Hotels.com Finds International Travel on the Rise Among Millennial and Affluent Chinese Travelers

DALLAS, July 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Outbound Chinese travel increased 20 percent to $107 million* in 2014¹ and that figure could top $174 million in four years, leading to about $264 billion in annual spending according to forecasts¹. And according to leading accommodation booking website Hotels.com®, Chinese international travelers are increasingly younger, more independent-minded and tech-savvy.

Surveying more than 3,000 Chinese international travelers and 1,500 hoteliers from around the world, the annual Hotels.com™ Chinese International Travel Monitor (CITM) examines the growth trends in mainland Chinese international travelers and the impact this is having on the global travel industry.

Top Wish List Destinations
Chinese international travelers named Australia, Japan and France the most desired destinations to visit in the next 12 months. While the U.S. ranked sixth on the list, it was actually the most-visited country for Chinese travelers in 2014 according to bookings made on the Hotels.com Chinese website.

Top 10 destinations Chinese travelers say they would like to visit in the next 12 months

Lifetime Landmarks
The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Mount Fuji in Japan and Paris's Eiffel Tower were among the landmarks outside of China that travelers would most like to visit in their lifetimes. In North America, the Grand Canyon ranked sixth, while Niagara Falls ranked eighth.

Top 10 foreign landmarks for Chinese travelers

The Most Welcoming Countries
Outbound Chinese travelers rate South Korea as the most welcoming country, followed by Thailand and Japan.

Top 10 most welcoming countries for Chinese travelers

"This year's report is another wake-up call to host countries around the world to pull out all the stops to accommodate Chinese travelers and tailor their services for this market as the potential is huge," said Abhiram Chowdhry, Vice President and Managing Director Asia Pacific for the Hotels.com brand. "These new globetrotters really enjoy traveling. They are younger, more independent, highly tech-savvy, happy to spend – and they know exactly what they want."

Other Key Findings

• The average total amount spent per day by Chinese international travelers in 2014 was 3,324 RMB ($536 USD) excluding accommodations, with most spending on shopping, dining and sightseeing.  The top 10 percent of Chinese travelers spent an average of 11,077 RMB ($1,786 USD) per day – more than three times the overall average.  However, this pales in comparison to the top five percent of spenders, who shelled out 17,531 RMB ($2,793 USD) per day – more than five times the average.
• According to Hotels.com booking data, Chinese travelers were the biggest spenders on hotel accommodations in New Zealand, Sweden and Argentina in 2014.
• Fifty-nine percent of hoteliers surveyed say they've experienced an increase in Chinese guests aged 35 or under in the past year and they expect this trend to continue to grow. The growth is especially strong in the Asia Pacific region, where 78 percent of hoteliers reported an increase.
• In the past 12 months, 80 percent of Chinese travelers have used an online device to plan and book travel, compared with only 53 percent last year. Half of all Chinese international travelers now use apps on their smart phones to plan and book trips – up from just 17 percent the year prior.

To view the full Hotels.com Chinese International Travel Monitor 2015, visit www.citm2015.com or please see the Hotels.com press room.

*Unless otherwise indicated, RMB-$ exchange rates in this survey were taken on April 30, 2015 of $1= RMB 0.1612

About the research
The Chinese travelers' survey was commissioned during May 2015 by IPSOS, a world leader in market research, global market information and business analysis, to conduct a research study amongst a sample of 3,000 eligible respondents across mainland China. Minimum thresholds were set on key demographics such as age, gender and region to ensure a representative sample that would allow analysis of sub-groups. The questionnaire covered topics including, but not limited to, travel behavior, booking methods and accommodation choices.

For the opinion of hoteliers, a global survey of more than 1,500 Hotels.com hotel partners during May 2015. Responses were received from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK and the U.S.

About Hotels.com (www.hotels.com)
Hotels.com L.P. operates Hotels.com, a leading online accommodation booking website with properties ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals.

© 2015 Hotels.com, LP. Hotels.com, The Obvious Choice, and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. CST # 2083949-50

¹ http://www.chinatravelnews.com/article/90046

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SOURCE Hotels.com

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