience. Three examples are as follows:
First, many Chinese tourists are traveling abroad for the first time. They are often concerned about safety issues in places where they are staying, and a hotelâs security features are a priority. Second, many donât speak much English; therefore, hotels need to offer services to assist them. Transportation, such as bus tours or organized travel, is particularly important. Finally, Chinese consumers often purchase luxury products abroad, because prices are generally cheaper than in their home country. They do the same with hotels and will tend to choose one that is less expensive. Clearly, there are many features and services hotels can adopt in order to be more appealing to Chinese tourists.
Be present on search engines
Baidu, the first Chinese search engine, is currently the most popular way for people in China to search for vacation destinations. In order to have an advantage, hotels need to be well- positioned on the first page of results.
Manage and maintain your e-reputation
Chinese tourists seem to be greatly influenced by their community. For example, they are 38% more likely to make a purchase after reading positive recommendations online. Compared to Western tourists, they are more likely to consider feedback and online reviews in forums when making a decision. This is one of the main reasons why increasing a hotelâs online brand is a key to success.