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Holidays rich in experience

By Shi Jing in shanghai | China Daily Africa | Updated: 2016-12-30 08:06
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Tailor-made packages appeal to prosperous travelers willing to go beyond the 'normal'

Wealthier Chinese tourists are willing to spend more during their trips to make sure they have the best time possible, creating a market for tailor-made holidays, according to China's largest online travel agency, Ctrip International.

The service, which the company began providing in 2015, has grown 500 percent this year. Wealthy travelers between 30 and 50 years of age who live in first- and second-tier cities, are quickly becoming fans of the customized trips.

According to Shi Yuduan, chief marketing officer of Ctrip's tourism business department, wealthy Chinese tend to be better educated and unafraid to venture outside what might be considered "normal" vacations. Travel for this group is a prime way to enjoy spare time. And when it comes to price, they care more about the experience and service than the expense.

 

Chinese tourists take a group photo in Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. Zhu Xingxin / China Daily

For the upcoming Spring Festival (Jan 27-Feb 2), many in this wealthy demographic have already started to book the custom trips. With Australia now offering providing 10-year visas to Chinese tourists, the popular destination is expected to continue to receive favor from the country's luxury travelers. A tailor-made tour package to Australia during the Spring Festival could cost more than 800,000 yuan (110,000 euros; 94,000) for a family group of 10 people.

And it's not just about sightseeing and taking some well-earned time off. Experienced luxury travelers are making these trips for specific purposes. Some have booked special packages to go diving in Sabah, Malaysia, or the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Some families may book trips to get personal medical checkups in nearby countries, such as Japan.

Prices can start at 20,000 yuan per person. Younger luxury travelers who like British TV series, such as Downtown Abbey, can book a 10-day luxury trip priced at 200,000 yuan for a group of three to experience the private castles and stately homes in Britain.

Not only are middle-aged rich travelers allocating bigger budgets for their trips, the younger generation born in the 1980s - those who are either heirs to a family business or the better known "second-generation rich kids" - seem to be more generous when it comes to travel plans, according to the Chinese Luxury Traveler 2016 survey report released by Marriott International and the Shanghai-based Hurun Research Institute. The survey of 525 luxury travelers between 18 and 36 years of age found that they spend 200,000 yuan on average annually on travel and tourism. When it comes to the family budget for trips, the total comes in at 420,000 yuan a year, of which 220,000 yuan is spent on shopping.

The young luxury travelers tend to be experienced, traveling to an average 13 countries in the past few years. They spend 25 days on overseas trips annually, 69 percent of those for leisure. Europe - and France in particular - is their most popular destination. Japan has won their favor when it comes to short trips, luring people with its convenient shopping, attractive dining experiences and its modern, sophisticated culture.

Young luxury travelers are generous also in their hotel room budgets. According to the survey, their average budget is 3,113 yuan per night. The Ritz-Carlton has the best reputation, as 61 percent of the interviewed young travelers showed preference for its services, followed by Shangri-La and IHG.

For young travelers with a household net worth of more than 100 million yuan, personalized service is the first consideration, followed by guest room views.

Zhang Liying, 30, who chose to be a financial analyst in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, rather than taking over her family's business in her hometown of Qingdao, Shandong province, is a frequent traveler, partly due to her tight working schedule. To strike a life-work balance, she travels whenever she can find even a modest bloc of time. To make each trip more pleasant, she always chooses to fly by business class or first class. But above all, the choice of hotel is vital.

"I usually choose to stay at the Ritz Carlton or Mandarin Oriental. They remember the guests' habits, which will make each tourist feel more comfortable. I was once surprised with a beautiful cake in my room when I spent my birthday at one of these hotels," she says.

"I go to Japan regularly because I really love the food there. Europe is also a must-go destination every year. The purses, clothes and watches, which one can buy at more reasonable prices, cannot be missed. Usually I will go with one or two close friends. I have hardly ever been on a group tour. Privacy is too important."

shijing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 12/30/2016 page30)

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