BTO - Buy Tourism Online 2011 Stazione Leopolda, a Firenze 1° e 2 Dicembre 2011 Speaker: Jing Li Istituto Confucio di Pisa Stazione Leopolda 1° Dicembre 2011, Day ONE Main Hall, i paesi B[R]IC 16.20 - 17.30 Il panel con la discussione sui paesi B[R]IC sarà introdotto da una ricerca commissionata da BTO – Buy Tourism Online 2011 a Pragma Market Research Company e a Episteme, il primo un istituto di ricerca tra i più attenti alle tendenze che ruotano attorno al viaggio, il secondo, diretto da Monica Fabris, ha elaborato i dati per proporli al pubblico “vestiti”, in modo da offrirci una chiave di lettura dinamica su quali potranno essere le prospettive future. La ricerca ha come tema lo stile dei viaggiatori dei paesi B[R]IC, Brasile, Cina e India, a seguire un dibattito. http://www.buytourismonline.com/il-programma-day-one-1-dicembre-2011/

1. An Overview of Chinese Outbound
Tourism and Features of
Chinese Tourists in Italy
Li Jing
Istituto Confucio di Pisa
01 12 2011

2. Ⅰ. General Introduction
Ⅱ. The Current Status of Chinese Outbound Tourism market
Ⅲ. Factors Influencing Chinese Outbound Tourism
Ⅳ. Some Outstanding Features of Chinese Tourists in Italy
Ⅴ. Problems and Challenges for Chinese Tourists in Italy
Ⅵ. Suggestions

3. Ⅰ. General Introduction
• Travelling in ancient China was arduous.
• Tourism restarted in China in early 1950.
• The rapid growth is an outcome of the recent economic reform
Three main stages since 1978:
1. Inbound tourism only
2. Inbound and domestic tourism
3. Comprehensive tourism including domestic,
inbound and outbound

4. Ⅱ. The Current Status of Chinese
Outbound tourism market
• Outbound leisure tourism made by the Chinese residents
started from early 1980s, and has been growing very rapidly
since late 1990s. This phenomenon has drawn wide attention
from home and abroad. In the meanwhile, business travels
increase steadily owing to the booming international
cooperation in economy, culture and other fields.
• It is characterized by 4 major features:

5. Ⅱ. The Current Status of Chinese
Outbound tourism market
1. The outbound tourism market continues to expand.
• In 2010, China’s outbound market continues to maintain a
strong growth. The number of outbound tourists in 2010 is
57.39 million, an increase of 20.4%,
• The outbound tour for private purposes further strengthened
its role as the major tourism pattern

6. Ⅱ. The Current Status of Chinese
Outbound tourism market
2. The destinations opened to Chinese tourist increased
steadily, and the visa processing time was shortened.
• Until 2010, destination for Chinese tourists reached 140
countries and regions

7. Ⅱ. The Current Status of Chinese
Outbound tourism market
3. Tourism safety raised more concerns. The travel safety
insurance was further regulated.
• On November 8th, 2010 the Administrative Measures for
Travel Agency Liability Insurance was issued, which marked
a renewal of legal basis for overseas travel insurance.

8. Ⅱ. The Current Status of Chinese
Outbound tourism market
4. The consumption scale expands significantly, and the
overseas payment becomes increasingly convenient.
• In 2010, the spending on overseas travel was $ 48 billion, an
increase of 14%, reaching a new record high.
• And the total consumption ranked fourth in the world.
• Spending on shopping accounted for 76% of total expenditure
of mainland tourists to Europe.

9. Ⅲ. Factors Influencing Chinese
Outbound Tourism
• Some factors which influence the growth of Chinese
outbound tourism may include the following:
1. Constant economic growth and increasing income
2. Further relaxation of government control
3. Increased leisure time
4. Change of consumption
5. Improved international relationship

10. Ⅲ. Factors Influencing Chinese
Outbound Tourism
1. Constant economic growth and increasing income
• China’s national economy has maintained a sound growth in the past two
decades.
• The country’s annual GDP growth has kept around 8-10% or more.
• As a result, the country’s GDP per capita is over USD $1000 as a whole,
over $5000 in some large cities and developed areas.
• China’s foreign exchange reserve was up to USD$1000bn in mid-2006,
• Residents have more sources of foreign exchanges.
• The strong Chinese currency may encourage the Chinese people to
consume abroad.

11. Ⅲ. Factors Influencing Chinese
Outbound Tourism
2. Further relaxation of government control
• The Chinese government has further relaxed the traditional controls over
outbound travel.
• Private passport application has been made much easier without
complicated examinations and approvals
• More operators are allowed to do outbound tourism business,
• The limit of foreign currency brought by residents out of the country has
been lifted for a few times
• Various credit cards (dual-currency credit cards[1] in particular) have
made such limits nominal.

