Why London is lagging behind in Chinese tourists - Roy Graff

Roy Graff

A cumbersome visa system, no Chinese language brochures. Those are just a few of the barriers the UK and London have in place to stop more Chinese tourists from visiting their country, almost ten years after the first groups were allowed in, hospitality expert Roy Graff tells Christine Lu in the Jing Daily. 

Roy Graff:

The retail industry in London is very happy with Chinese consumers; we just need more of them. Britain was late to this game since the EU signed the ADS agreement two years earlier. At that time, the vast majority of Chinese tourists came in large groups and travelled by coach across Europe to visit as many landmarks as they could. But in the last 5 years, what became very clear is that Chinese outspend most other nationalities when they travel, and the rate of growth overall has surpassed 15% every year. In 2005, the UN WTO (World Tourism Organisation) predicted that Chinese outbound tourists will number 100 million by 2020. It has since revised that date to 2015, and recently the president of China said he believed 200 million Chinese will travel abroad by 2020! 

For the UK, I’ve long argued that the focus should be squarely on high net worth individuals and small groups of discerning tourists. It would be better to have 400,000 Chinese who spend £3000 on their visit than a million who spend £1000. In 2005, the idea that Chinese would outspend Americans, Japanese, and even Middle Eastern tourists seemed ridiculous, but this is fast becoming the reality... 

I think you have similar appeal in New York City, Paris, Hong Kong, and Singapore–globally famous cosmopolitan cities that have a unique, distinct set of characteristics. Many of China’s cities have developed to resemble each other so this uniqueness is a draw. London has a long established Chinese diaspora community and a thriving China town. It is an education and business centre and had historical ties to China. 

Despite London having higher prices than Europe for shopping, the sales offer great value and the selection is world class. Prices are still much cheaper than China. Chinese love value, so getting 12 to 15 percent off for VAT refund at the airport is great.

More in the Jing Daily.

Roy Graff 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.

+China Weekly Hangout 

+Roy Graff will join us on Thursday 20 June at the China Weekly Hangout to discuss what Chinese tourists want (apart from quick visa and Chinese brochures). Getting Chinese tourists to your country, and letting them spend is an art in itself. Here is our announcement, or you can register directly at our event page. 

Getting tourists might not be the UK's strongest asset, education is doing much better. The China Weekly Hangout discussed the future of Chinese students when they start an international study? +Andrew Hupert, formerly working for the NYU Shanghai campus and +Paul Fox, lecturer at the HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education joined +Fons Tuinstra, president of the China Speakers Bureau.

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Program schedule - China Weekly Hangout

Over the past few weeks a program for the upcoming programs of the +China Weekly Hangout have been developing. The subjects are not yet set in stone, mainly depending on the availability of expert panelists, and developments of the issues. In each session we try to invite one or two experts in the field, and otherwise others are welcome to share experiences, or ask smart questions.
The plan as it looks today:

• Thursday 20 June: what do Chinese tourists want, with +Roy Graff 
• Thursday 27 June: what can Edward Snowden expect from China (with an interesting contrary viewpoint here.)
• Thursday 4 July: The Hong-Kong/Beijing relationship, with +Paul Fox 
• Thursday 11 July: Outbound Chinese investments, with +Nathan KAISER 
• Thursday 18 July: Having foreign firms a hard time?, with +Nathan KAISER , +Andrew Hupert 

The China Weekly Hangouts take typically place on Thursday's, 10pm Beijing Time, 4pm CEST and 10am EST. In the weeks before the hangout, will we create a specific event page, where you can leave your comments or questions. During the event you can file comments and questions via Twitter, Google+ and our YouTube channel (add hashtag #CWHCWH). When you register for the +China Weekly Hangout, you will receive regular updates.

A full overview of past hangouts, you can get here. The China Weekly Hangouts are moderated by +Fons Tuinstra of the China Speakers Bureau.

Last week the +China Weekly Hangout focused on Chinese labor in Africa, with +Eric Olander of the China Africa project discusses the arrest of Chinese gold miners in Ghana, and the position of Chinese labor in Africa. Questions were asked by Swiss lawyer +Nathan KAISER and +Fons Tuinstra of the China Speakers Bureau. 

On Thursday 20 June we ask what Chinese tourists want. Chinese tourist spend more than those from other countries, but getting them to your country, and letting them spend is an art in itself. We are joined by Roy Graff of +ChinaContact, and you can join us too. Here is our announcement, or you can register directly at our event page. 

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Visa rules still hamper Chinese tourists - Roy Graff

Roy Graff

Tourist offices worldwide compete to get more heavy-spending Chinese to their countries, but strict visa rules remain the no.1 barrier on the road for traveling Chinese, writes hospitality specialist Roy Graff in ChinaContact. But things are getting better.

