Mobile-only
For many Chinese travellers, the main channel for booking their overseas trips is smartphone. Very few Chinese use travel agents or even laptops. Ony smartphones. The vast majority of online activity among Chinese happens via apps run by Tencent and Alibaba.
In this light, OTA has now become the main distribution channel for Chinese travellers. Surprisingly, even direct bookings with airlines are much lower that bookings with OTAs.
E-commerce
Digital shopping is the everyday reality for Chinese customers. They talk, text, shop, book tours and waht not – on mobile. Step by step, WeChat and Alibaba’s Alipay are making cash obsolete.
Travel
For many countries around the world China has become the main source market as far as visitors arrivals are concerned. Opposite to many other parts of the world, the middle class is growing in China and long-haul travel is getting more affordable for many of the Chinese.
Chinese travellers are among the biggest spenders per trip worldwide. They are primarily attracted by global cities like Paris, London, New York etc where they spend almost 92% of all travel money.
It means that brands, stores, and venues anywhere in the world have to accept transaction via WeChat to attract Chinese customers.
Chinese Travellers Rely On Mobile
News in Asia
Global cities are the major attraction for Chinese travellers – almost 92% of all Chinese travel spendings go to cities. Some other important Chinese travel trends are listed below.