Create Consulting

Interesting insights from Tongcheng-Elong Holdings Ltd’s Q2 financial performance 🔍 > Tongcheng served 1.86 billion travelers, representing 30% YoY growth > Most of this growth comes from non-first tier cities, now accounting for 87% of total users > Tongcheng has integrated their bookings platform into the WeChat ecosystem > Of their new paying users on the WeChat mini-program, 70% are from non-first-tier cities > Tongcheng’s WeChat mini-program contributed around 80% of Tongcheng’s average MAUs last year > Tongcheng is now strengthening its brand presence among younger audiences through e-Sports activities in partnership with Tencent https://lnkd.in/gsrDG746 #china #chinamarket #chinatravel #chinaeconomy #chinamarketing #chinabusiness #travel #tourism

📈 New Chinese platforms data shows growing sports trend 🏑 > Chinese OTA tuniu.com teamed up with Chinese sports training and events app codoon health to release the "2024 Sports Leisure Consumption Report” 🥇 The data shows that the 2024 Paris Olympics have ignited interest in European sports spectator travel 🧗♂️ Domestic outdoor activities like cycling and hiking have also gained favor among consumers. 🐮 According to Tuniu's data, from January to July 2024, the search popularity for sports tourism increased by 87% year-on-year. 👟 Codoon's data shows that in the first half of 2024, participation in outdoor sports increased by 19% year-on-year. #china #chinamarket #chinatravel #chinaeconomy #chinamarketing #chinabusiness #travel #tourism

📊 New survey data on Chinese outbound tourism Q2 2024 by China Trading Desk, polling 15,000 Chinese consumers with the following findings: 🧑🧑🧒🧒 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐬 > 59% of outbound travelers are female. > 63% are aged 18-29. > 20% increase in travelers over age 35. 🛄 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 & 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 > 58% have never traveled overseas before. > 61% plan to travel abroad 1-2 times in the next 12 months. > 43% plan to spend at least 25,000 RMB (≈US$ 3,500) during their trips. 🗓️ 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 > 69% book tickets less than a month in advance. > Increase in travelers planning trips 3-6 months ahead. > 59.2% plan to stay 5-10 days; 18.2% plan 10-15 day stays. 🗺️ 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 > Popular: Singapore (15.6%), Thailand (13.8%), Malaysia (12%), Japan (11.7%), South Korea (11.5%). > Growing interest: Europe (10.1%), Australia (8.2%). 📚 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 > 52.6% have a Bachelor's degree. > 59.1% live in Tier-One cities. 💭 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 & 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 > 53.8% prefer independent travel, especially younger travelers (41.25% of 18-24 age group). > Key motivations: food (23.4%), local culture/history (21.7%), landmarks (21%). > Economic factors (23.7%) and health/safety concerns (20.7%) influence travel plans. 💰 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 > 20.4% use travel apps like Trip.com or qunar.com, 18.4% prefer Xiaohongshu, 12.2% choose Douyin. > 77.8% research shopping before reaching their destination. > Friends’ recommendations (34.4%) are the top factor for choosing accommodations. > Alipay (22.3%) and WeChat Pay (21.3%) are the preferred payment methods. #china #chinamarket #chinatravel #chinaeconomy #chinamarketing #chinabusiness #travel #tourism

𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏'𝒔 𝑭𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 2024 𝑭𝑶𝑪𝑨𝑪 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝑴𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑶𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 The 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (#FOCAC) is about to take place as the first major summit since the pandemic. FOCAC, held in Beijing from September 4 to 6, carries immense potential for a renewed and strengthened partnership in a post-pandemic world, where cooperation between China and Africa can reach new heights. FOCAC serves as a crucial platform for China's relationship with over 50 African countries to align development strategies and address the collective demands of African nations, thus building consensus within the burgeoning Global South’s nations and economies. Central to the discussions will be China's commitment to providing financial support, along with assistance in the industrialization and modernization of Africa. These efforts are especially important as they target the infrastructure development and economic growth that will take African nations to the next stage of economic development. Attending FOCAC in Beijing this September offers an excellent opportunity for African leaders to engage directly with China's foremost media outlets. FOCAC allows for strategic communication of key objectives, including the enhancement of bilateral trade and investment between your country and China. Moreover, leaders can promote their countries’ unique tourism attractions and cultural heritage, boosting the local economy and strengthening people-to-people ties. Create Consulting stands as a leading Government Relations Consulting and Communications Agency, distinguished by its unique positioning in the China-Africa relations landscape. As a joint venture with both Chinese and African ownership, we bring top insights and expertise to foster stronger ties between China and African nations. Our leadership in this domain is rooted in our deep understanding of the geopolitical dynamics and economic opportunities that define this critical partnership. Our extensive government relations experience spans across various regions, having successfully served countries like South Africa, Morocco, Jordan, and Peru since the pandemic ended, in addition to numerous others pre-pandemic. This breadth of experience enables us to navigate complex political environments and deliver tailored strategies that align with our clients' specific objectives. Furthermore, Create Consulting maintains the highest level of media relations with China’s leading state-owned media, including CCTV+ (Video News Agency), People's Daily, XInhua News Agency and the Global Times. Our connections also extend to China’s leading economic, financial, and consumer media groups, newspapers, and TV channels. This robust media network allows us to effectively communicate your leadership’s vision and goals for maximum impact and visibility in the Chinese market. www.consulting.com.cn

📚Study tours have become a dominant force in China’s summer holiday travel market. Chinese parents continue to increase investment in their children's well-rounded education. Data from Trip.com Group reveals a 70% year-on-year increase in parent-child educational product orders, while Fliggy reports a 60% rise in searches for educational travel. Historical and cultural cities like Beijing and Xi'an are the top choices, with museums and high-tech companies also popular destinations. The educational tour market, which reached 146.9 billion yuan in 2023, is projected to grow to 242.2 billion yuan by 2026. However, the rapid expansion has brought challenges, including high costs and questionable tour quality, prompting calls for rational decision-making and higher standards in the industry. https://lnkd.in/d_Eiqp_X #china #chinamarket #chinatravel #chinaeconomy #chinamarketing #chinabusiness #travel #tourism

𝑳𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕 𝒖𝒑𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝐙𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐱𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 10𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐣𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤-𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 On August 1, a brand new Zhongxin Travel (uzai.com) storefront opened up in Beijing’s upscale Sanlitun district, catering to the city’s high-end consumers. This is the tenth brick-and-mortar store that Zhongxin has opened in Beijing. As the 2024 tourism market moves toward recovery, Zhongxin Travel's retail stores are making a strong comeback, providing personalised face-to-face consultation services to travelers. 𝐏𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐚-𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 14 On August 1 local time, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Pakistan will implement a visa-free policy for Chinese citizens, starting August 14. 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐣𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 With a noticeable increase in foreign tourists at major Beijing attractions during the summer, Beijing has decided to launch the Beijing Pass International Card to facilitate foreign passenger travel. Currently, Beijing subway stations are testing the system, and it is expected to be available for sale to foreigners at seven major railway stations and two airport subway stations. 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐡𝐞𝐧-𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐢 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 Starting from August 19, China Southern Airlines will resume its Shenzhen-Bali direct flight route, with one flight per day. 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 In the early morning of August 2, with a Boeing 787-9 aircraft taking off from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Shenzhen's first direct passenger route to Budapest, Hungary, was officially opened, operated by Hainan Airlines. The Shenzhen-Budapest route is planned to operate two round-trip flights per week, on Mondays and Fridays. 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐮 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧 A new Chengdu-Milan international direct regular passenger route officially opened on July 29th. It is understood that the Chengdu-Milan route is operated by Air China, with flights every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. 𝐅𝐮𝐣𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 On July 30, a Xiamen Airlines Boeing 787 aircraft took off from Xiamen, heading to Velana International Airport in the Maldives, officially announcing the opening of Xiamen Airlines' "Xiamen-Malé" regular route, which is Xiamen Airlines' first South Asian route and Fujian's first direct regular route to the Maldives. Insights provided by China Travel Trade Media. #china #chinamarket #chinatravel #chinaeconomy #chinamarketing #chinabusiness #travel #tourism

