The world is their oyster

"We always plan where to shop. We concentrate our shopping for one or two days to get everything we need. My wife wants clothes, shoes, and makeup and perfume - the luxury brands. For France or Italy I keep dedicated money aside for this, about 2,000 euros (per trip)."

In the UK last year, where 96 percent of Chinese tourists who applied for a visa received one in an average of seven days or less, 196,000 Chinese visitors spent a total of 491.7 million pounds ($772 million; 620 million euros) a 63.8 percent increase on 2012.

But Yang Jinsong, an analyst with the China Tourism Academy, says shopping alone is no longer enough.

"Luxury goods are much cheaper in Europe than in China, so most tourists do list shopping there as important," he says.

"But Chinese tourists have become such a strong engine to the local economy that European countries should try harder to impress the Chinese tourists.

"Chinese signs and guides are only the first step. Local people need to be more tolerant of Chinese tourists. For instance, talking loudly is not considered as impolite in China, so don't rush to judge them."

Croce agrees that while shopping can dominate the Chinese tourist's agenda, something more is needed. She says niche products like wellness spas, golf and health orientated pursuits are popular.

"It doesn't have to be the Colosseum and Big Ben," she says. "The segment (of Chinese) we target more is interested in active holidays and wellness."

Gong, who feels she has received poor service while traveling in Europe, also wants more than a retail fix.

"A lot of Chinese don't want to be in big cities anymore," she says. "We want some of what China does not have: a clean environment and the countryside."

But Gong says that in Europe the frequent language barriers make traveling outside the big cities difficult for Chinese, unless they join a tour group.

Wu says group travel is still twice as popular with Chinese outbound travelers than it is with Westerners, but that with only 30 percent of outbound Chinese tourists now choosing this mode of holiday, it is on the decline.

Croce is still confident about Europe's ability to pull Chinese holidaymakers. Europe now attracts 14 percent of all Chinese mainland travellers - excluding trips to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan - and that is expected to reach 15 percent within the next five years, she says. The European Travel Commission has also launched a marketing campaign on Chinese social media, which will be expanded next year, and has produced a guide for businesses to help them optimize for Chinese visitors.

"We need to wear their shoes, to think about what is attractive to Chinese culture, not the attractions we are interested in," Croce says.

Back in the Beijing cafe, Gong says she plans to go abroad again over the traditional Spring Festival holiday in February, the biggest travel period for Chinese. She has yet to make up her mind on a destination, and says she will research online to find the most attractive option.

"I love traveling; it helps you discover yourself. I just want to relax and only worry about what to eat and where to eat it."

She frowns. "But I want something cheap and good quality and I want a good deal."

Gong's generation, the new Chinese traveler, is on the move. The message for Europe is keep up or be left behind.

Liu Lu contributed to this story.

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