Arnold Ma’s Post

🔴🇨🇳 On top of the varied landscape of Xinjiang 新疆, meet the friendly people, savour Muslim and other ethnic food, dance with them - Uyghurs, Tajiks, Huis, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Mongols and others. Match the over a dozen geograhies with the over a dozen ethnic communities. 💖Take a break from the snatch-and-run petty thieves of other better known travel destinations. Xinjiang is divided into 🔸the Dzungarian Basin (Dzungaria) in the north 🔸and the Tarim Basin in the south by a mountain range 🔸and only about 9.7 percent of Xinjiang's land area is fit for human habitation. 🔶It is home to a number of ethnic groups, including the Chinese Tajiks (Pamiris), Han Chinese, Hui, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Mongols, Russians, Sibe, Tibetans, and Uyghurs. 🔶There are more than a dozen autonomous prefectures and counties for minorities in Xinjiang. ❇️ APPENDICES 🔶Visit before the ban takes effect❗️ Before the CCP wipes out the Uyghurs‼️ 🔴🇺🇸🇨🇳 The U.S. wants to ban travel to Xinjiang to stop you seeing the truth 14 Mar 2024 Andy Boreham in Shanghai Reports on China 🌐 https://lnkd.in/g5ffpVSP .

"Chinese Tourists Are Returning to a Tropical Corner of South East Asia." The barometer for China’s re-shaping outbound recovery is often conveyed via mega-stat destinations like Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam, as well as Hong Kong and Macau. Malaysia, which offers visa-free access, is also mentioned in despatches, but geography creates a unique structure to its Chinese inbound mix. Keep an eye on the East Malaysian state of Sabah - particularly during peak holiday periods. It is well marketed, and offers many of the attractions that visitors from China and North East Asia are seeking for short getaways - far from the madding crowds. Read more in Issue 149 of Asia Travel Re:Set: https://lnkd.in/eZVVMb8p Subscribe for free weekly regional travel updates here: https://lnkd.in/gMBwfKC

🔥30 hidden gems you may NOT know in China!     How many of these places have you been? 🤔    I would love to visit all the breathtaking destinations in the video!    It has accurately revealed just how diverse the landscapes are in China.    The most known spots, like the Great Wall, were merely on the 14th on the list, and the Forbidden City was only the 23rd!    China’s travel scene has undergone a massive transformation.    Before the pandemic, people’s incentives to travel were heavily on material gains and going abroad.    Post Covid? It’s all about exploring and reconnecting with nature. 🍃 Places with deep culture and history, like:    - the Potala Palace of Tibet  - the historic water towns of Jiangsu  - the neon-lit streets of Guangzhou    ... and so many more! 😍   It is clear that Chinese people care more about collecting stories instead of souvenirs nowadays!    💡With this significant shift in tourism, here are some of my thoughts on the markets in the future:    --> Think about how we can help build experiences and facilitate purchases; it's easier than you think.     --> Investing in digital is never a bad thing, especially for Chinese people, and providing seamless O2O is great. Again, Chinese platforms are great at this.     --> Be ahead of the curve. Eventually, people WILL want to travel abroad, and that time WILL come, so prepare now to be top of mind when that trend reignites again. 🔥   Drop me a DM if you would like to tap further into the evolving tourism industry in China!    Which place would you like to visit the most from this list?    PS. What kind of trips is your go-to? Bustling cities or tranquil nature? Arnold Ma #China #Travel #tourism #culture

