Travel takes over traditional consumption of the wealthy – Rupert Hoogewerf

 

Rupert Hoogewerf

Traditional luxury markets have contracted, with the exception of travel, which is one of the conclusions of the 2025 Hurun Chinese Luxury Consumer Survey. “The average household consumption of China’s HNWIs was down 12% in the past year,” says Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman of Hurun, the research organization responsible for the Hurun Rich List in the Jing Daily.

The Jing Daily:

While travel flourishes, traditional luxury markets face headwinds. Hurun estimates that China’s luxury market contracted by 3% YoY, falling to $230 billion in 2024. High-end watches declined by 22%, luxury jewelry fell by 10%, and premium handbags dropped by 9%.

Meanwhile, luxury experiences thrive. The market for high-end services including hotels and travel grew 17% year-on-year.

“The average household consumption of China’s HNWIs was down 12% in the past year,” says Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman of Hurun, the research organization responsible for the Hurun Rich List. “This has forced high-end brands to deliver higher quality for a lower price.”…

Beyond destination preferences, Chinese HNWIs increasingly seek specific travel themes. Historical sites (13%), sunshine beaches (12%), and luxury resorts (11%) comprise the top travel themes. Cultural tourism has seen strong growth, while “short-distance luxury travel” and “ocean cruises” have emerged as new categories of interest.

Today’s typical Chinese luxury consumer is 35 years old, with family assets of 47.5 million RMB ($6.55 million), and resides in a 270-square-meter home. They spend seven days monthly on business travel and expect financial freedom by age 46.

“The lifestyle, investment, and brand preferences of the luxury consumers in China has changed dramatically in the past 20 years,” Hoogewerf says. “Preferred travel destinations have shifted from Australia, France and the U.S. to the Maldives, Singapore and Dubai; preferred sports have shifted from golf to running.”

These evolving preferences not only reshape China’s luxury industry and market but carry significant implications for global luxury markets and travel destinations seeking to capture this influential consumer segment in 2025 and beyond.

More in the Jing Daily.

Rupert Hoogewerf is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Get in touch or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more luxury consumption experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

How China’s consumers took over the coffee market – Ashley Dudarenok

 

Ashley Dudarenok

One of the key factors causing global coffee prices to rise is the massive growth of consumption in China. Marketing expert Ashley Dudarenok explains how Chinese consumers took on the coffee market over the past decades, a growth that is now yet finished, despite the rising prices, she tells in her vlog.

Ashley Dudarenok is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Would you like her to speak at your meeting or conference? Contact us or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more marketing experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

The reality of the China-US AI arms race – Alvin Wang Graylin

 

Alvin Wang Graylin

Technology expert Alwin Wang Graylin, author of  Our Next Reality: Preparing for the AI-powered Metaverse, explains how the AI arms race between China and the US is going to shape the upcoming five to ten years at the 2025 Abundance 360 Summit and moderated by Peter Diamandis.

Alvin Wang Graylin is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more innovation experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

How China’s toy company Pop Mart became a success – Ashley Dudarenok

 

Ashley Dudarenok

China’s toy company Pop Mart has become an instant domestic and international success for a new generation of consumers. Marketing guru Ashley Dudarenok explains in Time how Pop Mart was able to read the hearts and minds of a new brand of consumers. Pop Mart understands those consumer needs, according to Dudarenok, and the Chinese domestic market lets companies “fail fast and succeed fast” to figure out what consumers really want.

Time:

Where Pop Mart distinguishes itself from both domestic and international competitors is in reading the mood of its consumers, Ashley Dudarenok, who runs a China and Hong Kong-based consumer research consultancy, tells TIME. Whether it’s rebelliousness, a desire to escape, or exhaustion from work or school, Pop Mart customers are buying more than just a toy, they’re buying a symbol of themselves…

Dudarenok, the consumer research consultant, sees Pop Mart’s global success as more than just an ebbing of stigma against Chinese manufacturing; instead it’s a direct result of the company’s ability to navigate and succeed in the Chinese market. “It’s not a surprise that this kind of company comes out of China,” says Dudarenok. That’s because “China is the world’s most competitive digital market, with maybe the most spoiled consumer in the world that wants things fast, cheap, and good.” Pop Mart understands those consumer needs, according to Dudarenok, and the Chinese domestic market lets companies “fail fast and succeed fast” to figure out what consumers really want.

One way Pop Mart distinguishes itself from Japanese competitors is through its stores. By contrast, Dreams Inc. largely sells its toys online or through distributors like Kiddy Land, Kinokuniya, and Urban Outfitters. Pop Mart, on the other hand, turns its own stores into an experience—with each modeled after one of its characters—fuelling customers like Carillo and Leow to plan travels around visiting different Pop Mart stores. They’ve also capitalized on the blind box craze through their roboshops vending machines that make buying their blind boxes all the more accessible.

More in Time

 

Ashley Dudarenok is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Would you like her at your meeting or conference? Contact us or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more marketing experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

How China’s lessons help emerging markets – William Bao Bean

 

William Bao Bean (right), interviewed by Ashley Dudarenok

Global VC William Bao Bean,  Managing General Partner at Orbit Startups, tells how the lessons learned in China helped him now to invest in emerging markets, and how he moved 2018 from China into those emerging markets. In a wide-ranging interview with marketing guru Ashley Dudarenok.

