Young Chinese keen on featured outbound tours

Young people in China have shown increasing enthusiasm for featured outbound tours, with data suggesting coastal regions, high-quality group tours, customized tours, and individual tours, as well as novel tourism products and services gaining in popularity.

Chinese tourists interact with Maasai performers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, Feb. 11, 2023. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

According to a recent report on the first batch of young Chinese tourists who have traveled abroad since the country resumed outbound group tours in February, post-90s young Chinese accounted for more than 57 percent of them, and nearly half spent an average of more than 10,000 yuan ($1,446) per person on outbound tours.

Southeast Asian countries were the first stop of most young Chinese tourists, with Thailand being one of the most popular destinations since China resumed outbound group tours, said the report released by Mafengwo, a Chinese travel services and social networking platform.

The opening of the China-Laos Railway has further expanded transportation options for outbound tourists, making Luang Prabang in Laos among the most searched overseas destinations on Mafengwo, the report said.

Young Chinese tourists favor coastal regions, and island vacations became the first choice of many young tourists during this year's May Day holiday, the report said, noting that tourist destinations with a mature tourism industry, including Phuket and Pattaya in Thailand, Bali island in Indonesia, Singapore, and Maldives, enjoying great popularity.

In terms of the choice of tourism products, nearly 70 percent of outbound Chinese tourists aged between 18 and 40 chose group tours, according to a travel agency.

Young tourists pay more attention to the quality of their tours, according to the travel agency, which disclosed that besides regular group tours, young people also like customized tours during which they can travel with their family.

Individual tours have also become more popular among young tourists in China. Latest data from Chinese online travel agency Ctrip showed that young tourists booked more outbound individual tours than group tours during the first months of the year. Popular destinations included China's Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia.

To attract more young tourists, Chinese online travel service provider Tuniu.com has rolled out tourism products featuring novel experience activities, according to a company executive.

Tours in New Zealand have a tight itinerary and include rich experience activities, such as a hike along glaciers in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, a helicopter ride over the glaciers, and stargazing at night, the executive said.

New experience activities targeting young tourists have also been added to tours of Dubai, such as off-roading in desert dunes, a visit to the Museum of the Future, which is known for its rich futuristic sci-tech elements, and a ride on the world's fastest roller coaster in Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the executive said.

The key to attracting young tourists is novel, niche, and personalized tourism experiences, noted an executive in charge of Mafengwo's brand specializing in travel strategy.