Chinese tourists embarking on adventures closer to home are forecast to pump a record 6.8 trillion yuan (S$1.3 trillion) into the mainland economy this year – topping pre-pandemic levels for the first time. Spending by domestic holidaymakers is expected to be 11 per cent higher than 2019 – before the Covid pandemic stopped most travel, according to a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council and Oxford Economics. Chinese holidaymakers are a driving force for the global tourism industry, with many countries keenly awaiting the return of travel and spending from the world’s biggest market of travellers. In 2019, Chinese travellers made 170 million trips abroad and spent almost US$248 billion overseas – making up 14 per cent of global tourism spending, according to World Travel and Tourism Council data. However, a backlog in processing visas in countries such as the US, and more expensive international flights, have kept Chinese holiday makers closer to home, where they are flocking to cities for popular local delicacies such as spicy street foods and smaller towns in a “reverse travel” trend shunning crowds. Meanwhile, international visitors to China still have not rebounded. Spending by foreign tourists on the mainland this year is expected to hit 715 billion yuan, about a quarter below 2019 levels. China was one of the last big economies to re-open its borders and inbound flights to the country have not fully returned. Source: Bloomberg News #china #beijing #chineseeconomy #tourism #consumption #gdp

Will 2024 be the year that Thailand rescales the heights of its record 40 million visitor arrivals in 2019? It's been a tough 5-year period for Thailand, which pre-pandemic was the most-visited country by international tourists in Asia Pacific. The graphic below shows the 'Tourism Valley' journey for a country in which tourism contributed 12% of GDP in 2019. China - which is Thailand’s largest trade partner and by some margin its biggest inbound tourist market pre-Covid - is central to the government’s objective of attracting more tourists and more spending. “Thailand always welcomes Chinese visitors and will ensure their safety while they are staying here,” said Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in a Lunar New Year address. “Thais and Chinese are no strangers, but essentially siblings,” he added. To achieve a full recovery, Thailand needs to get close to the 11 million visitors from China it received in 2019. In 2023, the total was 3.5 million. This year, the target is for 8 million. Read more about the challenges ahead for Thailand's tourism recovery in the latest issue of Asia Travel Re:Set: https://lnkd.in/efQZD7Jj

Why are Chinese tourists still choosing local? 🇨🇳✈️ Indeed Chinese travellers are still opting for cheaper domestic destinations over foreign tourist spots. A recent survey by Oliver Wyman found that only 14% of high-income households plan to travel abroad in 2024. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why. ✈️ Abundant domestic options. The primary reason for this shift is the plethora of travel options within China. ✈️ More cost efficient. Travelling within mainland China costs less than 1,000 yuan per person, significantly cheaper than trips to places like Hong Kong or Japan. ✈️ Safety concerns. There's been an increase in sentiment that international destinations are unsafe, further driving domestic travel preferences So, where are Chinese tourists going? 👇 ✔️ Smaller cities like Yangzhou, Luoyang, Qinhuangdao, Guilin, and Zibo saw the fastest growth in tourism bookings during the May holiday. ✔️ In the first quarter, Guangxi’s tourism revenue rose by nearly 24% YoY to over 258 billion yuan. ✔️ Viral videos and TV shows have significantly boosted tourism in places like Zibo and Altay, demonstrating the power of digital media. “In the longer-term, I expect international tourist destinations will need to upgrade their experience to match the rise of stylish, modern hotels and other travel services in China.” https://lnkd.in/gHSB2PUw What’s your take on the above? 🤓👇 —- #china #tourism #economy Insights via CNBC

🌟 China's New Year Holiday: A Travel Extravaganza! 🌟 Despite the chill in the air, China saw a remarkable surge in travel and tourism during the three-day New Year break. 🧳✨ 📈 135 million domestic tourist trips, up an astonishing 155% from last year. 💰 Domestic tourism revenue soared to 79.73 billion yuan ($11.23 billion). ・With over 128 million passenger trips made across China's transportation network, this marked a staggering 78.4% increase from 2023 and an impressive 33.1% leap from 2022. 🚆🚗 ・Railway passenger trips skyrocketed by 177.5% year-on-year, and air passenger journeys took off with an incredible 140.3% surge. ✈️🚄 ・Despite the cold weather, people flocked to music festivals, concerts, and family outings. Ice and snow leisure activities gained popularity in various regions, including East China, Central China, and South China. ❄️🎶 ・In the north, provinces like Heilongjiang embraced the winter cold, promoting ice and snow tourism and extending operating hours for key scenic spots, subways, and buses. 🌨️🏔️ ・Beijing distributed vouchers to boost holiday demand and stimulate the economy, with urban ice and snow-themed projects and theme parks driving economic revenue in many cities. 🏙️❄️ ・From Saturday to Monday, air passenger trips were estimated to reach 5.19 million, a remarkable 140.3% increase from the previous year. Journeys on highways and waterways were also set to see significant rises of 46.1% and 72.9%, respectively. 🛫🛣️🌊 China's New Year holiday was a fantastic celebration of travel, leisure, and family fun, setting the stage for an exciting year ahead! 🎉🇨🇳 Follow me for more insights on China's groundbreaking innovations, market trends, culture, and happenings! 🌟🇨🇳 #ChinaJourney #ChinaUnveiled #ChinaTravel #NewYearHoliday #TourismBoom Source: reuters.com

