A Golden Opportunity for Tourism Providers

Spending the New Year holiday at home is a common practice to more traditional families. However in recent years, be it due to the ever-increasing global foothold that China is building, or the recent 2016 lift on the one-child policy, families are more willing and eager to spend their holiday time overseas travelling to new and exotic places.

 

With 6.15 million Chinese having traveled in the holiday just last year alone, the Chinese New Year has now become a golden opportunity for tourism providers who can meet the needs of multi-generational family traveling. This article will help brands that want to get on the hype train for the festive season before it is too late, and seeing as how most travelers spend the good part of several weeks relaxing, there will still be plenty of time to begin or just tweak your brand’s festive campaign for 2018!

 

Accommodating Family Travel

With the cold winter weather and oppressive air pollution across China during the nation’s largest holiday, many younger people are more prone to taking their entire family to travel to warmer climates abroad. During the 2016 CNY, 56% of affluent Chinese youths traveled abroad. 90% of this figure also brought alone family and friends.

 

What’s this mean? For accommodation, focus on giving these travelers what they want: warm memories that will stay with them long after February has passed. For example: a hotel could host a two-week campaign where all travelers signing in during these two weeks can list themselves for a ‘Premium CNY 2018 Service’. For just a small sign-up fee, staff could personally bring region or culture specific delicacies to rooms listed under the premium service, along with other benefits, from souvenirs to a therapeutic massage evening.

 

The possibilities are endless; so give these families an experience that they won’t forget any time soon instead of just providing them with a room to stay.

 

Climate and Convenience

Businesses need to take into consideration two important factors: climate and convenience.  Because the holiday falls in the middle of Winter, many of the people travelling will be doing so with a goal in mind: to spend the holiday period in a warmer more comfortable setting. As such, places like Australia and the U.S are very popular choices. Countries like the United Arab Emirates have also received a growing number of Chinese travelers due to relaxed visa requirements.

 

In terms of convenience, many Chinese couples will also be travelling with their children, along with their parents, siblings and perhaps other relatives. Because of this, convenience is essential and greatly appreciated. Be it a destination that is easy to reach (preferably direct flight) or adequate accommodations and activities for the entire family.

 

 

Packages and Promotions

Capitalizing on the Chinese New Year will be commonplace everywhere, from discounts to packages. Like mentioned earlier, providing these travelers with an unforgettable experience is one that will benefit both the customer and the brand image.

 

While a holiday promotion does not necessarily have to be the largest or flashiest in your industry, it will be good to know what works and what doesn’t. An article related specifically to this topic will be published soon, however one example you can look at now is Raffles Hainan and their CNY promotion, where they are offering a 1.3 million RMB luxury Chinese New Year experience, including dinner served in the prediential villa’s private dining room and a private party on a yacht, to just one group of up to eight people.

 

 

Get the basics right

And finally, hotels and resorts need to make sure they understand the essentials of what makes a positive experience for Chinese families.

 

While it is not necessary to create a fully Chinese menu, at least provide some Chinese breakfast options as children and elderly Chinese travelers are more likely to be traditional in their food choices. Family is of utmost importance to the Chinese, and so try to provide families with a suite of multiple bedrooms to ensure their satisfaction and appreciation. Finally, provide a wide variety of activities for all ages.