China’s outbound tourism market has boomed in recent years. Not only that, but this accelerated growth is showing no signs of relenting just yet. As the social dynamic in China changes, with more money being distributed around the middle classes, travel is one of the many things once considered luxuries that is now available to a huge number of people. The China travel market is a huge resource of potential customers, eager and ready for what you have to offer. Here are four key facts about the market to show you why you need to be travel marketing in China.

1. China Travel Market Size

Compared to 2000, the travel market in China has grown by more than 800%. In 2012, 83 million people from China travelled overseas (source: The Next Web). That means you have a market bigger than the entire population of the UK eager for new experiences. In much the same way that Asia holds a mythical and magical appeal to people in the West, Chinese tourists are equally enamoured with Western countries.

2. China Travel Market Spend

As we said in our blog post overview of the China travel market, Chinese tourists are big spenders. Where once American tourists were at the top of the league table in terms of overseas spending, they have now been surpassed by Chinese tourists. In 2012 alone, Chinese visitors to other countries spent $102 billion (source: qz.com)

3. China Travel Market Potential Growth

If the information on the current size of the market, and the amount of money it is willing to spend, still hasn’t got you excited, we’ve got plenty more good news to come. The freshly affluent middle classes in China are driving the boom in the travel market. As China’s economic success continues to grow, so will the number of rich middle-class consumers with the taste for travel. And with a population swiftly approaching 1.5 billion, there is plenty of room for this market to expand.

4. Accessibility

As the world’s largest smart phone market, it is hardly surprising that China is embracing new technology and ways of accessing, researching, and purchasing holidays. If you read our last post on the major players in the China tourism market, you might not be surprised to learn that Ctrip’s travel app has been downloaded more than 50 million times (source: Ctrip), with a fifth of customers using it to book hotels.

You have the knowledge – Now act upon it!

The China travel market is a lucrative and promising resource of potential customers for enterprising and digitally savvy companies. As the market expands, large companies are already doing their best to establish a strong foothold in the market. But with such a large base of potential customers, there is still plenty of room for new players to enter the market. If you act fast, and have the right strategy in place, you can gain a lucrative and awarding portion of this thriving new customer base.

Get in touch with us today to find out how.

(Image source: “Asian Travel” | www.freedigitalphotos.net)