Seducing the new generation
of affluent Chinese tourists

Chinese tourists love New York

A surge of Chinese tourists is expected to visit New York City this year, prompting hoteliers and tour operators to better cater to the group by offering amenities from tea kettles in rooms to translated welcome packets. NYC & Company, the city's marketing and tourism organization, expects a 20% increase in visitors from China this year compared with a weak 2009 when the recession cut business travel-the major impetus for Chinese travel to New York. If the estimate holds up, 223,000 tourists from China will come to New York this year, topping the 2008 record by a small margin. Nationwide, the U.S. Commerce Department predicts a 22% increase in travelers from China in 2010. Through February 2010, 141,071 tourists from China and Hong Kong have visited the U.S., ranking China ninth among arrivals, and an 86% increase over last year. Tourism experts say New York is usually on the agenda for Chinese visitors to the U.S. Some city hotels have experience in catering to the Chinese. The Mandarin Oriental has long-offered a traditional breakfast of rice congee, soy-poached chicken, steamed pork bun and a boiled egg. But now it is developing Chinese language cards and letters to welcome guests and explain local attractions. An in-house translator and complimentary tea kettles and tea in-room for Chinese guests is also in the works. The New York Marriott Marquis also serves a traditional Chinese breakfast in its Encore Restaurant and has Mandarin speakers on staff. At the Waldorf Astoria, Stanley Wong, a Cantonese-speaking senior concierge, says more Chinese tourists will be a boost for retail across the region. His affluent clients like shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and often request a trip to the Woodbury Common outlet in Central Valley, N.Y. "Sometimes they don't speak any English but they know Woodbury Common," he said. (A spokeswoman for the Premium Outlets Division of Simon Property Group said that Woodbury Common is the largest destination for Chinese visitors of its 42 shopping centers in the U.S.) On a recent afternoon in Times Square, tourists from China took photos in front of Broadway banners. Yumin He, a 56-year-old teacher from Beijing, made his first trip to the U.S. this month for a wedding. He and his wife traveled across the country with a daughter who lives in San Diego and had been in New York for a week. "People were really optimistic, the food is good, the environment is great and the air quality is great," Mr. He said. The family also visited Philadelphia, Boston and Niagara Falls. "We weren't able to see everything in depth. We just skimmed the surface with sightseeing because everything with the tour group was really rushed," he said. Though the majority of travel from China to New York continues to be business-related, the leisure sector is growing, largely because of an agreement signed two years ago that made it possible for groups to travel from China to the U.S. China's growing middle class also accounts for an increase in leisure travel. Today's Chinese tourism market is similar to where the Japanese market was 10 years ago, said Richie Karaburun, president of GTA Americas Inbound, a tour wholesaler based in New York with offices in Shanghai and Beijing. "Within seven to 10 years, if we play our cards right, China will be one of the biggest markets inbound to the U.S.," he said. The company has seen a triple-digit increase in bookings from China over last year. Most of the standard tourist attractions in Manhattan are popular with visiting Chinese. But tour operators also say one lesser-known site very important to Chinese visitors is the "Charging Bull" sculpture in Bowling Green Park. Says Mr. Karaburun: "Many Chinese think if they touch the bull, they will have good luck on the stock market."

Ritz Paris becomes more and more Chinese

Top hoteliers can't ignore the flood of elite Chinese tourists stamping its mark on the global tourism industry, says Omer Acar, general manager of the Ritz Hotel Paris. But exactly how do you learn what will appeal to these new Chinese clients? One way is to fly halfway round the world and visit China for a spot of tourism yourself. Mr. Acar last week wrapped up his first visit to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong to get a better sense of his customers' needs. In between bites of Peking duck dipped in sugar, learning that xie xie means "thank you," and trying to squeeze time in his schedule to go shark's fin shopping, Mr. Acar found time to talk to Amy Ma in Hong Kong. How has Chinese tourism to France changed in recent years? Mr. Acar: Ten or 15 years ago, they always came in large tour groups because you get the sense there was a fear of traveling alone in an unknown place. But nowadays, they come by themselves, book their three-star Michelin restaurants, and know just what bottle of wine they prefer with their food. What changes have you made for Chinese guests? Mr. Acar: We have a Mandarin-speaking guest relationship manager and translators on hand. There are Chinese menus, and even in a gastronomic restaurant, we offer chopsticks, and we're much more international. If you want to start off with sushi, then have wonton noodles, and finish with a French dessert, we cannot say "no." What are the most popular hotel requests from Chinese customers? Mr. Acar: There's a big focus on luxury brands, from watches to fashion-all limited collectibles. What they want from us is simple: find it. Even if these items are available in Shanghai or Hong Kong, there's a value to buying it in Paris, in the flagship store. Just a few days ago, I was in the lobby preparing for my China trip when a group of tourists from Hangzhou came back with a car that I can only say looked like a miniature Hermès boutique because it was piled high with so many Hermès boxes. How has luxury travel changed recently? Mr. Acar: Luxury has become a lot more last-minute these days for everyone, not just Chinese tourists. To do what you what, when you what it-that's the new luxury. Hotels have a lot less time to prepare, but guests also pay a premium for it. Have you made any dedicated efforts to attract Chinese clientele? Mr. Acar:For China and Hong Kong, we're promoting a lot of one-of-a-kind experiences you can't arrange as a tourist on your own. Guests can stay in the Chanel Suite, where Coco Chanel lived for 37 years, and get a tour of her apartment. They can do a private macaron tasting at La Durée, or get a cocktail named after them and put on the menu at the Hemingway bar. It even comes with a gift of Christofle chopsticks. A lot of other hotel chains are opening in Paris within the next few years-how will that affect business? Mr. Acar: I think tourists to Paris would welcome more choices. Independent hotels like us can't promote as much as these larger chains with an Asia-heavy presence. They can cross-promote in their other hotels around the world. Ultimately, the amount of inbound customers will increase. And that's good news for all of us. Interview conducted by Amy Ma. Amy Ma is a Hong Kong-based writer on food and drink

Golf is still n°1 sport for affluent Chinese

China's southern Hainan island is playing up its tropical climate in a major plan to position itself as a "golf island", the capital of the sport in China. Golf courses have sprouted like mushrooms across the country as the sport catches on, but no place has hitched its wagon to the sport's boom quite like Hainan, which resembles an oval golf green on a map of the South China Sea. A decade ago, there were no golf courses here; today there are more than 20 and long-term goals include an eventual 100 golf courses. For some golf operators, expansion cannot come fast enough, especially in winter when icy weather across much of China sends golfers to Hainan in droves.

