Women, couples and those in the 31-40 age group were the most likely demographics to book high-end customized travel packages overseas.
Shanghai, China – Ctrip together with the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI) has released a new travel report which examines the trends of Chinese outbound travelers who are opting for more high-end customized travel.
According to the report, women, couples and those in the 31-40 age group were the most likely demographics to book high-end customized travel packages overseas. The top 10 most popular destinations were Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Maldives, USA, Australia, France, Singapore, UAE and Italy.
Ctrip established its Customized Travel unit in January 2016 to cater to the highly personalized travel demands of Chinese travellers who are increasingly interested in top-quality services and the exclusive use of highly scarce resources.
The online travel agent said seasoned travelers regarded travel as a major leisure activity, and are actively in search of services, resources and experiences that are high-quality, unique and niche. These specific group of customers are also deemed as flexible with their time and not bound by cost issues, thus they value exclusivity and privacy during their travel experiences.
According to to Ctrip, the number of orders on the platform in 2018 increased 180% year-on-year. Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou remain the top three local markets with the highest demand for high-end customized travel. However, it noted that the growth rate of orders from second and third-tier cities such as Xi’an and Tianjin surpassed that of first-tier cities.
Ctrip’s data also show that the average expenditure per person on a high-end customized travel package was RMB 23,800 (USD 3,410).
It cited the demand for unique activities such as helicopter tours, fine dining, attendance of special sporting events such as FIFA World Cup and unique accommodation arrangements such as island resorts reflected ongoing interest in higher end, more tailored experiences in the Chinese travel market.
In March 2019, Ctrip launched a platform designed especially for Chinese high-end customers who are increasingly interested in top-quality services and the exclusive use of highly scarce resources.
Jonathan Xie, General Manager of Customized Travel Business, said: “The aim of Ctrip’s Customized Travel Platform 3.0 is to make travel easy, in any location, in any way our clients want to make their trip.”
Sirima is the Editor-in-Chief of TravelDailyNews Asia-Pacific, responsible for the editorial aspects of the online news portal.
