In a report co-published by Ctrip and the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, the most frequent and popular type of customized travel for Chinese travellers to Europe was “in-depth travel.” European travel showed a 130 per cent year-on-year increase between 2016 and 2017. Ctrip takes its data from its 300 million registered users.
Other popular terms most desired were slow pace, leisure travel, private and niche. A report like this gives tourism brands in Europe the opportunity to customise their experiences for Chinese travellers based on these indicators. Considering Chinese travellers take a corner of the market at a rapid pace, it would prove a smart initiative.
The Chinese customised travel market is growing fast, currently accounting for 10 per cent of the whole outbound business. Travel in the Chinese market is characterised by its popularity, youthfulness and high growth rates. The number of Chinese citizens visiting Europe in 2017 exceeded 6 million for first entry, and is estimated to be around 12 million in total.
Among the top most visited European countries are Italy, France, Germany, Russia and Switzerland. Peak months for travel are January and July. The most popular tourist activities included visiting the Harry Potter film locations in the U.K., visiting prestigious universities, proposal/wedding-related activities at the Eiffel Tower and honeymooning on Mykonos Island.
The three largest tourism source markets in China include Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, dominated by first-tier cities — accounting for 50 per cent of the total market. The top fastest-growing cities in customized tours in Europe include Harbin, Wuhan and Fuzhou. These cities see a rapid increase in visits to Europe.
Popular hotel brand AccorHotels looks to personalise trips for the millions of Ctrip users to best meet Chinese guest expectations. Users have access to personalised experiences from the hotel brand, highlighting AccorHotels-accredited properties and creating a joint loyalty programme for travellers.
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