"Year after year we have found it really tough in winter to satisfy golfers' demands," said Deborah Jiang, deputy manager of the 18-hole Yalong Bay Golf Club, one of the island's first courses. Jiang said the club hosted 40,000 rounds of golf last year - double the number just a few years ago - and will soon build another 18 holes to handle growth.

Sanya, the main resort area, saw six million visitors in 2009, up 30 percent from 2006, according to government data, with plenty of golf attire mixing with the head-to-toe matching floral print outfits of many Chinese tourists. The economic crisis has stemmed the flow of South Korean and Japanese golfers who formerly made up 80 percent of the island's business in the sport, Jiang said.

But the growing number of mainland golfers has filled the gap.

"If I want to go golf in Thailand or Hong Kong, I can, but this is more convenient," said Chen, the Sichuan businessman. "I can just catch a flight without needing a visa. It's an advantage to not have to go abroad to play golf."

From the first course built 25 years ago, China now has at least 500, the vast majority built in the past few years, according to the government, although state media reports say many more may exist. In previous centuries, Hainan was a backwater where political troublemakers were exiled, and then became the site of a massive 1990s real estate boom and bust. The boom is back, this time with golf at the core.

The potential for Hainan golf contracts was a factor in leading American golf course designer Schmidt-Curley's decision to open their head China office in Haikou, the island's capital. "Hainan will be one of our stronger markets in China for some period of time," said company co-founder Brian Curley, who sees golf on the island driven largely by proliferating real estate developments centered on courses.

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority wins "Best destination marketing in China award" by Travel Weekly China

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which manages Abu Dhabi emirate's tourism industry, has won the 'Best Destination Marketing Award' in the 2009 edition of an industry awards programme operated by Travel Weekly China , one of the world's leading sector magazines. The awards, which result from a readers' poll followed by judging by an appointed panel of experts, recognise the 'best-of-the-best' enterprises in China's travel, meetings and incentive industry both inbound and outbound. ADTA was also short listed among the top three nominees for the 'Best Meetings & Incentive Destination Marketing.' 'This honour is extremely timely coinciding as it does with ADTA's prioritising of China as a key source market and the recent granting of Approved Destination Status by the Chinese authorities to the United Arab Emirates,' said Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA. 'It would appear we have made a substantial impact upon the growing travel trade within China, an advantage we must now press home and translate into productive consumer awareness to build arrivals from the People's Republic.' The award was presented to Dayne Lim, ADTA's Product Development Director at a  ceremony in Beijing's Raffles hotel. Abu Dhabi, the largest of the seven emirates which make up the UAE and home to Abu Dhabi city, the country's capital, is currently establishing dedicated MICE divisions within its three offices established over a year ago in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. A major Abu Dhabi delegation is currently participating in the China Incentive Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition in Beijing. The ADTA-led delegation includes Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre; professional conference organiser IIR Middle East; Le Meridien Hotel which is close to the UAE capital's business district; Al Masaood Travel, one of the emirate's leading tour operators; Royal Jet, the luxury private jet charter company; Aloft, the latest hotel to make its debut in Abu Dhabi next to ADNEC; Etihad, the national airline of the UAE which operates four flights a week from Beijing to Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Airports Company, which operates the award-winning Abu Dhabi International Airport. Source : www.english.globalarabnetwork.com

Tokyo outlet mall targets rich Chinese tourists

A new outlet mall has opened in the Odaiba area of Tokyo. At last, a dream has finally been realized: an outlet mall in metropolitan Tokyo, rather than out in the sticks. In a surprising, yet ingenious move, the shopping mall Venus Fort in Odaiba, usually only remembered for its ceiling that mimics the sky from sunrise to sunset, has turned its entire third floor into an outlet for 49 shops. Its doors opened on Dec. 11, and while 49 is a paltry number compared to the behemoth malls that lie in the city outskirts, it should be enough to appease those insatiable city bargain-hungry shoppers.Why build a small outlet mall in Tokyo when there are much bigger outlet malls in places like Saitama, Tochigi, and Ibaraki? According to these two news reports, the outlet mall is hoping to capitalize on the new wave of rich Chinese tourists who have been coming to Japan since visa restrictions were relaxed earlier this year. Big-spending Chinese tourists are already coming to Tokyo and buying lots of expensive brand products. Few tour groups have the time to travel out into the suburbs to visit existing outlet malls. Odaiba is already a major tourist spot in Tokyo, so it is a fantastic location when one thinks of the "Asian money" that comes with the Chinese and their credit cards. Source : www.japanprobe.com

Malaysia to promote Muslim tours to Chinese tourists

Malaysia will step up the promotion of Muslim tour packages, including Ramadan attractions, for the Chinese market, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen. "With the high volume of Chinese tourists, I believe that promoting Islamic tourism among Chinese Muslims has great potential,". Ng said the packages could incorporate visits to mosques and promotions during the Ramadan month such as halal food stalls and hotel buffets during the period. "Malaysia has Islamic banking and is a halal food hub which could be advantageous in promoting Islamic tourism. Besides that, Chinese Muslim travel agents could also bring their customers to attend exhibition on halal products organised in Malaysia," she added. Ng also encouraged Chinese Muslim tour operators to look into the potential of Malaysian Muslim tourists to China apart from travelling to the Middle East. For example, she said, Malaysian Muslims could take holidays in southwestern Yunnan province, to enjoy the four seasons of the year. Amee, a Chinese tour operator who attended the dialogue with Dr Ng, said the 20-million Muslim population in China was a strong potential market and tour operators here had been working together with Tourism Malaysia in recent years. He said religious travel, education travel, family holidays and the "Malaysia My Second Home" programme were the main draws. With Chinese arrivals to Malaysia totalling 835,000 in October, she hoped that the target of one million Chinese tourists could be achieved this year. Dr Ng also attended the inaugural China-Asean Tourism Cooperation Forum and called on Shao Qiwei, China National Tourism Administration chairman. She spoke of the need for a task force to look into China-Asean tourism cooperation and to discuss measures for government agencies and the private sector. "We need to sit down to look at packages and inter-border discussion about issues in the immigration process. Shao supported Dr Ng's views on greater China-Asean tourism cooperation and the need for tourism ministers in the region to work closely on developing the regional tourism industry, with the China-Asean free trade agreement to be in place next year.

