Wednesday, April 25, 2018
The Chinese travel market is growing, and welcoming more Chinese visitors is key to achieving our industry’s goal of increasing tourism revenue to $4 billion by 2024.
Attracting more Chinese visitors can help grow your market and increase sales. Here are some tips on how you can attract more Chinese customers to your business.
Consider Chinese payment options
Mobile payment options are very popular in China. Having mobile payment options that allow customers to make purchases by scanning their phone can make Chinese visitors feel more comfortable and facilitate spending at your business. Some examples include Alipay and WeChat Pay. There are also third parties in Canada that offer mobile application payment onboarding services, such as Square and TouchBistro.
You can also consider adding Chinese credit and debit options. For example, UnionPay is supported by many of the commonly-used Canadian service providers and can be used just like Canadian credit cards.
Provide information in Chinese
Although many Chinese travellers understand other languages, communicating in their standard language can make them feel more comfortable and welcome. Having a Chinese-language website, information and signage at your business (e.g., brochures, menus, welcome letters to Chinese guests) can go a long way in attracting Chinese visitors. Ensure your translations are consistent and try to use the same translator for all publications. Put some thought into a Chinese name for your business to ensure you are conveying the right image you want to share with visitors.
Connect online
China’s population is very active on social media. In 2016, 58% of Chinese travellers to Canada booked their trip through online travel agencies.
WeChat is a popular social media platform used in China to conduct business, connect with friends and even place orders at restaurants. Consider setting up your own WeChat account to exchange information and stay connected with Chinese tour operators and business contacts.
Given the level of Internet use by the Chinese population, having WiFi readily available at your location can help you attract Chinese visitors and even allow them to share their tourism experiences through social media, expanding awareness of your business in this key market.
Highlight safety and security
Chinese visitors value safety and security when travelling. Highlighting the safety and security of your business could make it stand out.
Diversify your offerings
The Chinese travel market is diverse and Chinese visitors look for a varied offering of products and services, including many different food and beverage choices. To attract visitors from China, it is important to know your target market and ensure that you offer a range of choices for your guests.
Know your guest
Learn about the Chinese market and the expectations of Chinese visitors. Simple additions to make Chinese visitors feel more comfortable in a foreign country can go a long way to encouraging Chinese visitation to your business. For example, you could ensure tea and hot water are readily available, and that guest rooms are equipped with a kettle. Consider adding congee to your breakfast menu and placing slippers in your guest rooms.
Use the Canada-China Year of Tourism logo
The governments of Canada and China have officially named 2018 the Canada-China Year of Tourism (CCYT). You can use the free CCYT logo to publicize your CCYT events and promotions.
More tips
To celebrate CCYT 2018, Tourism HR Canada is working with the Government of Canada to offer a special edition of "Welcoming International Visitors," its series of occupation-specific fact sheets, that will help businesses in the industry better serve Chinese visitors. In celebration of this special year, Tourism HR Canada is making this helpful resource free of charge to all Canadian businesses.
Download the free China travel market fact sheets from emerit.ca. Please use group code ATCC2018CCYT when checking out.