Travel data: high-end Chinese tourists are spending big on the Paris Olympics 🤑🏅 According to ForwardKeys, demand for premium travel bookings from China has doubled compared to last year. Trip.com Group platform data shows Chinese travelers are leading in booking suites and king-sized rooms, with a 65% increase in average spending per tourist and a surge in five-star hotel bookings. Both Trip.com and Alibaba's travel platform Fliggy report a doubling of Chinese orders to Paris, with notable increases in hotel and visa service transactions. Read more from Bloomberg: https://lnkd.in/d2b5vPZA #china #chinamarket #chinatravel #chinaeconomy #chinamarketing #chinabusiness #travel #tourism

Over the past week, we teamed up with the Aquila Collection for their Cape Town Safari China Roadshow! Starting in Hong Kong, covering Shenzhen, Guangzhou and ending in Shanghai, the roadshow saw us meet and mix with key trade professionals to not only promote the Aquila Collection's properties, but also the Western Cape and South Africa as a whole. After meeting with key partners such as Trip.com Group, Nice Tour and Sage Travel, a highlight of the roadshow was also meeting with the South African Consul General, Ms Phuti Tsipa, in Shanghai. This meeting was insightful and showed us a number of ways in which South African brands can work together to elevate the nation's tourism profile. A big thank you to the Aquila team Johan van Schalkwyk and Jamie-Lee Ackerman for coming out to China! #china #chinamarket #chinatravel #chinaeconomy #chinamarketing #chinabusiness #travel #tourism #southafrica #southafricantourism

China Eastern Airlines Global is set to launch two new nonstop routes to Italy in September, marking the airline's first flights to Venice. Starting September 26, they will operate flights from Shanghai Pudong to Venice’s Marco Polo Airport, and from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport to Milan Malpensa Airport. Both routes will be served three times a week using Airbus A330 aircraft. In July 2024, there are approximately 1.8 million two-way seats available between China and Europe, reaching 91% of the levels seen in 2019. Chinese-owned carriers account for about 75% of this capacity. https://lnkd.in/dD7yzf9i #china #chinamarket #chinatravel #chinaeconomy #chinamarketing #chinabusiness #travel #tourism

Newly-launched China outbound flights this week 🛫: - Beijing to Mexico City 🇲🇽 on July 12th, Hainan Airlines inaugurated the first direct flight route from Beijing to Mexico City via Tijuana since the pandemic, with two round-trip flights per week on Mondays and Fridays for outbound flights, and on Tuesdays and Saturdays for return flights. - Urumqi to Yerevan 🇦🇲 China Southern Airlines announced that from September 3, 2024, they will open the Urumqi to Yerevan route, marking China's first regular flight route to Armenia. - Beijing to Dhaka 🇧🇩 on July 10th, Air China officially inaugurated the Beijing to Dhaka air route, marking its launch with a special ceremony at Dhaka's international airport. - Ulaanbaatar to Zhangjiajie 🇲🇳 on July 8th, flight MR845 operated by Hunnu Air successfully flew from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to Zhangjiajie, China, marking the official inauguration of the Zhangjiajie to Ulaanbaatar international passenger route. - Yantai to Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾 starting from July 8th, China Eastern Airlines will operate the Yantai-Kuala Lumpur route using an Airbus A320 aircraft, with flights available three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. - Yantai to Bangkok 🇹🇭 beginning on July 15, China Eastern Airlines will launch the Yantai-Bangkok route, operated by a Boeing 737 aircraft, offering flights four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. - Yantai to Kuala Lumpur (additional route) 🇲🇾 on July 28, China Eastern Airlines will add another direct flight from Yantai to Kuala Lumpur to further meet the travel demands. - Yantai to Bangkok (additional route) 🇹🇭 from August 5, China Eastern Airlines will introduce an additional direct flight from Yantai to Bangkok. - Yantai to Nagoya 🇯🇵 starting on August 15, China Eastern Airlines will open a new international flight route from Yantai to Nagoya. - Qingdao to Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾 on July 9, Qingdao Jiaodong Airport officially opened its first direct flight route to Kuala Lumpur, with 170 passengers quickly completing customs clearance procedures. - Hangzhou to Shizuoka 🇯🇵 starting from July 10, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport resumed passenger flights to and from Shizuoka, Japan, increasing the number of weekly flights between Hangzhou and Japan to 33. #china #chinamarket #chinatravel #chinaeconomy #chinamarketing #chinabusiness #travel #tourism