Canada receives China's approved destination status

China has granted Canada its Approved Destination Status (ADS), making it easier for Chinese nationals to visit the North American country. Canada joins more than 130 countries with ADS, which allows Chinese travel agents to promote Canada as a destination for group leisure travel.  Canada's ADS is projected to grow the number of Chinese visiting Canada by 50 percent by 2015. "This agreement represents great potential for the visitor economy and future growth of the industry. The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) will take full advantage of this agreement and begin marketing business and leisure travel opportunities to the Chinese people," said Michele McKenzie, CTC president and CEO. Up until the important development, CTC has not been able to market directly to consumers but has been preparing for ADS by establishing an entry-level team, leveraging tourism opportunities for Canada, and creating key relationships on the ground that will be strategic going forward.  With this, CTC will propose and seek to implement a robust action plan to leverage the growing interest of Chinese travellers to Canada. "ADS opens a very big door.  We look forward to mobilizing quickly to take advantage of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games and promoting Canada's image throughout this massive market," McKenzie said. Last year, visits to Canada by Chinese citizens were up 5.3 percent from 2007, for a total of 159,000. Chinese travellers had the highest average length of stay (28 nights) in Canada and spent more than visitors from any other country.

Hong Kong's bright future from China's exploding travel market

A new study by leading market information company TNS, which probed the travel preferences of mainland Chinese businessmen and holidaymakers from tier 1 and 2 cities across the country, suggests that the explosive growth in the outbound Chinese travel market is set to continue. 90% of both business and leisure travelers claim they are travelling more (or at least the same), in 2009 as they did in 2008, and the indications are that this trend will continue in 2010. The study found that there were few reasons for travelling less. Business travelers who claim they will be travelling less, mainly say they will be switching to webcasts or teleconferences instead. The main reason cited by leisure travelers was fear of H1N1, which may fall away in 2010. Less than 10% of travelers are travelling only on business, with around 60% combining both leisure and business. Commenting on the findings, Neel Banerjee, who leads the Travel & Leisure practice for TNS in Hong Kong, says this suggests opportunities for persuading business travelers to extend their trip for a few days of leisure, perhaps including their family or friends as well. The leisure travel market is being driven mainly by travelers taking advantage of attractive packages, low airfares and budget airlines, and budget hotels. Hong Kong is in a prime position to take advantage of these combined business and leisure trips. It is already the number one destination for both business and leisure travelers and within convenient flying distance if family or friends are to join the business traveler. Although 45% rely on family and friends for traveling advice, the main source of advice for travelers is still the internet, with 86% consulting one or more sites. Clearly investment in digital media will be critical if Hong Kong is to reach this target efficiently and communicate its benefits. The good news is that around 80% of both business and leisure travelers say that their shopping budget in 2009 has increased or at least stayed the same, despite the recession. Travelers feel that prices outside of China are often better than at home and they like both the service and the shopping environment in foreign destinations. Hong Kong is in an excellent position to offer a great shopping experience and to provide all of the top merchandise travelers are looking for. Again, communication is important so that travelers know where to buy what and where the best deals and shopping experiences are to be found. The internet is key to this, with 75% relying on the internet for shopping information.

More than ever, affluent Chinese tourists are welcome in the U.S.

After years of relatively minor interest (and in some cases no interest at all!), Hawaii, California and Las Vegas are among American tourist destinations vying fiercely for a vast and largely untapped new market segment. Yes, to be a Chinese tourist these days is to be a widely-sought traveler. Hawaii has beaches and its famed "aloha spirit" as its siren call. Las Vegas offers gambling and its entertainment-oriented attractions. San Francisco can boast high-end shopping and the Golden Gate Bridge. Beset by one of the worst recessions in decades, the U.S. destinations are spending significant sums on marketing campaigns in China's most populous regions, and are urging U.S. embassy officials and Chinese airlines to ease the logistical burdens of flying to the United States. The payoff could be substantial - particularly in Hawaii, the closest U.S. destination to China but which is, at least for now, harder for the Chinese to reach by air. Attracting more Chinese tourists "will bring back a lot of jobs" to Hawaii, Gov. Linda Lingle said recently, after returning from a tourism and economic mission to China. About a half-million Chinese traveled to all U.S. destinations last year, and that number is expected to grow by double digits in each of the next four years mainly because of China's growing economy and new wealth, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Tourism officials note that the Chinese middle and upper classes each rivals the size of the entire U.S. population, so luring just a fraction would produce huge numbers. "Everybody looks at China and sees a country with 1.3 billion people and a growing economy, and they say, 'Oh my God, it's the greatest travel market that ever was,'" said Professor Frank Haas from School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawaii. To lure the Chinese, the Hawaii Tourism Authority has budgeted a total of nearly $2.7 million this fiscal year for marketing there and in Korea. That includes $447,000 to participate in the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, which begins in May. But for the Chinese traveler, preparations for a trip to the U.S. can still be a hassle. Only the U.S. embassy in Beijing and four consulates located mostly on China's eastern coast handle visa applications, which require an in-person interview. However, traveling in groups, which tourism experts say Chinese prefer, can ease those impediments. Chinese travelers spend more than counterparts from any other country - about $7,200 per person per trip, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Source: USA Today (c) 2009 Herbert A. Sample

China Southern airlines selling air tickets via mobile SMS

China Southern Airlines, the newest member of SkyTeam and the largest airline in The People's Republic of China is pleased to bring the future of automated customer service into reality as it launches airline ticket purchasing via mobile SMS. Available in Chinese only, customers can purchase airline tickets by simply sending a text message "ticket purchasing" or "ticketing booking" to China Southern's ticketing centre at 95539 - select the preferred flight and class and input the passenger's full name, identification number and credit card information. The newest member of SkyTeam and the largest airline in The People's Republic of China for the past 30 years, China Southern Airlines connects more than 80 cities around the globe. Major business and vacation destinations served in China include: Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Guilin, Hong Kong, Kunming, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Wuhan and as well as International service, including: Amsterdam, Bangkok, Fukuoka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Islamabad, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Lagos, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Moscow, Osaka, Paris, Penang, Phnom Penh, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.

Chinese tourists & businessmen can now pay directly with their Chinese credit card in Canada

On Sept. 28,   Canadian bank CIBC announced it will begin accepting China Unionpay (CUP) debit cards at its more than 3,800 automated bank machines (ABMs) through the INTERAC network. "CIBC is proud to be the first major bank in Canada to begin accepting China Unionpay cards through our ABM network," said Christina Kramer, Executive Vice-President, CIBC Retail Markets. "With over 3,800 ABMs nationwide - all of which feature Chinese language capabilities - CIBC and now CUP cardholders in Canada are never far from a machine when they need one." CIBC offers extensive access to Asian clients through all its banking channels. Many branches across Canada also offer services in Cantonese and Mandarin and CIBC Telephone Banking also offers Cantonese and Mandarin capabilities through its interactive voice response system. CIBC also provides Chinese-speaking clients access to a Chinese language website at www.cibcasianbanking.com.

