China survey: 63% plan to travel internationally in 2024
Dragon Trail International Chinese Traveler Sentiment Report released this week shows that 63% of mainland Chinese respondents to a survey done 6-19 March said they plan to travel outside China in 2024, and that 5% had already done so.
Another 18% said they have already booked a trip for later in the year.
These numbers are up significantly from a year ago, when only 10% said they had already booked a trip.
Improved perceptions of the safety of destinations is a driving factor in Chinese outbound trip planning for 2024. Destinations perceived as safe in 2024 are (top 10):
- Hong Kong, cited by 88% of respondents
- Singapore 78%
- Switzerland 62%
- Australia 58%
- UK 55%
- Canada 53%
- France 53%
- Japan 47% (down from 2023 because of Fukushima wastewater release)
- Italy 45%
- Spain 41%
Note that US lagged at 28%, in the same ballpark with Mexico, Kazakhstan and Cambodia.
Top destinations reported by those who had already traveled in 2024 were:
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Belarus
- Kiribati (Sovereign Republic of Kiribati, in Micronesia - I had to look that up)
- Canada
- France
- UK
- Singapore
- UAE
94% of those who had booked trips for later in 2024 sasid they plan to visit multiple destinations:
- In Asia 74%
- In Europe 16%
Peak travel dates will be May, July and October "Golden WEeek" holidays.
Aspirational 2024 destinations for those who have not yet booked trips are (top 10):
- South Korea 11.5%
- Thailand 9.7%
- Japan 7.7%
- Singapore 6.6%
- France 5.7%
- Iceland 4.4%
- Macau 4.2%
- Hong Kong 3.8%
- Australia 3.5%
- Malaysia 3.5%
Other drivers of destination choice cited by respondents included:
- Unique attractions 37%
- Ease of travel 31%
Most cited preferred activities while abroad included:
- Sampling local cuisine 54%
- Natural sightseeing 52%
- Exploring buildings and museums 42%
- Immersion in local lifestyle 35%
- Beach/seaside 32%
- Winter sports and other outdoor activities were occasionally mentioned, but remain a niche
Where respondents said they get destination information:
- Xiaohongshu 52%
- Douyin 43%
- Ctrip 37%
- Weibo 26%
- WeChat 23%
Influence of price:
- Want best value for money 58%
- Prioritize lowest price 14%
- Will buy best products/services at any cost 11%
- Will pay more for better experiences 11%
Items on which respondents said they spend most while abroad:
- Local foods 73%
- Souvenirs 61%
- Cosmetics 37%
- Apparel 33%
Online video content respondents said they find most engaging:
- Food
- Scenery and culture
Survey sample consisted of 1,015 "mainland Chinese travelers." Dragon Trail has not said exactly how these people were selected, or anything about demographic characteristics. So representativeness is not guaranteed. But qualitatively, these findings are likely pretty good. And not good news for US in 2024.
