Better known as a historical destination, Xi’an has woken up to the potential of luxury travel thanks to a fresh crop of posh hotels in the city
The growing presence of international luxury hotels has added a glamorous tone to Xi’an in China’s Shaanxi Province, which for decades has been drawing history buffs since the 1974 discovery of the terracotta army that forms part of the mausoleum of China’s first emperor.
Li Shuyan, MICE and general manager of Xi’an-based China Travel Service Head Office Northwest, has seen the changing face of Xi’an in the last 15 years. “Back then, foreign tourists who came to see the terracotta army stayed in the city centre where most hotels were. They had to wake up very early to make the long journey to Lintong where the terracotta pits are. Their main concerns were a clean bed and food that would not give them diarrhoea,” he recalled.
“But ever since international hotel chains like Shangri-La, AccorHotels and Starwood entered the market with their five-star products, the demographic of travellers has changed. Xi’an not only received more foreign tourists, it also welcomed wealthier ones.”
Today, numerous prominent hotels dot the city’s map, some in the commercial centre and others close to key tourist landmarks.
Agreeing that Xi’an is “increasingly on the radar of the luxury traveller”, Hajar Ali, founder of luxury travel company Urbane Nomads, said: “There is a correlation between the opening of luxury hotels and a destination becoming popular with the well-heeled. Xi’an has its history going for it but with the opening of new luxury hotels, it has become an easier choice for high-end travellers.”
Hajar observed that longhaul travellers tended to go for longer stays and relax at luxury hotels and resorts in Xi’an at the end of a lengthy trip to “pace the itinerary”, while shorthaul visitors from Hong Kong and Singapore favoured Xi’an as a stopover en route to Tibet.
Tourism players noted that the city’s luxury market is dominated by corporate travellers and special interest leisure groups.
Steven Wang, director of sales and marketing at The Westin Xian revealed that 85 per cent of the hotel’s guests are corporate and the rest leisure.
“Business travellers and meeting delegates have bigger budgets,” said Wang, adding that individual travellers and small-size groups on tailored programmes that focus on history, food or nature made up the majority of his leisure clientele.
Li opined that Xi’an’s booming industries, fuelled by Chinese president Xi Jinping’s commitment to developing cities on the Silk Road trading belt for international commerce, is luring wealthy businessmen to the destination. These travellers would extend their trips for pleasure, requesting for special activities such as a session with a local archaeology professor who can explain the history behind historical finds.
Diethelm Travel (China) is hence rolling out “extraordinary programmes” to differentiate itself from the market, said the company’s general manager, Julia Shi, general manager of Diethelm Travel (China).
The DMC can take visitors into areas that are off-limits to regular tourists, such as the reconstruction site within the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, where archaeologists fix broken terracotta statues, as well as special vaults in the Shaanxi History Museum and Xi’an Museum. They also can offer unique activities such an archaeological digging experience at The Yangling Mausoleum of the Han Dynasty or a visit to Fei Yuan Private Musuem, which carries a large collection of porcelain and rubbings of stone tablets done by famous Chinese calligraphers.
However, Jean Philippe Jacopin, general manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Xian cautioned against over-reliance on Xi’an’s heritage to lure travellers. He said: “These tourists usually stay for only a few days and they rarely return. Xi’an needs to cooperate with other (attractions) to improve product diversity which will then entice travellers to book longer stays (and return).”
Jacopin suggested that more eco tours, spa experiences and golf games should be promoted to enhance travellers’ experience, and urged trade players to join forces in destination marketing.
The good news is that fresh products are emerging in and around Xi’an. One of Singapore’s leading outbound agencies, Dynasty Travel, has observed stronger interest in Xi’an over the last five years due to new attractions such as the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show at the Shaanxi Song and Dance Theatre, and natural wonders like Hukou Waterfall and Mount Hua.
The sleepy district of Lintong, about 50 minutes by car from Xi’an, is also stirring with recent tourism developments including the year-old Angsana Xi’an Lintong and its adjoining Angsana Hot Spring Xi’an Lintong, art museums, a park and an outlet mall for big fashion labels.
Jerry Mong, Angsana Xi’an Lintong’s general manager, believes that his property is key to advancing Xi’an’s luxury appeal.
He said: “We are changing travellers’ mindsets by reminding them that Lintong used to be a favourite retreat of Tang Emperor Xuanzong and his consort Yang Gui Fei. They used to luxuriate in Lintong’s hot springs, and we are offering travellers the chance to do the same at our hotel.”
Angsana Xi’an Lintong has been attracting ladies of leisure from other Chinese cities and Taiwan, who would come as a group of friends for spa retreats.
Meanwhile, tourism players have agreed that air access improvement is top priority for Xi’an.
“Xi’an has fewer direct international flights compared with first-tier cities, which makes it less convenient for international travellers to visit,” said Wang.
While Dynasty Travel has seen a two-fold increase in bookings to Xi’an from 2014 to 2015, thanks to new flights by Tigerair (Singapore-Xi’an, launched in May 2014) and Xiamen Air (Singapore-Hangzhou-Xi’an, launched in March 2015), its spokesperson Alicia Seah noted that they were for package tours.
“New LCC links have little impact on luxury demand. High-end travellers prefer flying by full-service carriers even if it requires a transit in another city,” she said.
This article was first published in TTG Asia, February 8, 2016 issue, on page 15. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.