Qatar Airways voted best business class airline for Chinese travelers

Qatar Airways has been named Best Business Class Airline in China at the China Travel & Meeting Industry Awards. The Five Star-ranked carrier was a clear winner at the awards ceremony held in the Chinese capital Beijing collecting twice as many votes as any other airline. The Travel & Meeting Industry Awards is organised by Travel Weekly China, a leading trade publication in the Chinese travel industry. Since its debut in 2002, the awards have enjoyed wide recognition among industry peers. The distinguished panel of judges included 20 top industry specialists from every segment of the travel and tourism industry. "On behalf of Qatar Airways, it is a great honour to be recognised yet again for our high levels of service and hospitality to which we remain committed," said Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker. "We are delighted Qatar Airways is seen as the airline of choice for corporate Chinese travellers. Qatar Airways has always been proud of its outstanding business class service. Recognition from our industry peers and end users validates all the hard work and dedication from Qatar Airways' staff to deliver a product and service that is second to none." The airline currently operates 21 flights a week between four cities in China - Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong - and its Doha hub. Chinese business & leisure travelers travel now more frequently to Middle East destinations, following the expansion of good relations between China and Arab countries.

Chinese travelers love Duty Free in Asia Pacific

Asia Pacific travelers stretch their travel budgets by shopping at duty free stores, according to a survey commissioned by Visa. The Visa Travel Smart Survey asked 2,226 travelers from across the Asia Pacific region on their travel spending habits and found that Korean and Chinese travelers spent the most on duty free items on their last trip with an average expenditure of US$358 and US$333 respectively. This was US$100 more than the regional average. Brian McGrory, Regional Head, Debit Products, Visa, said: "Duty free shopping can offer great savings on international brands as well as products that are exclusive to duty free shoppers so it is no surprise that the Chinese and Koreans, renowned brand lovers in the region, are snapping up duty free bargains." Reinforcing the appeal of duty free savings, 43 percent of all respondents said they shopped at a duty free store during their last overseas trip. Travelers from Japan (73 percent), Korea (71 percent) and China (49 percent) were the region's most frequent duty free shoppers while Korean and Chinese travelers also made it to the biggest spender list. When it comes to paying for duty free purchases, credit cards were the most popular form of payment for Australians and New Zealanders (59 percent respectively), followed by the Koreans (56 percent) who are the region's biggest spenders. McGrory said: "Payment cards are accepted at duty free shops across the region and are a great way to help travelers overcome the problems of currency exchange during a cash transaction. With duty free shops located at airports and at downtown city centers, they are a great way for travelers to purchase gifts and save some money at the same time." Survey interviewed departing or arriving visitors/transit passengers (aged 18 years and above, trip length was at least 48 hours) at Singapore Changi Airport. A total of 2,226 respondents were interviewed from Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China. Fieldwork was conducted from 26 September to 15 November 2008. During their last trip abroad, leisure travelers said they picked up a higher average tab (US$219) at duty free shops compared with business travelers (US$179). When asked where they made their duty free purchases, leisure travelers said they did most of their duty free shopping at the airport (84 percent) while business travelers preferred downtown duty free shops (67 percent). Younger travelers were the most likely to stretch their travel budget with duty free purchases - 47 percent of 18 to 29 year old travelers said they bought duty free on their last trip while 42 percent of 40 years and above said they made such purchases. Top Duty Free Spenders (Amount in  US$) Korea 358 China 333 Malaysia 195 India 180 Thailand 178 Japan 164 Australia 153 Singapore 153 New Zealand 134 Regional Average 212 Source: Visa Travel Smart Survey

Independent travelers targeted in China for Australian holidays

Parker Travel Collection launches a new campaign in Hong Kong from August 24 designed to bring independent Chinese travelers to Queensland. Managing Director Todd Parker said the campaign was based around China Airlines' 50th anniversary, using China Airlines flights from Hong Kong to Sydney and Brisbane with special fares that can be used with Qantas internally. "The China Airlines Vacation promotion is one of the first destination models targeting the Free Independent Traveler (FIT) market in southern China and Hong Kong," he said. "The campaign builds on the recent Tourism Australia promotions targeting this market in Hong Kong. "Queensland has proven itself a popular destination for Chinese groups with the successful charters each Chinese New Year, but with this campaign we will see families, couples and single travelers experiencing the holiday of a lifetime in Queensland's most popular destinations including Cairns, Port Douglas, the Gold Coast and Noosa." The China Airlines Vacations campaign which features accommodation and touring packages throughout Queensland will be distributed via the internet and retail agencies in Hong Kong and South China. Parker Travel Collection will make sales calls in the market for the next seven months as the promotion runs through to 31 March, 2010.

Internet most popular medium for Chinese travelers seeking pre-trip information

The Internet has become the most popular medium for Chinese travellers seeking information about their trips, according the latest Nielsen China Outbound Travel Monitor. The Nielsen survey found that travellers will search for conventional destination information ahead of their trips (61 percent of leisure trips taken), and then turn to online travel discussion forums (48 percent) to fine-tune their plans. This suggests that opinions and comments about travel experiences posted to online forums are nearly as likely to influence travellers' decisions as the destination websites themselves. Conventional travel agents were approached on only two in five travel occasions. The Nielsen survey also found that travellers were much more likely to recall seeing Internet advertising for travel destinations, compared to seeing travel advertising on other mediums. Close to 70 percent could recall seeing travel advertisements on the Internet, with only four in 10 recalling seeing a travel advertisement in a magazine or newspaper, at a travel agent or on TV and radio. The Nielsen China Outbound Travel Monitor also uncovered the media expenditure of the top 15 destinations for Chinese travellers as well as and spending by various destinations' national and state tourism bodies. According to Nielsen, in 2008 the total destination media expenditure in China from the top 15 destinations (by visitor numbers) was close to US$68million. All the big spenders were in Asia Pacific. South Korea was the biggest spender, accounting for 31 percent of share of voice. Singapore was second (22 percent SoV), followed by New Zealand (15 percent SoV) and Australia (11 percent SoV). Nielsen found that some destination tourism bodies advertised across all five major media formats to promote their destinations. For example, tourism bodies from South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia used all the major media styles in promoting their destinations to Chinese consumers. However, tourism bodies from European countries used mainly newspapers and magazines. Nielsen estimates that only 1.55 percent of the total destination media expenditure was spent on Internet advertising. Moreover, there were a lot of countries that did not spend any money on Internet advertising. With the Internet the most widely used channel for information search, tourism boards at destinations would be well-advised to focus on advertising on the Internet. John Koldowski, PATA's Director, Strategic Intelligence Centre, said, "In today's tough business environment, every dollar, euro or RMB invested needs to have the best possible ROI outcome attached to it. With these results showing that the largest proportion of China's outbound travellers - both business and leisure - use the Internet as a pre-trip information tool, it makes sense that marketers should leverage that usage to increase the visibility of their own products and deals. The fact that the cost of doing so is minimal, relative to more traditional media formats, suggests that this is one way of achieving that much sought after balance - more consumer contact with higher product recall at a much lower unit cost."

