Travel preference of Chinese Tourists changes

Preferences of Chinese tourists have been undergoing changes and more destinations are in their preferred lists, other than Paris and Eiffel Tower, said a tourism official from France.

“Chinese tourists prefer to travel in smaller groups or alone. As per records around 48 per cent of Chinese tourists have been to Paris at least once during the past five years. Currently they prefer to visit lesser-known destinations and experiencing local culture as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre no longer enough,” said Christophe Decloux, managing director of Paris Region Tourism Board.

China is the third biggest tourist source country for Paris after the United States and Britain with a total of 1.1 million trips in 2017. It is expected to climb to 2 million in about five years.

“The changing demands of Chinese tourists make scenic spots such as the Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte and medieval town Provins popular. Apart from this, Impressionist-themed travel routes are also popular among China’s tourists,” added Decloux.

With a boost from the European Union (EU)-China Tourism Year 2018, the board held tourism promotions in China’s cities and signed an agreement with Alibaba’s online travel platform Fliggy, building web pages to provide more information for China’s tourists who are in search of new things, said Decloux.

Online payment platforms such as Alipay and WeChat Pay and 24-hour hotlines are accessible in Paris to ensure safety and facilitate communication, he said.