High-income families splurge on luxury, children-oriented trips

China's high-income families take their kids on holiday at least twice a year, with each family member spending 120,000 yuan to 150,000 yuan ($17,400 to $21,800) on each trip, according to a report released by travel website HHtravel last week.

The report is based on booking data from the website.

HHtravel focuses on luxury travel planning and related services. You Jinzhang, general manager of HHtravel, said his company targets wealthy people with at least 10 million yuan in assets each.

"With a growing high-income group and changes in lifestyles in China, the luxury travel market is entering an explosive stage," You said.

The report found that 65 percent of high-income families tend to take their children aged 5 to 12 on luxury travel experiences.

In 40 percent of the cases, both of the parents participate in the trips, while in 36 percent of respondent families, mothers or fathers opt to travel with their kids individually.

High-income families cared most about whether the itineraries were specially designed for children and met their needs. Getting close to nature, having adventures and taking island tours were some of the popular experiences designed for family trips.

Outdoor activities, including cycling, hiking, hunting and hot air balloon rides were tourists' favorites, followed by visits to renowned educational institutes such as Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom, the report said.

The top 10 most popular longhaul destinations included New Zealand, Australia, Kenya, Peru and Switzerland, where children can experience nature, watch little penguins, go camping on African grasslands and taste British-style afternoon tea.

Islands such as Fiji, the Maldives and Bali in Indonesia were among the most favorable shorthaul attractions.

When it comes to accommodation, high-income families preferred holiday resort villages, which provide parent-child interactive experiences, children's food and babysitting services.

Most of the luxury restaurants those families chose are located on islands.

For instance, Soneva Fushi Resort in the Maldives features a swimming pool, children's club, open-air theater, library and music room. Parents can also observe the stars, have a picnic, learn to cook and go kayaking with their kids.

The report said high-income families go traveling at least twice a year. More than 60 percent of the trips were arranged during summer vacation or in flexible time periods.

Of the respondents, 53 percent choose to travel for six to 10 days on each family trip, which costs each of them 120,000 yuan to 150,000 yuan.

HHtravel, a subsidiary of China's online travel agency Ctrip, founded in 2012, offers business class cabins, high-end restaurants, Michelin-star food and tour groups with no more than six tourists, according to its official website.

A five-day trip to Japan, for instance, costs more than 50,000 yuan on HHtravel, which is about 10 times higher than that on Ctrip.

chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn

Key findings

Most popular hotels:

Capella Singapore; Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort; Mandarin Oriental, Sanya; One&Only Hayman Island Great Barrier Reef; Risonare Tomamu; Six Senses Samui; Soneva Fushi; and The Villas at Ayana Resort

Considerations for hotel choice:

Safety; extra beds; enhanced interactive experiences; children's entertainment facilities; nearby attractions; location; professional childcare services; children's toiletries; and children's meals

Popular experiences designed for family trips:

Outdoor activities; trips to renowned universities and colleges; museum tours; parks; hunting trips; culinary experiences; handicraft lessons; and arts and drama

Source: Hhtravel

(China Daily 04/15/2017 page10)