Challenges of a two-tier pricing system 🤑 ➡ As Japan faces increasing tourism and the need for maintenance of historic sites like Himeji Castle, discussions around higher fees for foreign visitors are gaining traction ➡ While this approach aims to capitalise on the weak yen and boost funds, it brings challenges in fairness and potential backlash ➡ Drawing on examples from countries like Singapore and the UK, Japan must carefully balance these fees with clear explanations and possibly additional services to maintain its reputation and ensure sustainable tourism I saw a restaurant owner on TV stating he would test your ability in Japanese, a lack of which would prove you to be a tourist and therefore you would then get the higher tourist prices! What do you think of the proposed idea? what other challenges do you foresee? #Tourism #Japan #SustainableTravel #CulturalHeritage #TravelIndustry #JapanTourism #JapanBusiness #JapanLife フォーカスコア David Sweet, Ph.D. David Chong Simon Jelfs Jonathan Cant Thomas Bangert Ed Chynoweth https://lnkd.in/gWzdW7Pt

Happy National Day! 🤩✈️ This year's Golden Week sees Chinese tourists planning longer trips without boosting spending. Economic slowdown, youth unemployment and low consumer confidence lead to choosing cheaper destinations while also benefitting from decreased airfares. 👇 More below. ✈️ Only a slight rise in travel activity is expected this year as the nation's transport sector forecasts a 0.7% YoY increase in daily trips. ✈️ Domestic airfares are also predicted to be 21% cheaper than last year, while international economy fares are down 25% from 2023. ✈️ Short-haul destinations such as Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore are popular choices for international travel. ✔️ Despite the focus on short-haul, there's a notable upwards trend towards long-haul travels to Australia, New Zealand, Britain and France. ✔️ The game Wukong, released a month ago, has boosted tourism to Shanxi's cliffside temples and grottoes. Ticket reservations for scenic spots rose by 135% during the Mid-Autumn Festival, according to Tongcheng. ✔️ A recent surge in cultural tourism is evident, with 70% of outbound Chinese travelers participating in cultural activities. ✔️ Travelers may use lower ticket prices to travel further, stay longer, and upgrade their hotels. Recent stimulus might slightly impact spending, but purchases are expected to match 2023 levels, or even be slightly below. What's your take? 🤓👇 Are you planning a trip during the Golden Week? ——— #china #travel #economy Insights via Reuters, SCMP, video via Douyin  ❗️ Looking for some support with your China marketing activities? Drop me a line and let's chat.

Thailand believes that it can match 2019's 40 million tourism arrivals in 2024. To do so, it will require a strong resurgence of Chinese tourists - especially as the heavily hyped inbound markets of Russia (stagnant growth vs 2019) and India (fewer visitors vs 2019) failed to step up in 2023. - Is it feasible for Thailand to more than double Chinese arrivals in 2024 compared to 2023? - And might (or might not) Thailand's busiest, most lucrative Spring Festival holiday for half-a-decade provide some pointers? Read Issue 128 of Asia Travel Re:Set here: https://lnkd.in/erS5wYGv And subscribe for free here: https://lnkd.in/gMBwfKC