William Bao Bean is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Would you like him at your meeting or conference? Contact us or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more innovation experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

What Western media miss in China – Shaun Rein

 

Shaun Rein

Shanghai-based business analyst Shaun Rein, author of The Split: Finding the Opportunities in China’s Economy in the New World Order, looks at what Western media miss when they report about China in a wide-ranging discussion with Cyrus Janssen. They wrongly assume China is unstable and often miss the essence of what happens in the country. For example, when the government cracked down on Alibaba founder Jack Ma. What that was about was not a political struggle, but an effort to create a level playing field, where the larger IT companies did not dominate the market anymore, Rein says.

Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers’ Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Get in touch or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more strategic experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

New consumer profiles: the silver-haired generation – Ashley Dudarenok

 

Ashley Dudarenok

China’s consumer profiles are changing fast. Marketing expert Ashley Dudarenok picks seven profiles from her latest publication, the China Mega Report 2025, for Jing Daily—for example, the silver-haired generation: Retirees redefining aging
.

Ashley Dudarenok:

China’s 310 million retirees (60 and over) are embracing technology, wellness, and premium experiences. Unlike previous generations, they prioritize health and longevity, driving demand for fitness devices, dietary supplements, and digital health platforms.

They are increasingly tech-savvy, using e-commerce platforms and mobile payments. Trust is paramount, so brands must focus on transparency, high-quality assurance, and personalized services. Retirees are also fueling China’s pet economy, treating animals as family and spending heavily on premium pet care.

Travel and leisure remain high on their list, with a focus on wellness retreats and historical tourism. Messaging that emphasizes active aging, intergenerational connections, and user-friendly technology will resonate. Brands should simplify digital interfaces, invest in trust-building, and highlight community engagement.

More profiles in the Jing Daily.

Ashley Dudarenok is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Get in touch or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more marketing experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

Why containing China is not going to work – Shaun Rein

 

Tariffs and sanctions on China are not going to help the US, says Shanghai-based business analyst Shaun Rein. Only fair competition can help, certainly not when it comes to AI, he argues in The Rise of Asia.

Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Would you like him at your meeting or conference? Contact us or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more strategic experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

New consumer profiles: the green connectors – Ashley Dudarenok

 

Ashley Dudarenok

China’s consumer profiles are changing fast. Marketing expert Ashley Dudarenok picks seven profiles from her latest publication, the China Mega Report 2025, for Jing Daily—for example, the Green connectors: Millennials driving sustainability.

Ashley Dudarenok:

Born between 1981 and 1996, China’s 320 million millennials are digital natives and major economic drivers. Their focus has shifted from affordability and status symbols to quality and sustainability. Eco-consciousness is now a purchasing prerequisite, with electric vehicles, smart home devices, and biodegradable packaging in high demand.

Millennials research extensively before buying, favoring platforms like JD.com and Taobao. Social media and green influencers play a crucial role in their choices. Brands that clearly communicate sustainability initiatives — such as carbon offset programs and ethical sourcing — gain their trust. However, greenwashing can damage brand credibility.

Luxury brands must integrate sustainability into their identity, providing tangible proof of commitment. Millennials are willing to pay for experiences that align with their values, such as eco-tourism and farm-to-table dining. By aligning with this mindset, brands can build long-term loyalty.

More profiles in the Jing Daily.

Ashley Dudarenok is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Get in touch or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more marketing experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

US companies should compete with DeepSeek and other IT firms, not get them sanctioned – Shaun Rein

 

Shaun Rein

US IT firms are wrongly pushing President Donald Trump to sanction winning Chinese companies like DeepSeek instead of trying to compete on a level playing field, says Shanghai-based business analyst Shaun Rein at the Thinkers Forum. Sanctions and tariffs are shooing the US in the foot as China develops its own industries instead of buying it in the US.

Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more political experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

How AI is shaping China’s industrial revolution – Winston Ma

 

Winston Ma

Financial and innovation expert Winston Ma, an adjunct professor at NYU, discusses how AI is reshaping the Chinese industrial revolution at state-owned CGTN. Not only has DeepSeek emerged as a leading AI tool, but other companies are following this lead and expanding into industrial sectors rapidly.

Winston Ma is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Would you like him to speak at your meeting or conference? Contact us or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more stories by Winston Ma? Do check out this list. 

One third of global wealth will come from China – Shaun Rein

 

Shaun Rein

One-third of global wealth will come from China in the future, says Shanghai-based business analyst Shaun Rein in a debate with George Galloway on this latest book, The Split: Finding the Opportunities in China’s Economy in the New World Order. One of the achievements of current leader Xi Jinping is that he has been able to diminish the gap between rich and poor Chinese, says Rein. China used to be an unfair society, focusing on the rich, but Xi focused on the poor and middle-class Chinese, a group that counts for 400 million people and might grow to 800 million.

Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Would you like him at your meeting or conference? Contact us or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more political analysts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.