Outlook for travel
The view from China: Gauging sentiment for overseas travel in 2023
A new survey of potential travellers by the European Travel Commission (ETC) and Eurail shows a strong increase in demand for travel to Europe in Australia, Brazil, Canada, the USA, Japan and China. We home in on key extracts to assess Chinese traveller sentiment.
The change to China’s Covid-19 policy from 8 January has buoyed sentiment for travel overseas, with Europe set to benefit as 2023 goes on. That’s according to research from the European Travel Commission (ETC) and Eurail into key source markets, among them China, Australia, Brazil, Canada and the USA.
The latest Long-Haul Travel Barometer (LHTB) for Q1 2023 provides a snapshot of travellers’ sentiment for the year and offers more detail for the first four months. The ETC represents national tourism organisations across Europe.
China: Long-haul travel intention
Travel horizon: January-April 2023
Intention to travel long-haul in the next four months % of respondents (N=1,000)
Source: ETC/Eurail
After close to three difficult years, sentiment in China for travel to Europe between January and April (115 points according to an ‘intention to travel’ index*) has shown a significant improvement compared to the same periods in 2022 (94 points) and 2021 (103 points). Of Chinese respondents wishing to travel overseas in early 2023, 63% have a European destination in mind, said the ETC.
Barriers to the immediate recovery of tourism flows from China include air connectivity and capacity, the recent re-imposition of Covid-19 safety measures in some destinations, and health concerns.
China: Long-haul travel intention
Travel horizon: January-April 2023
Evolution of intention to travel long-haul and to Europe (four-month horizon) Index base:100 (>100 = expansion, <100 = decline)1
Source: ETC/Eurail
For respondents in China, the main considerations when choosing a holiday destination are the tourism infrastructure, weather conditions, and the perceived safety of the destination, said the ETC.
Notably, Chinese travellers are eager to return to luxury shopping in Europe. Browsing designer products and luxury brands is an especially appealing activity to repeat visitors (22% vs 17% for first-time visitors) and among 35-49 year-old travellers (24% vs 17% among other age groups).
Travel preferences of Chinese respondents
Destination: Europe | Travel horizon: January-April 2023
Most wanted types of activities Sample: respondents wishing to visit Europe (n=628)
Source: ETC/Eurail
From the wider research, positive sentiment about travel to Europe in the first four months of the year has improved, with the most notable increases observed in China (+21 points year-on-year) and Brazil (+13 points). The exception to these positive trends is Japan, with just 27% of respondents enthusiastic about long-haul trips in 2023 and 13% between January and April.
ETC President Luís Araújo said: “ETC is pleased to see that long-haul travel sentiment is proving more positive this year than in 2022. A significant development that will surely have a major impact on travel to Europe in the coming year is China’s reopening. The removal of China’s zero Covid-19 policy has reinstated travel confidence among Chinese travellers, and China’s sentiment index for travelling to Europe is now at values close to pre-pandemic times.
Travel preferences of Chinese respondents
Destination: Europe | Travel horizon: January-April 2023
Intended month of travel and booking status
Source: ETC/Eurail
“This is hopeful news, but still, there remain concerns that in the context of inflationary pressures, personal finances may limit long-haul travel overall. Promoting Europe in overseas markets remains crucial for the sector’s continued recovery in 2023.”
*Intention to travel is measured in an index that reflects the dominant sentiment expressed by a market, either positive or negative. Values above 100 index points indicate a positive evolution, whereas values below 100 indicate negative attitudes towards travel in a given period.
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The Moodie Davitt eZine Issue 320 | 10 February 2023
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