THE Chinese are reportedly the fastest-growing tourism group in the world, with approximately 57.4 million people travelling overseas last year.
According to the UN World Travel Organisation, last year Chinese travellers spent $102billion on overseas travel, more than tourists from any other country.
Countries the world over have begun courting the Chinese traveller in earnest, brands and destinations using social media to attract China’s big-spending overseas travellers.
Here in Fiji, Tourism Fiji recorded 28,333 Chinese tourist arrivals last year, a 21 per cent increase from the 23,423 that visited Fiji in 2013.
An industry day organised for inbound travellers at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa in Sigatoka last week heard of strategies being developed for marketing, branding and communication — relevant to travellers, from both the emerging and the ever-important traditional markets.
Increasing presence in Asia
LIKE other properties, InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa in Sigatoka is looking to increase its physical presence in South East Asia.
Sales and marketing director Hudson Mitchell said the resort will conduct site visits to China, Japan and Korea as part of their marketing strategy.
Aggressive strategies have been put in place and this includes the engagement of a business development manager for China.
“Apart from that, we are also looking at getting all of our collateral pushed out in Korea as well as the Chinese market,” Mr Mitchell said.
“This means physically moving into the market and travelling around the different parts of South East Asia to make sure that we establish relationships and get more bookings out of it.”
He said the resort fared well in 2014 with the assistance of its inbound tour operators, noting an increase in bookings and sales to emerging markets.
“It’s very indicative of our marketing efforts and strategies and also the different technical campaigns that we work with these specific partners to ensure that we maximise our production throughout the world.”
Interest from young Chinese
TRAVEL company Fulluck Trade and Tour Company Ltd says a lot of young Chinese people are interested in travelling to Fiji.
Employee Bella Guo said apart from visiting various attractions on the mainland, many young people were also interested in travelling to the outer islands to experience Fijian culture.
“We have been marketing Fiji’s tourism sector in China for a while now and we have noticed an increase in the number of young couples travelling to Fiji,” she said.
“I think the reason for this is because resorts and hotels here in Fiji are doing a lot to accommodate their Chinese guests and I think this is very good for us.”
She said the establishment of direct flights between China and Fiji would help a lot.
Last year, Rosie Holidays announced it would begin operating a series of non-stop flights from Shanghai to Nadi from this month.
Rosie Travel Group managing director Tony Whitton had said his organisation would charter a Fiji Airways Airbus A330 aircraft that would initially operate two direct services over the Chinese New Year period.
Support for direct flights
MARY Li is excited about the prospect of direct flights from China to Fiji.
The Chinese national said this direct link would ease travel and increase interest from travellers in her homeland.
Arriving in Fiji as a tourist last October, she recalled how she was amazed by the beauty of Fiji and the friendliness of the people.
This experience influenced her decision to join Pacific Ocean International Travel Service, a travel company that works to market Fiji to the Chinese.
“I wanted other people from China to also visit Fiji and witness the culture here,” she said.
“I have been working in the marketing sector for more than three years now and we always sell Fiji as a holiday destination.”
She said they were thankful to the Fijian Government for helping Chinese travel businesses.
According to Ms Zhang, advertising helped people discover Fiji.
“Many did not even know Fiji existed. Today, many have come to Fiji and they love it here.”
Traditional markets still the strongest
Meanwhile, in the face of increasing tourist arrivals from South East Asia, two Nadi-based inbound tour operators that deal with arrivals from Australia and New Zealand are confident these two countries will remain bread and butter markets for a long time.
Arrivals from Australia and New Zealand between January and November in 2014 stood at a combined 433,912, which was a stark contrast to the figures recorded for the top three South Eastern countries — China, Japan and South Korea. Visitors from the three countries totaled 36,714 for the same period in 2014.
ATS Pacific reservations manager Fiona Vagudruli said the Australian and New Zealand markets had always held record numbers compared with other countries in Europe and the US.
Southern World Vacations (Fiji) Ltd operations manager Mesi Kailawadoko said it was important to note that the high seasons in local resorts were adjusted to suit the holiday seasons of Australia and New Zealand.
“For the Asian markets, their holiday seasons are at a different period so like I said, we are very much still focused on these two important markets,” he said.
