A new report by Finn Partners and Consumer Search Group titled
"Outbound Rebound: The Return of Chinese Travelers" reveals that almost
90% of affluent Chinese travellers miss travelling abroad and intend to
increase their pre-pandemic pace of overseas travel this year.
The survey, conducted between 10-24 January 2023, gathered responses
from over 2,000 affluent Chinese in first-, second-, and third-tier
cities in China and Hong Kong, who have travelled overseas before the
pandemic and have an average annual household income of over RMB1.4
million (US$200,000).
The report offers insights into changing travel behaviours, needs, and expectations of affluent Chinese travellers:
• About 1 in 2 affluent Chinese travellers plan to take at least 5
trips in 2023. On average, they plan to take 5.9 trips this year, up
from 5.6 in 2019.
• Younger affluent Chinese travellers aged 21 to 25 continue to be the most frequent travellers.
• 72% plan to take vacations lasting from 6 to over 10 days, with the
average trip duration being 8.7 days in 2023, compared to 8.4 days in
2019.
• Affluent Chinese travellers plan to increase their travel budget by
15% to RMB102,500 (US$15,299) in 2023, with those from tier-one cities
and the 36-plus age group showing the most significant increase.
• More than one-third of affluent Chinese travellers plan to fly
first or business class, and 1 in 2 choose to stay in luxury or upscale
hotels.
• Over 70% of respondents desire slow, recuperative travel, with
immersion in local culture, taking better care of themselves, and
attending more events becoming more important.
• Good experience drives loyalty, with favourite destinations
including Japan, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, the US, New Zealand,
and Canada.
• Natural scenery is a top priority for 60% of travellers, and 56%
prefer experiences that include camping, hiking, outdoor adventures, and
cultural immersion.
• Hotel brands are becoming a deciding factor in destination choice, especially for Gen Z travellers.
• Chinese travellers expect to resume their pre-pandemic level of
international business travel this year, at an average of 2.1 trips.
• Staycations are becoming more popular, with 80% planning to
continue domestic travel, and 31% expecting to take four to ten
staycation trips in the next 12 months.