Chinese investors interested in luxury Thai hotels

More than 15 four- or five-star hotels in Thai resort cities may have Chinese investors as new owners in the near future when the Thai tourism has been sliding amid the ongoing global economic crisis and A/H1N1 flu epidemic, said Industry Minister of Thailand Charnchai Chairungruang on Monday. Bangkok Post online quoted the minister as saying that Chinese investors are preparing to buy 15 to 16 four- or five-star hotels in Thailand for 1,200-1,500 million baht ($35-44 million)each, when the economic crisis and A/H1N1 flu have caused a sharp drop in the hotels' revenue. The owners of those hotels have faced liquidity problems. These investors believed that Thai tourism-related business would recover in two or three years, said Charnchai. The Board of Investment has been assigned to negotiate with the Chinese investors, who will enjoy investment privileges, he said. According to Charnchai, most of the hotels in financial trouble are in tourist cities, such as Pattaya, Bangkok and Khon Kaen. The number of international tourists to Thailand plunged more than 50 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2009, with the forward hotel bookings also sluggish, Thai tourism associations said. Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa  make known his plan of going and meeting his Chinese counterpart next month to discuss tourism promotion between the two countries, after he said the flu pandemic is expected to continue for months and will add to the burdens of the country's tourism sector, which has been suffering from the global financial meltdown. The tourism sector, generating about 540 billion baht ($15.6 billion) for Thailand last year, holds more than 6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and 7 percent of workforce of the kingdom.

Chinese students help promote Hawaii

Three students attending the Macau University of Science and Technology have started a blog in Chinese about Hawaii. Carrying cameras, cell phones, and with easy access to computers, Lou Jie (Jackie) and He Ping (Freda), originally from Shanghai, and Jiang Ji (Maggie) from the nearby province of Jiangsu, have already blogged in Chinese about their trip to the Polynesian Cultural Center, shrimp on a stick from Kahuku, the beauty of the islands, and other first impressions, being that this is their first visit to Hawaii. "After watching American Idol, we can see that Hawaii is different from the rest [of] America," said Jackie. All three agree that they can understand why people want to come to Hawaii and what some of the roadblocks are for the Chinese. The students are part of the AIPT (Association of International Practical Training) program, which has sent a total of 58 students from their university to the United States to get practical training. Twelve are in Hawaii. These students are providing Hawaii tourism autorities with a fresh, youthful, cultural perspective on Hawaii tourism and how to reach the Chinese. Freda says China's new and friendlier visa policies, enabling group tours to the US and advertising and promoting in China, will help with tourism to Hawaii from China. The students noted the friendliness of the people, good food, beautiful scenery, and flowers as things that stand out about Hawaii.

Incredible India for Chinese tourists

Cui Binbin says she did not see much of India on her first and only visit, three years ago. She explains that she was in New Delhi for just three days, on her way to Kathmandu, Nepal.     "I was amazed by the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. But I didn't have much fun with the city sightseeing," she says. "It felt like a regular business trip and I am mulling going there again." An undecided Cui can hope to find much information in the Indian Ministry of Tourism's ongoing "Incredible India" campaign in China. A number of holiday packages, dedicated travel itineraries and attractive airline and hotel discounts are on offer to entice Chinese tourists. India was declared a holiday destination for Chinese tourists in 2003, which means Chinese are allowed to organize private travel to India through travel agents. "Tourist arrivals from China to India in 2007 reached 124,000. The figure may have grown 10 percent last year," says Shoeb Samad, director of the India Tourism Office, Beijing. Yet, Chinese tourists account for a relatively small share of international visitors to India. Statistics from India's Tourism Ministry show that it received 5.08 million foreign tourists in 2007, but China did not figure in the top 10 countries from where they came. "We have not seen a surge in travel to India after it opened its door to Chinese tourists. Most visits to India via our agencies are for commercial and official purposes. The market for Indian travel is still young," says Chen from China International Travel Services (CITS), who declined to give his full name. At present, more than 90 regions and countries have been designated holiday destinations for Chinese citizens, the latest additions being the United States and Taiwan. The top five destinations in 2007 were Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, according to the National Tourism Administration of China. Chen says the top questions that most travelers to India want answered relate to safety - how safe is it after the Mumbai terror attacks of last November, food - are there Chinese restaurants, hotels - are they clean, and transportation - is it like what you see on TV. Syed Eqbal Hassan, manager of Imperial Travel of India, Beijing, says, "Such questions arise mainly because of lack of adequate information." Hassan has lived in China for four years and speaks fluent Chinese. He encourages his Chinese clients to explore the many faces of India. "From the eternal snows of the Himalayas in the north to the peninsula of the far south, from the deserts of the west to the humid deltas of the east... the landscape and lifestyles change dramatically." India tourism official Samad says: "Seeing is believing. We welcome the Chinese to avail of the incredible offers that have been put together by our tourism industry, and explore incredible India themselves."

Britain may make it easier for Chinese Tourists

Chinese tourists are visiting Schengen visa Countries and are avoiding the UK. As the UK is not part of the Schengen visa regime tourists have to apply separately for an UK visa to visit the UK. A Schengen visa allows entry to fifteen European Countries including France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Carma Elliot, consul-general in Shanghai, said: "Most Chinese tourists want to go on a continental tour. We cannot currently capture that. But we are busily exploring the options... whether we could offer visas as part of a wider European tour." There were concerns from businesses that the number of business visitors greatly outweighed the number of tourist visitors. According to Visit Britain in 2007 there were 750,000 Chinese visitors to France. This compares to the 150,000 Chinese visitors to the UK during the same period. Alastair Morgan, UK Trade and Investment director for China, said: "We think there's a lot of future potential for tourism from China. But at the moment we have far more business visitors. We would like the UK to be performing better like France and Italy." The latest official figures show a considerable decline in the numbers of people visiting the UK:

