Chinese consumer behaviour and tourism

A greater disposable income and a rise of the Chinese population lead to an increase of outbound travel as more people can afford the luxury of going abroad. Because of this enormous potential it’s very important to focus and get know-how on Chinese consumer behaviour and it’s relation to tourism. So this article will focus on Chinese consumer behaviour and it’s relation to tourism.

What are the key Products Chinese buy in China versus their vacation destination?

According to GoldmanSachs, Chinese consumer spending can be broken down into seven categories. These are: Looking more beautiful, eating better, better home, more mobility/connectivity, having more fun, well-being/health/education and luxury.
The above mentioned seven categories is an logical result of a greater disposable income and rise of the Chinese economy. The above mentioned categories are non-essential luxury products which will increase more and more in the upcoming years if this income rise trend continuous. (Goldmansachs, 2016)

The Seven Key Consumer Desires

The main reasons for Chinese tourist going abroad are: Leisure (75%, shopping (44%) and visiting friends/relatives (7%).

Purpose of Travel

Apparently Chinese tourist prefer to shop abroad rather than in China. But why do they prefer to shop abroad? Well there are numerous reasons for it, which I will explain below:
Lack of trust into Chinese products/brands: This is the most important reason why Chinese buy their products abroad rather than in China. As you may remember the melamine scandal back in 2008 were milk companies mixed up milk with melamine. Six children died and an estimated 54.000 babies were hospitalized.  Chinese are very concerned about the safety of products. That’s why they prefer products abroad. (Sanders, 2016)
High prices and taxes of products: Foreign products/brands are very expensive in to buy in China. Due to high import taxes it is very expensive to buy ‘western’ luxury brands in China. It’s better for the Chinese to go abroad and buy the products there. (Sanders, 2016)

What does a basic Chinese diet require and do they care about a Chinese diet being offered in a hotel?

Every country has its own cuisine and special dishes. There are even differences between regions within an country when it comes to the cuisine/dishes. But Chinese food is really different compared to the Western style cuisine. Due to this it sometimes brings difficulties to tourists who are not ‘easy eaters’. Chinese travellers do not easily accept other cuisines when they’re abroad. To ensure their satisfaction it is desirable to offer Chinese meals. 
But there are differences between provinces and the different tastes of Chinese people. People from the south like fresh food with a little spice whereas people from the south-west enjoy spicy food. People from Shanghai enjoy sweet food and people from the North of China prefer the more salty and oily cuisine. (Rafat, 013) (chinacontact.org, 2015)
So you may wonder how are you going to satisfy the Chinese tourists when they are so different in their preferences of food. Well they may differ on some small things but they have more in common than you think.
First of all Chinese tend to eat early. Breakfast starts at 06:00/07:00 in the morning followed by lunch at 11:30/12:00 at noon and dinner at 18:00/19:00 in the evening. The early dinning gives them the opportunity to go to the city centre for some entertainment. (Rafat, 013) (chinacontact.org, 2015)When giving out dinner it is important to provide the Chinese chop sticks as an option for the classical cutlery. When you’re providing chop sticks make sure they are placed on the right side of the dish. Chop sticks should never be stuck into the food, this is associated with bad luck. (Rafat, 013) (chinacontact.org, 2015).

Typical Chinese meal

Furthermore the Chinese welcome a variety of meats and vegetables in one meal. For example offer them several small dishes with different kinds of food (meat, vegetables etc.) rather than just one big dish. There’s one exception for this rule and that is the soup dish. Northern Chinese people eat soup at the end of the meal, while in southern China they eat it as a starter. But this problem can be avoided by asking them in advance of their preferences. Chinese prefer to eat fruit at the end of the meal rather than desserts such as cake or ice-cream. (Rafat, 013) (chinacontact.org, 2015)
When serving the food make sure you serve a basic selection of Chinese food, for example rice. Make sure you serve the rise in a big bowl so that their friends can join in. Dumplings are also a famous Chinese dish, don’t forget this one either.
Chinese like food which are liquid and soft (hot pod, noodles etc.), but make sure you avoid serving soft boiled eggs and avoid using too many milk products. (Rafat, 013) (chinacontact.org, 2015)

Typical Chinese meal

But by far the most important common Chinese preference is the availability of hot (free) water in the hotel. Chinese enjoy warm drinks and to be more specific they like Chinese green tea. To satisfy the Chinese customer it is important to provide unlimited hot water or green tea free of charge.
The hot water is not only important for the tea but also for the noodles. Chinese often bring noodles with them in case the local food wasn’t good or wasn’t enough for them. (Rafat, 013) (chinacontact.org, 2015)
Chinese are well known for their quick eating so they welcome it if you serve the food all at the same time. Don’t be surprised if they immediately leave after they are finished with their dish.  

Bibliography

chinacontact.org. (2015, October 12). China outbound tourism education series part 16: Consumer behaviour. Retrieved from www.chinacontact.org: http://www.chinacontact.org/en/china-outbound-tourism-education-series-part-16-consumer-behaviour/

Goldmansachs. (2016, January 1). The rise of China's new consumer class. Retrieved from www.goldmansachs.com: http://www.goldmansachs.com/our-thinking/macroeconomic-insights/growth-of-china/chinese-consumer/

Rafat, A. (013, January 3). The cultural cliches the travel industry uses for Chinese tourists. Retrieved from www.skift.com: https://skift.com/2013/01/03/the-cultural-cliches-travel-industry-uses-for-chinese-tourists/

Sanders, E. (2016). Consumer behaviour and tourism. Deventer: Chinatalk.