HONG KONG, 31 March 2023: Almost nine of 10 mainland Chinese say they miss travelling abroad, according to Finn Partners’ “Outbound Rebound: The Return of Chinese Travelers”.
The latest industry report presented by the global marketing agency Finn Partners and professional research consultancy Consumer Search Group indicates that mainland Chinese travellers intend to boost their pre-pandemic pace of overseas travel this year.
A survey was conducted from 10 to 24 January 2023, just days after the China government lifted international travel restrictions after three years. The 20-minute-long questionnaire gathered valuable findings from over 2,000 affluent Chinese in first, second, and third-tier cities in mainland China and Hong Kong.
Wanderlust
About one in two affluent Chinese travellers plan at least five trips in 2023. On average, they plan to make 5.9 trips this year, up from 5.6 in 2019. While the 26 to 36-year-old demographic shows the most significant trip increase, younger affluent Chinese travellers aged 21 to 25 are the most frequent.
Aside from more frequent leisure trips, most want to stay longer per trip. 72% plan to vacation from six to over 10 days in 2023 — bringing the average duration per trip to 8.7 days versus 8.4 days in 2019. Indulgence in longer vacations is prevalent in the 21 to 25 age group.
Luxury splurge
The affluent segment plans to increase spending by 15% to RMB102,500 (USD15,299) in 2023, 22% more than the budget set aside by Hong Kong travellers. The increase in travel budget is more evident in the 36+ age group and those from Tier-1 cities. More than one-third of affluent Chinese travellers plan to fly first or business class, while one in two stays in upscale or luxury hotels on their next leisure trip.
Take it Slow
Gone are the rushed, major attractions-packed tours as the affluent Chinese evolve from tourists to travellers. Over 70% of respondents desire slow, recuperative travel over an itinerary filled with activities. Travellers plan to immerse themselves like locals (58%), take more road trips (56%), take better care of themselves (56%), and attend more events (51%) in their future holidays.
Eight out of 10 travellers are more willing to pay for experiences over tangible products, particularly those from Tier-3 cities (86%). This points to the growing potential of authentic and personalised travel experiences. The full report is available for download from https://www.finnpartners.com/news-insights/outbound-rebound-2023-the-return-of-chinese-travelers/