Japan to issue visas to individual Chinese tourists

Japan hopes the opening of its borders to individual tourists from China will boost its economy, said Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) commissioner Yoshiaki Hompo. The nation began issuing tourist visas to Chinese individuals yesterday, allowing them to visit Japan for the first time without tour guides. "Japan and China are the world's second and third largest economies. The meaning of issuing tourist visas to Chinese is far more profound than any other similar issuance," Hompo said. The move follows a bilateral agreement reached during Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso's visit to China in April. Hompo said preparations began last September. "Grassroots communications between people in the two countries is very important to bilateral ties. This move signals a friendly attitude toward Chinese from Japan's government, tourism industry and common people," Hompo said. The visas will be issued when individuals and family members "meet certain requirements" in terms of income, occupation and other factors. However, there is no stipulation that applicants must have an annual income of 250,000 yuan ($32,460) as some media in Japan and China reported, Hompo said. "Financial status is merely for reference In fact, Japan welcomes any Chinese individual that is trust-worthy," he said. People who have worked in Japan for an extended period and those who have visited the country for research and studies would be considered "trust-worthy" and not be bound by any income criteria, he added. Applications for the visa will be accepted at the Japanese embassy in Beijing and consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou. Hompo said Japan has little room for short-term economic growth during the recession, which is the worst in the post-war period, other than by exploiting new markets, such as untapped tourism potential. According to the Japanese government's plan, the country will accept 10 million overseas tourists by 2010. It hopes to double that figure by 2020. Since 2000, Japan has admitted Chinese tourists in groups escorted by both Chinese and Japanese tour guides. Hompo said the purchasing power of Chinese tourists is "amazing" - they each spend about 200,000 yen ($2,083) during a visit to Japan. The country hopes the total number of Chinese visitors will increase by 250,000 in 2010 to 1.25 million, generating an estimated 40 billion yen, the official said. "The Japanese tourism industry has made a lot of preparations to satisfy the expected growing number of Chinese tourists," Hompo said, pointing out that Japan is increasingly accepting the Chinese banks' Unionpay system. The country is also striving to remove language barriers. "We hope to continue loosening the criteria for tourist visas to Chinese, based on mutual trust and make it a win-win situation," he added.

Outbound travel inclination for Chinese still strong

The financial crisis has not dampened Chinese mainlanders' enthusiasm for outbound travel, a report by ACNielsen has revealed. A majority of mainland travelers, or 85 percent of the interviewees, said they would "definitely" or "probably" travel outside the mainland within the year, either for leisure or business, a similar percentage as that in 2008, according to the survey by the global market research company. The report also showed that even among non-travelers, 78 percent expressed their desire to travel this year, 19 percentage points higher than in 2008. The survey was based on interviews with 4,000 Chinese mainlanders aged 18 to 59 across 26 cities from January to February this year, before the H1N1 flu pandemic occurred. "Despite the economic slowdown, the Chinese mainland outbound travel market continues to boom, and is likely to grow further," said Grace Pan, head of Travel and Leisure Research, ACNielsen China. Tour operators, however, said that the H1N1 flu pandemic, which spread further across the globe in May, has dealt outbound tourism quite a blow, especially to destinations in North America, Europe and Japan. The ACNielsen survey result was also in sharp contrast to a recent report by IPK International, the world's largest tourism consultancy, which said the global tourism industry would come to a standstill in 2009. In 2008, the number of mainland outbound tourists grew by 14 percent year-on-year, with 70 percent of them traveling to Hong Kong and Macao. This trend seems to have continued. The ACNielsen report said Hong Kong was the top tourism destination, with nearly five in 10 potential mainland outbound travelers planning to go there; Macao followed closely with 31 percent. Taiwan jumped to the third spot from the fifth position in 2008, thanks to an agreement that allowed the mainlanders to travel to the island. Short-haul outbound trips were the most popular, with more than 60 percent intending to take outbound trips to other regions in Asia, followed by those to Europe, Oceania and North America, at 43, 24 and 20 percent, respectively. Analysts attributed the growth in outbound tourism to the appreciation of the yuan, which made the travel cheaper. China CYTS Tours Holding, a leading tour operator, said the outbound travel business grew steadily from January to March even as the inbound numbers posted a big drop. But the H1N1 flu, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization last Thursday, has impacted outbound travel. "The H1N1 flu is hurting the outbound business more deeply than the financial crisis," said Liza Feng, product manager of eLong Inc, an online tourism-related business portal. Traditionally, the May-August period has been the peak period for outbound travel. But from early May onward, many bookings for overseas travel have been canceled, and the number of new orders has seen a decline, she said.

Chinese Tourists Spend Big in Hong Kong

Exclusive VIP dinner organised in Shanghai for 20 VIP Chinese travelers on April, 8th.

There were only 20 seats for this exclusive private dinner organised at the Kee club, one of the most private  Shanghai business clubs... And many more Chinese travelers had the information about this prestigious event organized by China Elite Focus for the owner of a historical Château in France, who came specially in Shanghai to meet Chinese clients. This Château (the owners insists on confidentiality about the name of the Château) is a historical landmark in the south of France, and it is for rent as a whole for a very few people willing to have an extraordinary lifestyle experience. This event was a success for the château's owner, who met several couples interested to rent the château for their next summer holidays. China Elite Focus will organise other "Luxury travel VIP events" in Shanghai and in other cities with travel partners from the USA, Spain, Portugal, and France.

Mexico city is seeking to attract more Chinese tourists by simplifying the visa procedure

The Mexican capital is seeking to attract more Chinese tourists by simplifying the visa procedure, launching promotion programs and training related staff, according to Mexican City's tourism secretary.    Alejandro Rojas Diaz-Duran said his city has called for an adjustment to Mexico's visa policy to make the visa procedure faster and less complicated to attract more Chinese tourists. He added that many Chinese have the intention to visit Mexico. "The United States receives 400,000 Chinese visitors per year and Mexico only gets 16,000," he said. "We want the 400,000 who visit the United States to continue their trip in Mexico," Rojas said. He criticized Mexico's visa policy for being outdated and said he had discussed the issue with Mexican Tourism Minister Rodolfo Elizondo Torres, who is also in favor of modifying the policy to draw more Chinese tourists. "We know that thanks to China's economic development, some 40 million to 50 million Chinese people travel every year, (and) we want one million of them (in Mexico)," Rojas said. The capital has proposed that Mexico give visas to Chinese tourists with a stay validity of six months which also allow them to enter and leave Mexico freely. It is also seeking to create a kind of "American visa" so that those Chinese obtainers, once they get the U.S. visa, can continue their trip to Mexico, Rojas said. He added that it is time for the Mexican government to reconsider its visa policy and make it easier for the Chinese applicants. Mexico City owns profound cultural and historical heritage resources, has more than 140 museums and over 3,000 restaurants and welcomes friends from China, he said. Rojas went on to say that Mexico City's tourism department has opened an office of public relations in Beijing, and will open three more, in China's Shanghai, Hong Kong and Hebei Province respectively in the coming months. As one of the 132 countries around the globe to be given the status of Approved Destination Status (ADS) by the Chinese government, Mexico, where tourism ranks as its second-highest source of foreign revenue, is especially eager to increase visitor influx and expenditure from this region. "China's emergence in the world market has significant implications for the global economy, and especially for the tourism industry," said Mexico Tourism Board CEO, Francisco Lopez Mena. "We are quite ambitious about the Chinese market and are eyeing the potential it is representing already to our tourism economy," added Lopez Mena.