Roy Graff:

As previous projections on the development of Chinese outbound tourism by UN-WTO, WTTC and others are rendered obsolete by even better than expected growth statistics, many destinations want to become the next ‘hot spot’ for Chinese to visit and spend their cash. 

Since other traditional markets for many destinations have slowed or gone into decline due to economic woes, the Chinese market is now seen as a potential bonanza for travel suppliers and retailers. But not all is as it seems and not each and every destination in the world would be able to benefit in the short term. Beyond objective challenges such as distance and cost of living are the political circumstances that affect both the ability of a destination to market itself in China and capability of Chinese to obtain visitor visas. 

We have noticed that in recent weeks several countries and regions are trying to address visa restrictions for Chinese and other BRIC markets in order to be more inviting.

More in ChinaContact, with news from Australia, Europe, New Zealand and the UK.

Roy Graff 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.  

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Ten years of unprecedented growth in China tourism - Roy Graff

Roy Graff

Hospitality and travel expert Roy Graff looks in China Contact back at ten years of giant growth since he got involved with tourism in China. "Suddenly China became the only growth source market seemingly unaffected by the global woes."

Roy Graff:

Fast forward to 2009, the global economic crisis and drying up of many traditional tourist markets. Suddenly China became the only growth source market seemingly unaffected by the global woes. By 2011, it became obvious to most destinations that Chinese spend, and spend big. They may not fit the same profile of affluent travellers from other countries, with many choosing cheaper hotels and low cost meals to have more cash to spend on retail goods for example. But the number of repeat visitors and intrepid travellers has risen and with it the demand for diverse products and destinations. Not only Western Europe and USA are paying attention – so do countries in Africa and South America that are participating in Chinese travel trade shows and starting to prepare their industry to adapt to the Chinese visitors. 

What makes the story much more exciting now, is the ability to connect with both customers and travel agents through the internet. Online adoption and usage in China is massive, with now more than 600 million internet users, most of them also using social media. Online inspiration and research is cited as a top determinant in travel choice in repeated surveys. The cost of marketing online is very affordable and makes a lot of sense in such a geographically expansive country. It is important to realise that it is not sufficient to simply translate your existing digital marketing and social media campaigns. The cost and time it takes now to launch a campaign in China puts it within the reach of most companies and regional/city tourist boards that want to stand out of the crowd and connect with their target demographic in China.

More in China Contact.

Roy Graff 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.    

On Thursday November 8 the China Weekly Hangout (10pm Beijing Time, 3pm CET, 10am EST) will focus on the future of nuclear power in China, what are the risks after Fukushima, and might a succesful NIMBY protest be possible? Here you can register at our events page. Or see the announcement here.

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• Winners of the October Golden Week - Roy Graff (chinaspeakersbureau.info)
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Winners of the October Golden Week - Roy Graff

Roy Graff

The October holidays saw many new records in the tourism industry, as Chinese consumers went abroad in unprecedented numbers. Hospitality expert Roy Graff collected the numbers of winners and losers of the US$ 7.7 bn extravaganza  for ChinaContact. 

Roy Graff:

Europe is still the top choice for long haul with multi-destination efficiency for the Chinese, totalling 42% of the market, or RMB 20 billion (c. USD 3.2 billion) spent just in Europe.

The runner-ups are the United States and Australia on spending. Resort destinations within Asia Pacific region also saw increasing numbers of Chinese tourists. Most tour agencies based in China reported 20-30% growth of trips to Europe and 15% increase for US.

South Korea is a record-breaking winner this year - benefiting as an alternate destination to Japan following negative emotions over unresolved territory disputes. During golden week, more than 100,000 Chinese travelled to South Korea, 36% growth on last year with total spending of RMB 1.1 billion. This is not just on retail. The destination has a niche  and attractive product - Medical tourism, which is considered world class by the Chinese and most surgery hospitals were fully booked during this week.

Closer to home, luxury spending in Hong Kong decreased despite the 25% rise in number of visitors. As more Chinese are buying luxury products in Europe and the US, fewer are inspired to purchase in Hong Kong. Meanwhile Japan was badly hurt by the political dispute and witnessed a wave of cancellations.

More in China Contact.

Roy Graff 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.

On Thursday November 1 the China Weekly Hangout will focus on eight years of harmonious society under Hu Jintao and what we can expect the next eight years under Xi Jinping. Including Janet Carmosky who will report on the findings during the National Committee on US-China Relations China Town Hall on Monday. The CWH is held on 10pm Beijing time, 3pm CET (Europe) and 10pm EST (US). More on the logistics of the hangout later this week at the China Herald or our event page at Google+.

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Are we ready for Chinese tourists? - Roy Graff

Roy Graff

Chinese tourists are high on the priority lists for the tourism industry in Europe and the US. But are they ready for this new creed of guests? Hospitality expert for China Roy Graff gives some advises in the International Business Times. 

