Despite recent concerns over China’s economy, the number of affluent Chinese travelers is expected to grow by 16% annually until 2020, when it is estimated to reach 234 million.
According to the 2016 Chinese Travel Consumer Report by Affluential.com, Chinese travelers were expected to spend $229 billion in foreign countries in 2015 alone, and $422 billion by the year 2020.
The report is based on key findings from the Affluent Insights Luxury Travel Survey, which was conducted in China between April and May 2016.
Three hundred affluent individuals were interviewed, half of whom made over RMB 350,000 a year and 10 percent of which made more than RMB 1 million per year. Furthermore, all of them had traveled internationally for business or leisure over the past 12 months.
Key findings
- Four in five Chinese travelers expect to travel more in 2017 than they did in 2016.
- The top 10 destinations for Chinese travelers in the next 12 months are Paris, Maldives, Tokyo, Dubai, Seoul, Sydney, Singapore, Osaka, Taipei and Hong Kong.
- Seven in 10 affluent Chinese plan to travel more luxuriously and spend on luxury items. Their expectations of luxury are uniqueness and exclusivity, and the chance to buy tax-free.
- Chinese travelers are getting more adventurous and seeking new experiences aside from sightseeing. Nature tours and safaris top their bucket lists.
- Travel booking websites are no longer enough — Chinese travelers expect to be able to book their trips on their mobile phones through responsive sites and applications.
Get the report
Find out more about Chinese travelers’ purchase behaviors, consumption patterns and favorite travel brands in the full 2016 Chinese Travel Consumer Report by Affluential.com.
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