Capturing the Chinese Tourist in the UAE

Capturing the Chinese Tourist in the UAE Opportunities in Web and Mobile @alextohme

• In 2009 Chinese travellers spent $4bn more OVERSEAS than at home• This is forecast to rise to over $7bn this year• About 100 million Chinese are expected to travel overseas by 2020• The UAE has ambitions to double the number of tourists by 2020

Number of Visitors• UAE achieved ADS in 2009• 2008 – 96,000 Chinese visitors to UAE• 2009 – 150,000• 2010 – 170,000• 2011 – 195,000

Where do they stay?• Most popular hotel destinations among Chinese travellers are:• Burj Al Arab• Atlantis The Palm• Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel• The One and Only

Increased trade links• Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing has opened three offices in China in Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou• Emirates has more flights between China and UAE• The increasing number of Chinese visitors has prompted the Louis Vuitton boutique at Mall of the Emirates to recruit Chinese staff• 70 per cent of its sales go to Chinese people

Importance of online• The Internet has become the most important medium for the country’s growing number of tourists to plan vacations• While most Chinese visit traditional travel websites for research, they are likely to finalize their itineraries on social networks with other travellers

High recall for travel ads online• Online advertising, however, is also having more influence on Chinese travellers than advertising in more traditional mediums like television and print• Almost 70 percent of those surveyed remembered seeing travel ads on the Internet

Opportunities• Less than 2 % of the total destination media expenditure goes to Internet advertising• Every day the C-trip online travel forum receives 2 million page views, and the destination exploration channels receive 1.1 million page views

Timescale and things to do• Chinese tourists often have only five or six days at a time for holidays which makes Dubai a very attractive destination• Shopping is very important• They don’t mind travelling during summer months• Luxury purchases abroad are a big part of consumer spending• Status associated with being able to travel overseas and come back with suitcases full of luxury goods

Ideas moving forward for Hotels• Mobile apps in Cantonese / Mandarin for hotels to help Chinese tourist get around easily – promote this during hotel marketing strategy• In room digital advertising tailored to the Chinese tourist (screens, tv etc)• Hotel room becomes the data hub for the tourist

Ideas for retail• Special mobile retail offers for Chinese tourists as they browse mall language specific (pre order from hotel?)• Digital comms for luxury goods – good pilot for Chinese tourists in branded shops (AR / mobile etc)

Potential user journey• Chinese tourist uses online forums to plan trip, sees advertising for UAE hotel chain• On arrival, in room advertising informs him of special offers at nearby mall and prompts him to download the app (in chinese language)• When in mall, redemptions through app allow extra data to be gathered on habits• Back in hotel room, NFC allows all that data to be transferred to hotel back end systems

More resources• All the resources I collect can be found here:• http://bagtheweb.com/b/AsGg0o• Or, search for: “China Connect Middle East” on www.bagtheweb.com

Thank you

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Capturing the Chinese Tourist in the UAE

by Alexandra Tohme on Jul 02, 2012

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