Source: Global Times
Hong Kong " South China Morning Post " article on August 22, original title: (due to the epidemic) Cannot go abroad, wealthy Chinese tourists' demand for luxury domestic destinations surges Before wealthy Chinese vacationers can travel through various countries again, luxury resorts in China are making a fortune by using blocked international travel. Due to the epidemic, Chinese tourists are now unable to go to the distant places such as Mediterranean or Maldives to bask in the sun, and are increasingly turning to domestic seaside resort Sanya, one of the few high-end tourist destinations in China. High-end hotels and luxury camping sites in Yunnan and elsewhere have also become potential destinations for wealthy people who are desperately in need of vacation.
All Chinese tourists overseas in 2019 cost US$1,643, while domestic tourists spent only US$134.5 in the first half of 2021. This highlights the increasingly suppressed consumption capacity. Analysts say travel-hungry people have triggered a boom in high-end tourism in China. Some developers are eager to make money through products such as new resorts.
Liu Jianbin (sound), the head of a high-end cruise service agency, said: "Domestic market has been awakened due to the large number of high-end tourists (forced to stay in China). Private travel booked through Ctrip this spring increased by 260%. Compared with before the epidemic in the first half of 2019, Hainan's tourism revenue increased by 67.1% in the first half of 2021. But the growing demand for high-quality tourist destinations has also raised questions about domestic standards and concerns about limited options.
"In Thailand or Indonesia and other places, you will feel that the waiter's smile is sincere, not performance," Liu said. "China does a good job of imitating fur, but lacks core... You will see that there are many young waiters in China, and many doormen and waiters abroad are older. Maybe they have worked in the same resort for decades, which is a valuable asset." In addition, new luxury resorts continue to emerge, which has also led to the loss of high-quality employees.
Local vendors have a hard time finding ways to replicate their overseas luxury travel experience. Visitors have to endure the pain of growth. Due to the strong demand, luxury hotels nowadays usually require bookings several months in advance. A complete travel service and activity chain is also difficult to find. Some popular destinations are either notorious for blackmailing tourists or are overcrowded and over-commercialized during holidays. This is almost no fun for many Chinese tourists with vision. Regardless, Chinese tourists are seeking quality experiences, whether the destination is international or domestic. (Author Luna Sun, translated by Chen Kang)
