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London lags behind European competitors in attracting high-spending Chinese and other international tourists to luxury hotels [REPORT]
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26 October 2016

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British Hospitality Association 12 October 2016

Research by the British Hospitality Association (BHA) finds that the UK lags behind European countries in attracting high-spending Chinese and other international tourists to luxury hotels in London.

Characteristics of Chinese visitors to the UK:

  • Spend 34% of travel money on shopping vs. 16% for all tourists
  • Spend 27% on "Other" stuff (??) vs. 14% for all tourists.
  • Spend less than the general run of tourists on food, accommodation, and in-country travel.
  • 56% prefer 4-star hotels.

Top drivers of destination choice by Chinese tourists:

  1. Sightseeing opportunities 47%
  2. Safety 42%
  3. Value 37% (Varies by age and income.)
  4. Shopping 34% (Varies by sex and FIT vs. group.)
  5. Tourist activities 32%
  6. Transport connections 30%
  7. Recommendations/reviews/social media 28%
  8. Visiting a different culture 26%
  9. Weather 26%

Key takeaways cited:

  • A new visa application process permits Chinese travelers to apply for UK and Schengen visas at the same time; a step in the right direction, but not sufficient in itself to attract Chinese visitors to London hotels.
  • "Unsophisticated" Chinese market needs to be educated about the value of luxury accommodation. Could take 5 years.
  • An integrated, multi-channel marketing campaign involving high-end retailers as well as hoteliers, and using Chinese social media, would be helpful.
  • Don't fail to continue selling the city to Americans.
  • Be proactive now to ensure viability of these markets tomorrow.


A couple of questions:

  1. If the "unsophistication" of the Chinese market for luxury accommodation is a problem for the UK and London, why it it not also a problem for for the European destinations behind which London lags?
  2. If "value" is a top-3 driver of destination choice for Chinese tourists - and especially so for "Core Premium" travelers - why does this report address neither short-term nor long-term implications of the post-referendum slide of the GBP?



David Boggs President/CEO ACRO Global|Publisher Tourism Marketer
David H. Boggs
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