Getting America Ready for the Chinese Tourist Boom

An exclusive article for "The new Chinese tourist" by Dr Xiang(Robert) Li Professor at the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management, University of South Carolina, USA. Thanks to their sheer number and spending power, "Chinese outbound tourists" has been the buzzword in the American tourism community for a while. Our recent study showed that the United States is the No. 1 "dream destination" of Chinese citizens; and there are at least 11.5 million Chinese who have been or are interested in traveling to destinations outside Asia.  Below are some suggestions for American destinations and business interested in turning this opportunity into business reality. Build a unifying image. The United States needs to centralize its promotions, create a clear brand identity, and deliver the message effectively. The fragmented efforts by different American destinations and businesses could confuse potential customers. Become more visitor-friendly. From visa application, customs procedures, to signage in major cities and attractions, the United States needs to show genuine hospitality and respect to Chinese visitors. Understand your guests. The new Chinese outbound tourists are savvy global travelers. American destinations and businesses need to better understand their preferences and expectations, which starts from conducting sophisticated marketing research. Partner with Chinese travel trade. At the current stage, most Chinese leisure tourists still travel to the U.S. in groups. Thus, the focus of marketing communication efforts is Chinese tour operators, travel agencies, and travel media. Grab late-mover advantage. The U.S. is unfortunately among the last couple of developed countries obtaining the ADS (Approved Destination Status). However, this also allows American destinations to observe and learn from other countries' experiences and lessons. Dr. Xiang (Robert) Li is an assistant professor at the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management, University of South Carolina, and associate director of USC's International Tourism Research Institute. Dr. Li's research mainly focuses on destination marketing and tourist behavior, with special emphasis on international destination branding, customer loyalty, and tourism in Asia. Dr. Li is the author and co-author of more than 40 scientific publications. As a contributor or keynote speaker, he has presented at numerous international and industry conferences. Dr. Li has conducted extensive research regarding international destination marketing strategy and policy making, tourism in Asia, customer loyalty, advertising effectiveness, behavioral and psychographic profiles of leisure travelers, cruise tourism, website evaluation and benchmarking, event and festival tourism. His clients include the United State Department of Commerce, China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), the United States Travel Association (USTA), and National Tour Association (NTA). Dr. Li is currently a member of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA), the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (CHRIE), and the International Society of Culture, Tourism, and Hospitality Research. For more information about Dr. Li, please visit his web site at http://www.hrsm.sc.edu/hrtm/faculty-staff/li_xiang.html.

Sri Lanka looks to Chinese for post-war tourism boost

Sri Lanka has pinned its hopes on Chinese visitors to boost the island nation's flagging tourism industry, which has been badly hit by years of civil war and the global financial crisis. Milinda Moragoda, minister of tourism for Sri Lanka, identified China as the main market for his country when he flew in to meet with Shao Qiwei, director of the China National Tourism Administration. "China holds the key to our tourism development and further economic growth, particularly when the number of tourists from Europe and America is plunging during the financial crisis," he told China Daily. Moragoda made China his first stop in a global tour to promote his country's tourism sector, explaining that China has a strong currency and "is a large market to develop in terms of overseas tourism". Sri Lanka has suffered a dramatic fall in overseas tourists during the past few years, with most blaming fears over security. Last year, only 500,000 visited the island, almost 11 percent fewer than in 2006, according to its tourism development authority, while figures for January this year show only 38,468 arrivals, a drop of 32.4 percent compared with the same period in 2008. Sri Lanka has a rich religious and cultural heritage, as well as long coastlines, but although most of its popular sights are far from the violence of the civil war, bomb attacks on its capital Colombo have affected the country's tourism industry. "We have always ensured visitors are safe in Sri Lanka and the conditions now are even more improved as the north and east, where conflicts used to occur, are under control," assured Moragoda. And he added that, with the war coming to an end and China's economy remaining steady amid the economic slowdown, "it is time to reboot the tourism industry through close work with China". There are already three direct flights from Beijing to Colombo, with authorities now in talks over more flights from other major cities in China, he said. Sri Lankan Airlines has also started a holiday promotion by offering tickets for less than 6,000 yuan ($900). Major Chinese travel agents have also been invited to work more closely with counterparts on the tropical island. Liu Qi, a tour planner from the Beijing Youth Travel Service, said: "Sri Lanka is a nice resort with its tropical weather and coasts. The country is showing its confidence in boosting tourism and I hope numbers increase as the political situation stabilizes."

Chinese tourists can soon fly solo in Japan

Chinese tourists to Japan, who were once required to travel in groups, will soon be able to visit on their own as Japan begins handing individual visas to Chinese citizens this summer. But the relaxation in visa policy only targets people in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou who earn at least 250,000 yuan ($36,600) a year, Shanghai-based Xinmin Evening News reported yesterday. Japanese media estimated the measure could encourage 250,000 more tourists from the Chinese mainland to visit Japan, up from a yearly average of 1 million. But tour agencies were less optimistic. Dong Xiang, manager of Japan tours with China Travel International Ltd, said Japan relaxed the visa policy last year by giving visas to families with more than two people. Previously, Chinese tourists had to travel in tour groups of more than five people. But by the end of 2008, only 10 people from four families had applied for such visas to Japan, he said. "The problem is that Japan demands each of these Chinese families be accompanied by a Chinese tour leader and a Japanese tour guide. This adds to the tourists' cost and causes trouble for tour agencies, too," he said. "If the new visa policy does not solve this problem, it will make no difference to us," he said. Xinmin Evening News also quoted a Shanghai tour agency manager as saying that there are only a few people with an annual income of more than 250,000 yuan. Guo Chunling, a manager with the Beijing office of Japan National Tourism Organization, said that the implementation date and the condition on applicants' income have not been decided. "We can only say we have confidence that the Japanese government will start granting individual visas to Chinese tourists this summer," she said. Japanese media reported that 580,800 foreign tourists visited Japan in January, 18.4 percent less than the same period last year. But tourists from the Chinese mainland bucked the trend by increasing 31.4 percent to 110,400 in January. The number of visits from other major source markets for Japan has mostly slumped, including Japan's biggest tourist market, South Korea, which decreased by half to 129,600 people in January.