12. Ⅲ. Factors Influencing Chinese
Outbound Tourism
3. Increased leisure time
• China started the practice of “two days off in a week” in 1995
• Began to create 3 week-long holidays annually in 1999 by
bridging weekends and public holidays.
• As a result, people have more free time to enjoy,
• With the introduction of paid holiday system, leisure tourism
and holidays may become gradually a part of life for more
and more people in China.

13. Ⅲ. Factors Influencing Chinese
Outbound Tourism
4. Change of consumption
• The dynamic economic reform and being open to the outside
world have changed the country’s economic system.
• Three outstanding changes can be well noticed:
from “money saving” to “money spending”
from “save for others” to “enjoy themselves”
from “purchase of goods” to “seeking for personal
experience and well-being”.

14. Ⅲ. Factors Influencing Chinese
Outbound Tourism
5. Improved international relationship
• China’s relationship with the majority of countries has been
improved, and strategic partnership has been established.
• A good many bilateral Year of Friendship activities have been
launched one after another.
• More Chinese residents are able to go overseas for leisure and
holiday thanks to the convenience and facility provided by the
host destinations.

15. Ⅳ. Some outstanding features of
Chinese tourists in Italy
• According to a survey conducted by the Italian National Institute of Statistics:
• The number of Chinese tourists visiting Italy has increased greatly in recent years.
• In 2008, more than 716,500 Chinese tourists visited the country, about 1.7 percent
of all foreign tourists.
• In 2009, Chinese tourists spent some 171 million euro in Italy.
• In 2010, one million Chinese visited Italy.
Rome and Venice are the favorite destinations for Chinese tourists, around 40
percent of Chinese tourists visit Rome,
Source: China Daily

16. Ⅳ. Some features of Chinese tourists
in Italy may include
1. Where are the Chinese tourists from?
• As a large country both in area and population, economic and
social development remains rather imbalanced.
• As a result, most outbound tourists, especially leisure
travelers, are generated from the more affluent areas: Beijing,
Shanghai and Guangzhou, and from well-developed areas.
Wealthy and youngsters are the mainstream.

17. Ⅳ. Some features of Chinese tourists
in Italy may include
2. When are the Chinese holidays?
• In general, Chinese tourists travel to Italy during the Three
Golden Weeks (Chinese National Day, Chinese New Year,
The first week of May) and the Summer holidays (July and
August).
• The average time they stay in Italy is about 2.5 days in their
European tour package (from 11 days to 15 days)

18. Ⅳ. Some features of Chinese tourists
in Italy may include
3. What do the Chinese tourists expect to do in Italy?
• Some Chinese love Italy, fascinated by its natural beauty, its culture, history, art,
design, opera, football etc. as well as its life style (food, wine, fashion etc.)
• The Chinese visitors in Italy more like to see the most famous monuments and
tourist attractions. Chinese more like to visit more cities in one trip rather than to
longer stay in one place as holiday makers.
• Rome and Venice are the favorite destinations for Chinese tourists, around 40
percent of Chinese tourists visit Rome (China Daily).
• They usually take some photos in front of famous tourist attractions. Due to the
tight schedule, they almost have no enough time to visit the museums.
• Shopping and sightseeing are the purpose of Chinese tourists in Italy. Shopping is
one of important activities during in Italy. The average total spending on shopping
starts from 1500 euro in their European tour.

19. Ⅳ. Some features of Chinese tourists
in Italy may include
4. What is the major travel mode for Chinese tourists in Italy?
• Owing to the language barriers and inexperience of overseas travels,
Chinese visitors more prefer tour groups with their relatives and friends.
• Package tour is the major mode for tourist in Italy. Chinese visitors more
prefer tour groups with their relatives and friends, especially for the long
destinations.
• The average total cost for the European tour package (11-15 days) starts
from 1500 to 2500 euro, of which about 450 euro in Italy tour. Most
Chinese tourists stay in 2 or 3 stars hotels outside the city and Chinese
food in Chinese restaurants are served during their stay in Europe.

20. V. Some Problems or difficulties for
Chinese tourists in Italy
• 1. The limited knowledge of Chinese tourists about Italy.
• 2. Visa application issue
• 3. Hotel location
• 4. Hot water
• 5. Food issue
• 6. Language barrier
• 7. Qualified Chinese speaking tour guide needed
• 8. Safety issue

21. VI. Some suggestions
1. Improving services for Chinese tourists and strengthen promotion efforts in
China,
2. Launching an official Chinese website www.yidalinihao.com to attract more
Chinese tourists to the country, providing detailed information about
Italy’s great natural scenery and historical and culture heritage.
3. Providing different tourism packages in different districts or cities for
Chinese tourists in Italy.
4. Calling for more signs and audio-guide in Chinese in a bid to encourage
extra visitors from China.
5. Training for qualified Chinese speaking tour guides

22. •Thank you very much!