This is something that doesn't happen often and it is interesting that Hotels.com have realised that their own suppliers that directly interact with travellers can share valuable commercial insights.
So what is the immediate future focus of Hotels.com?
It's how Chinese tourists are changing the dynamics of the global tourism market.
"According to China Tourism Academy (CTA), there were approximately 70 million trips overseas from China in 2011, an increase of more than 20% from the 57.4 million trips in 2010. During the last decade, China has become the second largest economy in the world and is now the home to an ever-growing number of affluent and/or influential Chinese, who have developed a very keen taste for travelling overseas. WTO (World Tourism Organization) estimates that there will be 100 million Chinese outbound travelers within this decade, making it the largest outbound market in the world."It is interesting to contemplate the NZ accommodation industry‘s readiness and what potential plans (if any) are being made to cater to a Chinese tourism opportunity.
Will motel rooms in New Zealand be soon adding woks and rice cookers to their inventory of self-catering facilities? And will the traditional motel breakfast soon include popular Chinese breakfast selections such as warm bowls of congee that is a watery rice gruel that bears a marked resemblance to porridge and crullers that are deep-fried twisted strips of dough?
Hotels.com will be sharing the aggregated results of the survey that will determine "how this influx of Chinese tourists is changing the dynamics of the global tourism market" with those suppliers that participate. The results will be interesting to follow.
