Research Briefing | Feb 6, 2024

Will Chinese Traveller Behaviour Change?

Chinese outbound travel is well on the path to recovery. Domestic travel recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and we expect growth to continue in line with continued consumer demand. The faster expected growth, and recovery to the established growth trend, for international outbound travel by Chinese travellers means that an understanding of attitudes, behaviour and spending activity is crucial for destinations.

What you will learn:

  • We anticipate that there will be a broad continuation of several pre-pandemic Chinese traveller behaviours such as high outbound spend, short average length of stay (ALOS) and preferences for luxury travel.
  • But there are some risks to this outlook and likely changes in behaviour. In the near-term, weak economic conditions in China and the recent focus on destination safety will pose a threat to the pace of growth and will influence destination choice.
  • Over the longer-run, newly emerging preferences for authentic experiences and wellbeing related travel pose challenges for destinations reliant on China as a key source market as well as new opportunities.
  • Beyond the near-term headwinds, we expect Chinese outbound travel to make up the largest portion of global outbound visits and spending between 2026 and 2033. As the Chinese middle class grows, there will be a larger appetite for travel. It is yet to be seen if this cohort will continue the observed pattern of Chinese outbound travel in the long run.
Back to Resource Hub

Related Posts

Post

Strong global overnight stays outlook to generate mixed reactions in 2024

Global overnight stays are forecast to rise 16% above 2019 levels in 2024, driven by an increase of 19% in domestic nights across the same period.

Find Out More

Post

Global Cruise Trends Report: March 2024

This report delves into research conducted in Q4 2023 across five key cruise markets, all indicating strong cruise demand. Our comprehensive market intelligence aims to equip the travel industry with insights into the significant growth potential in the cruise industry.

Find Out More

Post

Growing confidence and easing perceptions of challenges in tourism

Tourism Economics’ latest Travel Industry Monitor (TIM), a quarterly survey among tourism professionals conducted in Q4 2023, identified strong expectations of growth in 2024 and beyond.

Find Out More