(Posted 20th January 2023)
The New China Outbound Tourism Handbook 2023
Forecasts 228 Million Chinese Travellers Per Year by 2030
A new handbook written for the global tourism industry expects Chinese
outbound travel to recover quickly from the three-year pandemic hiatus.
19 January 2023: The number of outbound trips made by Chinese citizens is expected to
increase from 170 million in 2019 to reach 228 million in 2030, according to the new China
Outbound Tourism Handbook 2023: 88 Practical Ways to Prepare for the New Wave of
Chinese Visitors. The 200 million milestone of annual cross-border movements from China is
likely to be breached in 2028 – 14 years after it reached the 100 million mark in 2014.
The China Outbound Tourism Handbook 2023: 88 Practical Ways to Prepare for the New
Wave of Chinese Visitors is co-written by Wolfgang Georg Arlt and Gary Bowerman. It will
be published as an e-book on 22 January 2023.
The Handbook introduces the developmental drivers of the first 25 years of Chinese
outbound tourism since it officially began in 1997, and assesses the outlook up to 2030. The
main section is divided into 88 key themes that will influence the development of Chinese
outbound travel throughout 2023 and beyond.
Vital travel drivers discussed range from VFR and Business Travel to Family Trips and
Student Travel. Niche segments featured include Winter Sports, Pop Culture Tourism, Self-
drive & RVs, Adventure Travel and Weddings & Honeymoons. Consumer engagement
strategies through Social Commerce, Mixed Reality and Metaverse Marketing, Virtual Idols
and Livestreaming are covered. So, too are the latest developments in Duty-free Shopping,
Chinese Brands, Camping & Glamping, Travel Fashion and Themed Hotel Staycations.
Each of the 88 segments features a quick-read summary at the beginning, a page of up-to-
date commentary and three bullet-point takeaways at the end. These are directly applicable
actions to help travel, tourism and hospitality businesses tailor their products and services as
well as their marketing to meet the new needs and aspirations of Chinese travellers.
The China Outbound Tourism Handbook 2023 explores the dramatic changes within China
over the past three years – and guides readers to view Chinese tourism through a new lens
for an unfolding era of travel. It explores the emerging travel, technology, fashion, branding,
retail, marketing and lifestyle trends in China during the pandemic. It discusses the diverse
impacts of the Covid-Zero policy on travellers and travel businesses. The authors also
provide practical advice and tips for travel industry players to enhance international travel
and tourism experiences for Chinese tourists.
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8 Quotes from the China Outbound Tourism Handbook 2023:
“Some airports carefully planned for the regrowth of travel and a return of Chinese travellers.
Other airports are less primed. This will be carefully noted by Chinese tourists, who research
their trip routes in minute detail.”
“Smartphone apps drive everyday lifestyle choices. Expectations of tech-enabled
convenience will surprise unprepared travel companies and destinations.”
“Quality for money will be more important than before the pandemic. For a desirable travel
product customised in the right way for the right market segment, Chinese visitors are still
willing to pay premium prices.”
“In the coming years, self-drive and RV tours will become a more visible part of the Chinese
outbound market especially in countries with high levels of perceived road safety.”
“Staycation innovation encouraged local residents to celebrate landmark events in style and
offered enviable short-break experiences for guests during periods when inter-provincial
travel was available.”
“Special Interest could be a powerful tool to mitigate over-tourism and seasonality.”
“Consumer trends in China’s fast-growing lower-tier cities are far from homogenous, and
distinctive patterns of outbound travel will emerge from each one.”
“Investment, creativity and innovation in night tourism culture will continue to increase. This
is raising the expectations of Chinese tourists. In 2022, major cities noted that post-1990s
tourists were staying out later and spending more into the early hours of the morning.”
Two Leading China Tourism Authorities
The China Outbound Tourism Handbook 2023 is written by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg
Arlt and Gary Bowerman. These two leading authorities count decades of experience in the
field. They regularly interact with travel industry leaders in China, Asia and worldwide. Both
are in-demand speakers at international tourism conferences, and are frequently interviewed
by media organisations on all continents. They write and publish widely on Chinese and
Asian travel developments, and research the developing travel and lifestyle trends across
China and worldwide. Editorial support and artwork are provided by Mrs. Zheng Rong.
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt FRGS FRAS has for 45 years worked across the Chinese
travel market. His career includes 20 years as a tenured professor of International Tourism
Management and as CEO of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI),
based in Hamburg. Providing training and consulting for companies and organisations
worldwide, he recently added the Meaningful Tourism paradigm to the toolbox for the
successful and sustainable development of tourism for Chinese and other source markets.
Gary Bowerman is Director of Check-in Asia, an Asia-focused travel consulting and
consumer research firm, and Founder of Asia Travel Re:Set. He is an Asia Travel Analyst for
Phocuswright, an Asia Consumer Trends Analyst for Mintel and a Senior Advisor to COTRI.
He co-hosts The South East Asia Travel Show. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Gary works across
China, Asia and globally with NTOs, hotels, OTAs, management consultancies, insurers,
banks, consumer brands and market research firms. He lived in Shanghai from 2004-2010.
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China Outbound Tourism Handbook 2023:
88 Practical Ways to Prepare for the New Wave of Chinese Visitors will be published on 22 January 2023.
Price: EUR25.00
ISBN: 978-3-944757-21-6
The Handbook is now available for pre-order at: https://payhip.com/b/QuVRO
