How to bring Chinese tourists back to Europe? What are their expectations in this context of new normal? What opportunities will the post-Covid era generate? Fundamental questions for tourism professionals when we know that visitors from China spend more than 250 billion euros each year around the world.
The most popular destination for Chinese people outside of Asia, Europe hosted around 5 million each year before the Covid-19 pandemic. A growing source market, in particular for the countries they favor: France, Italy and Spain.
“They want to get the most out of their trip”
European tourism professionals hit hard by the crisis despite everything, with the implementation of vaccination campaigns, expect a gradual return of these travelers even if their expectations have changed according to Sienna Parulis-Cook, specialist in Dragon Trail Interactive, a company that helps tourism operators attract this clientele.
“Chinese tourists want to get the most out of their trip to Europe: they don’t have a lot of time off a year and most of the people who make this long trip to Europe will only come once in their lifetime. so they want to be sure that they can see as much as possible, “ Dragon Trail Interactive associate director in charge of communications told euronews.
“One of the trends that I find very interesting in Chinese tourism over the past five years or so is flower tourism,” she added. “You can see this in Asia as well, but for example, in the south of France, Chinese people go to lavender fields to be photographed; same thing in the tulip fields in the Netherlands, “ she remarked.
“More and more individually or with the family”
The Chinese tourism market is becoming increasingly fragmented and niche opportunities emerge.
During a debate recently organized by euronews and the Chinese television channel CGTN (China Global Television Network), some participants mentioned the new habits of Chinese tourists and stressed the need to offer them a multiple offer.
“Chinese tourists come more and more individually or with their families; they still come in groups, but it is a way of visiting Europe that is very much in the minority,” said Serge Degallaix, Managing Director of the Prospective and Innovation Foundation. “So we have to adapt our tourism offer to this characteristic of the Chinese tourist, that is to say almost tailor-made,” he estimated.
“Lesser-known sites”
Wu Zexian, a former Chinese diplomat and visiting professor at the China Diplomacy Institute, said: “After the first waves of Chinese tourists who flooded the most famous sites, many Chinese are now beginning to take an interest in sites which are just as interesting, but which are less well known, that is to say the regions eg. And they’re even interested in resting places, “ he clarified, “because there are those who wish not only to visit sites and monuments, but also to rest in a natural setting, but totally different from that of China.”
Virtual campaigns
Chinese consumers are fond of digital technologies. WeChat is one of their favorite platforms. Every month, around 1.2 billion active users connect to it. In the virtual world, this is the place to be to promote a tourist destination.
In Italy, the city of Milan has launched a specific campaign on WeChat called “Yes Milano” and developed by the company. Digital Retex. The region of Tuscany plans to do the same soon.
“These advertising campaigns make Chinese tourists subscribe to the official account of the city of Milan,” says Nicola Canzian, associate director of Digital Retex.
“By doing this, tourists receive periodically – on average, once a week – highly sophisticated and inspiring digital content that encourages them to come and visit the city of Milan,” he said.
The first signs of recovery in the tourism market should appear gradually between next spring and summer before a full recovery in 2023.
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