The opportunity for inbound tourism to China is often overlooked, a sentiment echoed by industry leaders during the high-level industry leaders dialogue session at the China-Thailand Cultural Tourism Industry Summit, held in Bangkok on July 1.
“We shouldn’t lose sight of inbound tourism while strategising to attract Chinese tourists abroad,” stated Xu Jing, vice-chairman of the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC), who was the panel moderator at the summit.
Industry leaders convened to discuss bilateral cooperation opportunities at the China-Thailand Cultural Tourism Industry Summit (Photo: Anne Somanas)
Highlighting China’s cultural richness, PATA chairman Peter Semone pointed to the country’s ranking within the top five for cultural resources globally on the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index.
“China has 57 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and 43 intangible cultural heritage offerings. This is a massive opportunity for China, and it’s one that remains largely untapped,” remarked Semone.
He further emphasised the recent merging of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism as a strategic move and highlighted tourism’s role in fostering global understanding and peace.
He stated: “People travel to immerse themselves in different cultures and connect with others. If destinations offer homogenous experiences, why travel? One might as well stay home and use virtual reality. Those cultural experiences (are the ones) that promote empathy, respect, and cross-cultural communication, ultimately contributing to social harmony and global interconnectedness.”
William Heinecke, founder and chairman of Minor International, underscored the significance of both inbound and outbound tourism for China.
“We have hotels in China and we have restaurants in China so the domestic market and even the foreign market that goes to China is very important to us for our hotels. But equally important to us is, of course, the outbound market from China,” he said.
Heinecke remarked that his strategic acquisition of Spanish chain NH Hotel Group pre-Covid, which added 350 hotels to Minor’s portfolio, reflects what he foresees as a growing trend – Chinese tourists will increasingly seek diverse experiences beyond Asia.
He elaborated: “We made a very big bet that the travellers of China will not only be going to Asia and be heavy users of Asia, but they’ll also be going to Europe. They’re going to go around the world, because they are seeking richer, more experiential journeys.”
Additionally, Heinecke observed Chinese outbound travel today is less shopping-driven than in the past, saying that the Parisian shopping landscape has already been transposed to major cities like Shanghai or Beijing, and shopping is “less critical” today – having been replaced with the outbound hunger for experiences, food and culture.
Minor is also equally keen on the inbound travel market to China, with Heinecke predicting it will become “one of the largest markets”.
He shared that Minor is working with its partner in China for a pipeline of hotels that will cater to experiential travel, leveraging the country’s plethora of untapped cultural heritage and natural attractions.
The summit, which kicked off a cultural and tourism industry exchange visit by over 200 delegates comprising various industry leaders from Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR over two days on July 1 and 2, convened key industry figures to discuss bilateral cooperation and unlock new promotional avenues in the Sino-Thai cultural tourism sector ahead of the 50th anniversary of Thailand-China diplomatic relations in 2025.
The opportunity for inbound tourism to China is often overlooked, a sentiment echoed by industry leaders during the high-level industry leaders dialogue session at the China-Thailand Cultural Tourism Industry Summit, held in Bangkok on July 1.
“We shouldn’t lose sight of inbound tourism while strategising to attract Chinese tourists abroad,” stated Xu Jing, vice-chairman of the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC), who was the panel moderator at the summit.
Highlighting China’s cultural richness, PATA chairman Peter Semone pointed to the country’s ranking within the top five for cultural resources globally on the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index.
“China has 57 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and 43 intangible cultural heritage offerings. This is a massive opportunity for China, and it’s one that remains largely untapped,” remarked Semone.
He further emphasised the recent merging of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism as a strategic move and highlighted tourism’s role in fostering global understanding and peace.
He stated: “People travel to immerse themselves in different cultures and connect with others. If destinations offer homogenous experiences, why travel? One might as well stay home and use virtual reality. Those cultural experiences (are the ones) that promote empathy, respect, and cross-cultural communication, ultimately contributing to social harmony and global interconnectedness.”
William Heinecke, founder and chairman of Minor International, underscored the significance of both inbound and outbound tourism for China.
“We have hotels in China and we have restaurants in China so the domestic market and even the foreign market that goes to China is very important to us for our hotels. But equally important to us is, of course, the outbound market from China,” he said.
Heinecke remarked that his strategic acquisition of Spanish chain NH Hotel Group pre-Covid, which added 350 hotels to Minor’s portfolio, reflects what he foresees as a growing trend – Chinese tourists will increasingly seek diverse experiences beyond Asia.
He elaborated: “We made a very big bet that the travellers of China will not only be going to Asia and be heavy users of Asia, but they’ll also be going to Europe. They’re going to go around the world, because they are seeking richer, more experiential journeys.”
Additionally, Heinecke observed Chinese outbound travel today is less shopping-driven than in the past, saying that the Parisian shopping landscape has already been transposed to major cities like Shanghai or Beijing, and shopping is “less critical” today – having been replaced with the outbound hunger for experiences, food and culture.
Minor is also equally keen on the inbound travel market to China, with Heinecke predicting it will become “one of the largest markets”.
He shared that Minor is working with its partner in China for a pipeline of hotels that will cater to experiential travel, leveraging the country’s plethora of untapped cultural heritage and natural attractions.
The summit, which kicked off a cultural and tourism industry exchange visit by over 200 delegates comprising various industry leaders from Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR over two days on July 1 and 2, convened key industry figures to discuss bilateral cooperation and unlock new promotional avenues in the Sino-Thai cultural tourism sector ahead of the 50th anniversary of Thailand-China diplomatic relations in 2025.