SHANGHAI, 31 August 2020: Health and safety are key concerns, impacting the travel intentions of Chinese tourists in the “new normal” according to findings in the latest ITB China Travel Trends Report.
The annual report, conducted by ITB China updates the travel industry with the latest travel demands and trends in the China market.
According to the market survey based on 200 China outbound travel agencies and travel companies, the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic at the destination are considered most important to Chinese travellers. Sanitary measures in force will also become key concerns, as will stable flights schedules.
Self-driving tours, Free Independent Travel (FIT) and customised tours are being driven by the new situation to avoid places with crowds and large travel groups.
“After the outbreak, travellers may prefer outbound products focusing on safety, health and wellbeing, while the demand for the natural landscape and customised travel will also increase,” said HCG Travel Group president He Yong.
Island, outdoor, natural landscape, family and medical tours are expected to be the most popular themes in the coming year.
Business + Leisure will be still one of the trends for business travel in the future. Over 60% of the surveyed travel companies expect business travellers to make personal or family trips to the specific destinations of their business travel next year.
“We would advise European tour operators to start work on preparing products to answer the needs of potential travellers and visitors in the aftermath of the outbreak. These products should focus on health, wellbeing, nature, and should be customisable. Examples of such products could be self-guided tours. Chinese tour operators should get in touch with potential partners in Europe to help prepare these products, especially taking into account the Chinese experience in restarting domestic travel after the pandemic,” said European Travel Commission executive director Eduardo Santander.
The complete version of the ITB China Travel Trends Report- The 2020 China Market Recovery Special Edition is available on www.itb-china.com.
About the 2020 ITB China Travel Trends Report
The report is based on a survey of 200 Chinese outbound travel agencies and travel companies, including interviews with several industry experts. The report is a yearly publication, updating global travel suppliers and Chinese buyers with the latest needs of the Chinese travel market, in order to get best prepared to restart the travel business in China.
