Where Rich Chinese Tourists Are Traveling in 2014
- Bloomberg News
- Chinese tourists take photographs of the Tokyo Skytree.
Forget Sino-Japanese border disputes. Japan has emerged as the most desired destination for China’s wealthy travelers this year, according to a recent report by Travelzoo Asia-Pacific.
As many as 29% of survey respondents from mainland China ranked Japan as their top travel destination, significantly up from 18% in 2013. That may be surprising, given that tensions between Beijing and Tokyo remained frosty in 2013 over competing claims to a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea.
The weak yen has made Japan a new shopping paradise for deep-pocketed Chinese travelers. In 2013, the yen fell about 22% against the U.S. dollar, while the yuan appreciated almost 3% against the dollar.
During their trips to Japan, Chinese travelers have snapped up items from Louis Vuitton bags to $1,000 rice cookers, according to Vivian Hong, president of Travelzoo’s China operation, Travelzoo Lv You Zu.
Japan has long been a popular destination for travelers from Hong Kong and Taiwan because of the country’s relative proximity and distinct culture. But it’s only recently that mainland Chinese travelers have begun to appreciate its scenery, food and atmosphere. Easing visa restrictions after the 2012 earthquake has also helped, according to Ms. Hong.
Shirley Xu, CEO of Osterhout Communications & Design Company, fell in love with the country after visiting Osaka in 2007. For the upcoming Lunar New Year, she will be taking her twin daughter and son to Okinawa Island in southern Japan. “Border disputes aside, the country has a good combination of culture and nature,” said Ms. Xu, a Shanghai resident.
Travelzoo is a mass-market player in most countries, but it targets the high-end travel market in China. Its Chinese subscribers tend to be affluent, with an annual household income of more than $50,000. Once-popular destinations such as Australia, the Maldives and Thailand are seeing a decline in popularity, while mass-market tourists are probably still happy going to Thailand and Hong Kong, according to Travelzoo.
Taiwan, seen as a breakaway province by some Chinese, has risen to No. 3 in this year’s popular-destinations list from No. 4 last year. It helps that residents of big cities including Shanghai can now travel as individualsrather than in tour groups, so many are now going back for a second time. Taiwan is also is Mandarin-speaking, so easy for mainland Chinese to navigate.
Chinese culture in Taiwan is another draw. Xuan Jin, a Shanghai-based editor, is taking his whole family to Taipei and Hualian to usher in the Lunar New Year. “Chinese traditions are well preserved in Taiwan, so they might have a better atmosphere for the New Year’s celebrations,” said Mr. Xuan.
The U.S. has jumped to second place in Travelzoo’s top destination list for Chinese travelers, up from fifth place the previous year. Many are going there for campus visits and outlet shopping. Among them is Mr. Xuan, who is taking his 13-year-old son to the U.S. this summer to visit colleges, Disneyland and Universal Studios. His family also plans to stop in outlet malls to pick up mid-price-range clothing.
Australia has fallen by six places on the preferred destination list because of the rise of America, according to Ms. Hong. Meanwhile, Maldives is losing its allure since many in China feel the nine-hour journey is too long for a beach holiday. Demand for Thailand is also easing, after the Chinese blockbuster movie “Lost in Thailand” helped the Southeast Asian country become the world’s top destination globally in 2012, according to a Mastercard report.
While Chinese tourists are becoming fonder of visiting foreign countries, the feeling isn’t mutual among foreign travelers visiting China. Jason Yap, CEO of Travelzoo (Asia Pacific) Inc., noted that although listings of overseas travel products are doing well on its Chinese site, travel deals for China aren’t selling as well on its websites outside the country.
The rising yuan is one problem. China has stopped being a cheap destination for its Asian neighbors. Media reports about heavy pollution in Beijing and Shanghai and outbreaks of food scandals aren’t helping either.
The number of people who entered mainland China fell by 2.5% year on year during the first 11 months of 2013, while their expenditure fell more by 4.4% in the same period, according to China’s Tourism Bureau.
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