Costa granted permission to operate Direct Cross-Straits Lines: The Special Cruises from Shanghai to Taiwan set sail this spring

Costa Cruises, the international cruise company which has pioneered the development of the Chinese cruise holiday market since 2006, revealed that it has received official approval from the PRC Ministry of Transportation to operate three special cruises across the Straits between the Mainland and Taiwan. Operating from April to May this year out of Shanghai's new cruise terminal, the historical cruises underline Costa Cruises leading position in the development of this promising emerging market. The three cruises will navigate a new route which was originally designed for Amway (China) Co., Limited. Departing from Shanghai, the itineraries include calls at ports in Hualian, Jilong and Taizhong in Taiwan and will last for seven days and six nights. The newest member of the Costa fleet in Asia, Costa Classica, will be deployed for the three Shanghai to Taiwan sailings. Many of Amway's most outstanding employees are set to embark upon these luxurious Costa cruises for an experience like no other. Immersed in a romantic and passion-filled Italian-style atmosphere onboard, they will be able to enjoy a glimpse of Taiwan's beautiful scenery and the exciting, yet relaxing, cruise lifestyle at the same time. "We are very honored to be operating the first cruises directly between China and Taiwan, as this ushers in a brandnew chapter for Costa Cruises's development in China," said Massimo Brancaleoni, Vice President of Costa Cruises Pacific Asia. "We value China as one of the most important and promising oversea markets for Costa globally, and strongly believe that the relaxing of the policy on cross-Straits direct sea transport will have a very positive impact on the Chinese cruise holiday market," he said. This route will offer a new and highly appealing destination to Chinese consumers and, at the same time, stimulate fast, profitable development of the coastal cities economies, including Shanghai and Xiamen, both of which have recently launched new cruise terminals. "Costa Cruises will remain at the cutting edge of the mainland's fast-developing tourism industry by opening up more new tourism options for Chinese travelers and further fueling the rapid growth of the cruise market in China" said Mr Brancaleoni. With further development of direct transportation links and travel between the two markets, cruise holidays to Taiwan are expected to become a new trend for Chinese tourists. Such cruises allow Chinese tourists to enjoy Taiwan's stunning landscape without worrying about arranging accommodation in the different cities of Taiwan. As the leading international cruise company in the market, Costa fully understands the needs of Chinese tourists, and it is constantly working to provide products which are best suited to their interests. To show appreciation for its customers' ongoing support, as well as to give even more Chinese tourists the chance to enjoy the passion of the Italian lifestyle onboard its romantic cruises, Costa Cruises has sent an official application to the Department of Transportation to secure more direct cruise trips in 2010.

A new trend: Chinese tourists buy houses in the U.S.

Yin Guohua heaved a sigh of relief last week as his plane touched down in Beijing after an 11-day tour of the US. As a member of China's first-ever delegation to shop for American real estate, Yin was prepared for hectic travel, endless showings, and pushy salesmen. He was not prepared for the reporters. "Everywhere we went, there were cameras chasing us," Yin said ruefully. The novelty of Chinese shopping for American property guaranteed publicity for the 21-man delegation, which visited Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, and Boston. Another 19 delegates, most of them 35-50 years old, missed the trip because of visa problems. Soufun.com, the real estate portal, organized the trip but did not announce the results. Yin, a lawyer who had said he intended to buy a $1 million apartment in either Los Angeles or New York, also declined to say whether he had made a deal, but said the trip met his expectations. "In fact, we had a wider range of choices than we expected," he said. Howard Rosen, a senior manager at Grubb & Ellis, a New York-based property agency, said he does not think most Chinese individuals are qualified to purchase real property in the US "unless the money is here." Investors with deposits in Hong Kong may qualify, he said, but assets on the Chinese mainland will not satisfy US sellers, Rosen said. In addition, foreign investment in US property requires a lengthy process, according to Rosen. Without "certainty of disclosure," Chinese investors will not be taken seriously, he said. Chen Yunfeng, secretary general of the China Real Estate Managers Association, said he also doubts that the time is right for Chinese to buy US investment property. "Given the current US economy, there is no sign that the price of property will appreciate strongly in the short term," said Chen. The price may even continue to slide if the crisis worsens, he said. More buying trips are likely, however, as China's new millionaires look for places to invest their wealth. According to a report by the Boston Consulting Group, China had the world's fifth-largest population of millionaires in 2008 with 391,000, up 20 percent from the previous year. The growing interest among Chinese in buying overseas properties is not focused solely on the US. "There are more people coming to us, asking about the process of buying an overseas property," said Rainer Schleif, a manager of Aimeilan Consulting (Beijing) Co Ltd, a company that deals mainly with Australian and Singaporean real estate. Desire to emigrate and the sharp depreciation of the Australian dollar have piqued investors' interest, Schleif said.

CITM tourism exhibition in Shanghai 20-23 Nov 2008

CITM – The largest professional travel show in Asia A get-gather for the world tourism circles ● CITM is an annual event that is held in Shanghai and Kunming alternatively. As the largest professional travel mart in Asia, CITM has drawn the attention of people in the tourism industry worldwide. ● Participants in CITM come from all sectors of the travel industry including international and domestic tourist organizations, travel agencies, hotels, airlines and related travel companies. ● The CITM Organizing Committee is sparing no effort to invite, through various channels, buyers with strong competitiveness from China (including Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, and Taiwan Province) and other countries and regions in the world, to participate in the mart. Strict participation conditions and invitation procedures will guarantee the quality of buyers, so that the participants will surely enjoy the great benefit at CITM. ● Professional trade days will be arranged exclusively for registered delegates so as to ensure your participation in CITM valuable. ● The CITM Organizing Committee will also invite a large number of correspondents of domestic and overseas media to cover the mart in an extensive way.

How can our golf resort (in Great Britain) can get Chinese golfers ?

The first thing to do is to have a very targeted comunication strategy in China directly with affuent Chinese golfer. Do not spend your budget with communication in general interest luxury magazines. There are several well known Chinese golf magazines, such as the excellent "Golf Wednesday" that features lifestyle and golf travel pages twice a month. You can also, with a little more budget, appears in LCD screens inside the club house of the most prestigious golf clubs of China, and display 30s films abut your golf. This new media has a very powerful impact, because 100% of the viewers are affluent Chinese golfers, in their favorite golf club.

I have heard that Chinese tourists could experience some administrative difficulties for travelling abroad. Is it true?

This was true 15 years ago, but now, due to the policy of the Chinese government, there is no restriction for the Chinese tourists for travelling abroad, and getting a passport is now very easy and subject to no restriction.

Our hotel still have a Chinese person in our team, why do not asking to this person to translate our web site and other documents for our Chinese guests?

It may sound as a good and simple idea, but it is not! At China Elite Focus, we know that a translation has to be made by professional translators who live in China, and understand the up-to-date appropriate level of language to use in a translation. Translation is a full time job, and China Elite Focus employs a team of highly graduated and skilled translators, each specialized in one foreign language only (English/Chinese, French/Chinese, German/Chinese, etc…). Because your business is a professional business, you need to have a professional quality translation. Do not forget that a low quality translation made by a non professional can ruin your image in the quality demanding Chinese market.