Mixed Feelings about Chinese Tourists

By+WANG+JIANMIN

INTERNATIONAL travel is be- coming fashionable in China and more people are beginning to explore the outside world. Many countries are trying to attract Chinese tourists. Many foreigners， however， have a somewhat love-hate relationship with Chinese visitors. They love Chinese tourists high level of consumption， and the economic benefits it brings. However， Chinese visitors also have a reputation for uncivilized behavior.

Latecomer in Outbound Tourism

Outbound tourism boomed in Western developed societies during the 1970s and 1980s as well as fast-growing Asian economies such as Japan and South Korea. In 1983， Chinese citizens were allowed to travel abroad at the invitation of their friends or relatives residing overseas.

New measures enacted in July 1997 further relaxed restrictions on outbound tourism， allowing Chinese people to travel around the world as international tourists.

But in the first few years， only wealthy Chinese could afford to travel abroad. Most outbound tourists were urban residents with high incomes， and two-thirds of them were from larger cities like Beijing， Shanghai and Guangzhou. Since individual travel was not allowed， all tourists had to take part in tour groups organized by travel agencies.

Further， all overseas travels have to be approved by Chinas National Tourism Administration， known as the ADS（Approved Destination Status）. Before 2004， most approved destinations were countries and regions adjacent to Chinas mainland such as South Korea， Japan， Thailand， Singapore， Malaysia， Australia， New Zealand， Hong Kong， and Macao. These countries and regions remain top destinations for Chinese tourists today.

Outbound Travel Frenzy

Outbound tourism soared since 2004 when 25 EU countries were approved as travel destinations. An agreement in 2008 allowed mainlanders to visit Taiwan. In the same year， the U.S.， the worlds most visited country， was promoted as a tourist destination as well. Chinas outbound tourism has witnessed a boom in the last decade as approved travel destinations have grown remarkably in number while the countrys rising economy has enabled more people to afford foreign travel.

In the meantime， red tape for travel abroad has been simplified. Chinese passports are becoming easier to get， and many countries and regions have eased visa restrictions to attract Chinese tourists. In the U.S.， successive Secretaries of State and ambassadors to China have worked hard to streamline the visa application process， reducing the waiting period from over one month to a couple of days. The adjusted visa application process is part of a tourism spike in the U.S. The U.S. estimates that in 2014， the number of Chinese tourists visiting the U.S. will grow to over two million. The figure is expected to reach five million in two years.

According to the World Tourism Barometer released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization （UNWTO） on January 24， 2014， international tourist arrivals reached 1.087 billion in 2013， an increase of five percent， or 52 million， over the previous year. Statistics from China National Tourism Administration reveal that 97.3 million Chinese mainlanders went abroad in 2013， an increase of 17 percent or 14.12 million over 2012.

Chinese administrative departments and global tourism organizations have revised their estimates of Chinese tourism several times. Five years ago， they predicted that the number of annual outbound Chinese travelers would reach 100 million by 2020； now， it is expected to reach that figure by 2014. According to forecasts， China will soon overtake Germany and the U.S. as the worlds biggest source of outbound tourism.

Most Appealing Destinations

The nearly 150 travel destinations approved by the Chinese government differ greatly in the number of Chinese tourists they receive. South Korea， Chinas close neighbor， annually receives five million Chinese tourists. In contrast， only a few thousand visit South America， Africa and Central Asia every year. Cuba， for instance， has received less than 10，000 Chinese tourists annually since it was granted the ADS in 2003.

Some European countries once raised doubts over the number of outbound Chinese tourists. In recent years， the U.K. and France have made great efforts to promote tourism in China. Neverthe- less， the number of Chinese visitors did not meet expectations. In 2013， the U.K. received some 600，000 Chinese travelers while France received around 1.2 million. This is because China and other countries use different ways to number outbound travelers.

The UNWTO calculates the number of “international tourist arrivals”which refers to tourists traveling from one country to another， whereas China calculates the number of “outbound tourists.” “Outbound tourists” include not only Chinese mainland travelers to other countries， but also to Hong Kong， Macao and Taiwan. Generally speaking， the latter category accounts for two thirds of outbound tourists.

Data released by the Chinese government show that among the 83.18 million outbound tourists in 2012， 28.78 million visited other countries while 54.4 million visited Hong Kong， Macao and Taiwan. The total number rose to 97.3 million in 2013 with 35.73 million visitors to foreign countries and another 61.57 million to Hong Kong， Macao and Taiwan.

Worldwide， one out of seven people travelled abroad in 2013. In the same year， one out of every 38 mainland Chinese went overseas. This was just one fifth of the worlds average level.

Chinese tourists have become the worlds biggest travel spenders. In 2013 they spent US $102 billion， accounting for 9.5 percent of global international tourism spending. But in terms of per capita spending， there is still a big gap between China and the rest of the world. In 2013， world per capita outbound tourist consumption stood at US $153 while that of Chinas mainland tourists was just US $88 –just half of the worlds average level. Therefore， the perception of Chinese from the mainland as “walking wallets”is an overstatement.

Love and Hate

The behavior of Chinese tourists abroad showcases the immaturity of Chinese outbound tourism. The Maldives，for example， is known as a leisurely destination for a relaxed beachside visit of two weeks on average. But Chinese tourists usually arrange busy coastal holidays， spending their time sightseeing and moving. Such arrangement gives them little chance for relaxation.

On top of that， undignified behavior by Chinese tourists is not rare. Some spit on the street， litter， ignore public order or vandalize historical sites. As a result， people in several countries now have mixed feelings about the boom in Chinese tourists. They love Chinese money， but hate their habits. In 2013， a teenage boy from Jiangsu Province became center of a media storm when he etched graffiti on a 3，500-year-old Egyptian relic.

As more people pack their bags， safety becomes a great concern. In recent years， Chinese tourists have been targeted and robbed in Europe， Africa， and Australia. Last May in Paris， a Chinese tour group of 48 members was robbed by masked men in broad daylight.

Indeed， problems exist during the rapid development of Chinas outbound tourism. However， Chinese travelers are growing accustomed to global culture through visiting different countries. In the meantime， foreigners are gradually adapting to Chinese visitors.

The development of Chinas outbound tourism embodies what the UNWTO holds – “through the direct， spontaneous and non-mediatized contacts it engenders between men and women of different cultures and lifestyles， tourism represents a factor of friendship and understanding among the peoples of the world.”