Mixed Feelings about Chinese Tourists

 Most Appealing Destinations

The nearly 150 travel destinations approved by the Chinese government differ greatly in the number of Chinese tourists they receive. South Korea, China’s close neighbor, annually receives five million Chinese tourists. In contrast, only a few thousand visit South America, Africa and Central Asia every year. Cuba, for instance, has received less than 10,000 Chinese tourists annually since it was granted the ADS in 2003.

Some European countries once raised doubts over the number of outbound Chinese tourists. In recent years, the U.K. and France have made great efforts to promote tourism in China. Nevertheless, the number of Chinese visitors did not meet expectations. In 2013, the U.K. received some 600,000 Chinese travelers while France received around 1.2 million. This is because China and other countries use different ways to number outbound travelers.

The UNWTO calculates the number of “international tourist arrivals” which refers to tourists traveling from one country to another, whereas China calculates the number of “outbound tourists.” “Outbound tourists” include not only  Chinese mainland travelers to other countries, but also to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Generally speaking, the latter category accounts for two thirds of outbound tourists.

Data released by the Chinese government show that among the 83.18 million outbound tourists in 2012, 28.78 million visited other countries while 54.4 million visited Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. The total number rose to 97.3 million in 2013 with 35.73 million visitors to foreign countries and another 61.57 million to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. 

Worldwide, one out of seven people travelled abroad in 2013. In the same year, one out of every 38 mainland Chinese went overseas. This was just one fifth of the world’s average level.

Chinese tourists have become the world’s biggest travel spenders. In 2013 they spent US $102 billion, accounting for 9.5 percent of global international tourism spending. But in terms of per capita spending, there is still a big gap between China and the rest of the world. In 2013, world per capita outbound tourist consumption stood at US $153 while that of China’s mainland tourists was just US $88 – just half of the world’s average level. Therefore, the perception of Chinese from the mainland as “walking wallets” is an overstatement.

Love and Hate

The behavior of Chinese tourists abroad showcases the immaturity of Chinese outbound tourism. The Maldives,for example, is known as a leisurely destination for a relaxed beachside visit of two weeks on average. But Chinese tourists usually arrange busy coastal holidays, spending their time sightseeing and moving. Such arrangement gives them little chance for relaxation.

On top of that, undignified behavior by Chinese tourists is not rare. Some spit on the street, litter, ignore public order or vandalize historical sites. As a result, people in several countries now have mixed feelings about the boom in Chinese tourists. They love Chinese money, but hate their habits. In 2013, a teenage boy from Jiangsu Province became center of a media storm when he etched graffiti on a 3,500-year-old Egyptian relic.

As more people pack their bags, safety becomes a great concern. In recent years, Chinese tourists have been targeted and robbed in Europe, Africa, and Australia. Last May in Paris, a Chinese tour group of 48 members was robbed by masked men in broad daylight.  

Indeed, problems exist during the rapid development of China’s outbound tourism. However, Chinese travelers are growing accustomed to global culture through visiting different countries. In the meantime, foreigners are gradually adapting to Chinese visitors.

The development of China’s outbound tourism embodies what the UNWTO holds – “through the direct, spontaneous and non-mediatized contacts it engenders between men and women of different cultures and lifestyles, tourism represents a factor of friendship and understanding among the peoples of the world.”

WANG JIANMIN is a researcher and professor at the Tourism Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).