Cornell Study Details Preferences of International Chinese Travelers

The international hotel industry has taken note of a large and rapidly growing market - Chinese travelers, who now number more than 70 million. In a study of Chinese tour operators, a new report from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) explores the wants and needs of this important market. Available at no charge from the Cornell CHR, the study depicts a focused group of travelers who seek to experience all aspects of the world’s cultures on trips that make the best possible use of the time available. 

The report, “Preferences and Attitudes of Chinese Outbound Travelers: The Hotel Industry Welcomes a Growing Market Segment,” was written by Peng (Peter) Liu, Qingqing Lin, Lingqiang Zhou, and Raj Chandnani. Liu is an assistant professor at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, Lin was a student at Zhejiang University, where Zhou is a professor, and Chandnani is a vice president for the design firm WATG.

“Chinese travelers want to experience the full culture of many locations,” said Liu. “They are particularly interested in trips to Europe and North America. For the near future, China’s travelers will continue to purchase package tours, but we will soon see independent Chinese travelers. In our report, we describe their travel preferences, and we note that hotels are beginning to provide the amenities that they seek.”

As detailed in the study, China’s travelers prefer full-service hotels with such time-saving amenities as a pot to make hot water for tea and a buffet breakfast. They prefer to stay in urban properties that allow them access to shopping, because purchasing gifts is an important aspect of their trip. Although they appreciate hotels’ efforts to make them feel at home, Chinese travelers are firmly in favor of experiencing as much as possible of their destination, including sampling the cuisine and participating in local activities.
 

About The Center for Hospitality Research
A unit of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, The Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) sponsors research designed to improve practices in the hospitality industry. Under the lead of the center's 75 corporate affiliates, experienced scholars work closely with business executives to discover new insights into strategic, managerial and operating practices. The center also publishes the award-winning hospitality journal, the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. To learn more about the center and its projects, visit www.chr.cornell.edu.


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