The International Business Times:

Roy Graff, founder and managing director of China Contact, said the growth of the Japanese market may have changed the industry slightly, but it “was just a drop in the ocean compared to what Chinese tourism can impact.” 

Japanese travelers, he said, compelled hotels to offer more rooms with twin beds or provide baths instead of showers. But the Chinese have their own unique travel habits. 

“There are certain amenities they will expect in their room,” Graff notes, “such as slippers, a kettle to make tea, instant noodles and chopsticks.” They also expect a breakfast menu that has less cheese Danish and more meat and congee. 

And these are just the basics. If a hotel really wants to attract Chinese customers, it needs to offer a Chinese-language TV channel and have printed information like maps and brochures in simplified Chinese. If it’s a larger hotel, there should be someone on staff who can speak Mandarin. Going further, Chinese groups should not be allocated rooms on any floor containing the number four because it sounds like the Mandarin word for death. Also, red is lucky, but too much white is frowned upon... 

“When companies talk about global marketing, they cannot say ‘Well it’s China.’ It has to be an integral part,” Graff said. “The issue is that if you have a global Twitter or Facebook marketing plan, you need a separate plan for their Chinese equivalents.”

More in the International Business Times.

Roy Graff 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.

On Thursday November 1 the China Weekly Hangout will focus on eight years of harmonious society under Hu Jintao and what we can expect the next eight years under Xi Jinping. Including Janet Carmosky who will report on the findings during the National Committee on US-China Relations China Town Hall on Monday. The CWH is held on 10pm Beijing time, 3pm CET (Europe) and 10pm EST (US). More on the logistics of the hangout later this week at the China Herald or our event page at Google+.

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You want Chinese tourists? Give'm visas - Roy Graff

Roy Graff

Tourism is not always rocket science. Hospitality expert Roy Graff explains why Britain only gets 160,000 out of 18 million Chinese tourists, despite the Olympics, lagging greatly behind Schengen countries like France and Switzerland. Make it easier to get visas, Graff suggest. And some other advises. 

Roy Graff 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' registration form. 

The China Weekly Hangout is organizing a session on energy security with Terry Cooke from the Wilson Center and Richard Brubaker, assistant professor sustainability of China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) on Thursday on September 27, 10pm Beijing Time, 4 pm CEST, 10am EST. Interested? Get more information here, or register here.

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Why the US$4.7bn Tibet entertainment park is a bad idea - Roy Graff

Roy Graff

Authorities disclosed last week a US$4.7bn plan for an entertainment park in Tibet, focusing on 15 millions visitors per year. A bad idea, says hospitality specialist Roy Graff on his weblog. He already sees the country littered with empty parks, destroying capital and nature.

Roy Graff:

Regardless of your political views on Tibet, I think everyone agrees that people living there should be able to earn a living wage and receive proper education to have better chances in life. Tourism does have a good potential of leaving more money in the local economy compared to many other industries. Tibet was ‘discovered’ as a tourism destination by foreigners but these days, nearly 10 million Chinese visit there every year and the Chinese government plans for this to increase to 15 million by 2015. Foreigners currently cannot go, and when they are allowed, they need an additional permit beyond the China visa and their visits are monitored. 

So the inbound industry in Tibet relies really solely on Chinese tourists. Domestic tourism in China has been booming as the middle class continues to grow. It still relies mainly on large organised tour groups but there is a rising niche of independent, intrepid travellers that go trekking, camping, bird watching etc. and are much more aware of their effects on the local community and environment when they travel. 

Places like Tibet, Sichuan or Xinjiang in Western China have a very fragile environment made worse by global warming. It is home to many minority groups that have fascinating cultures that are very different from that of Han Chinese. That is what attracts Chinese to visit there. That is what needs to be preserved and protected if people 5 years, 10 years down the line still want to enjoy and learn from visiting these areas. 

There are places where mega-projects and fun theme parks probably work ok – close to cities with a large population that needs leisure time distractions. Where the visiting pressures are so high that facilities must be built to accommodate the demand. I would argue that it is folly to say ‘Chinese people want theme parks so we build them’ when I have seen how many Chinese people change their views after spending time travelling and being exposed to different cultures and are made aware of the fragility of certain areas. 

People in position of power and authority need to think of the future. Places of natural beauty belong to humanity and it is our collective responsibility to keep it beautiful for future generations. Local communities who have lived there for hundreds or thousands of years usually know instinctively how to care for nature and need to be consulted and given power to make decisions. 

I have seen this work in other places in SE Asia and also in China. By limiting numbers of visitors and focusing on authentic experiences delivered by local guides and communities. revenue is still coming in. Less people who pay more and spend more time in the area. 

A theme park that purports to communicate culture will never take the place of getting know people who truly live their culture.

More on Roy Graff's weblog.

Roy Graff 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.

On Thursday we organize the next Google+ Hangout on China. When you are interested, you can pick one of our planned subjects, and register for our broadcast here. 

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