With the arrival of 2018, China's tourism industry has entered a new phase. Over the past year, the upgrading of the consumer market has led to product stratification, while the application of high technology has quietly transformed the tourism sector. Overall, China’s tourism industry is no longer developing along a single track—diversification and cross-industry growth have become the main themes across various segments, with personalized and quality-oriented products becoming the focus of tourism enterprises' strategies.
—— "Zhong Rui Zhi Lv"
This summer, temperatures have risen nationwide, but what’s even hotter is the continuously soaring heat in the tourism industry market. Against a favorable international backdrop, coupled with a series of stimulus policies introduced by the Chinese government, an increase in visa-free regions, and shifts in people’s travel attitudes, these factors have all contributed to propelling the vigorous development of China’s tourism industry in 2018. This August marks the official launch of the Golden Tower Awards’ tourism sector rankings, taking you on a journey to explore the trends shaping the future of the industry.
What does double-digit growth in both tourist numbers and tourism revenue signify?
According to data from the China Tourism Academy: In 2017, China’s tourism market achieved steady growth, with 3.611 billion domestic trips, up 10.67% year-on-year. On one hand, the number of tourists is increasing, and on the other, the spending level of Chinese travelers continues to rise. In 2017, total domestic tourism revenue reached 3.0312 trillion yuan, a 15.40% year-on-year increase. Looking at the annual trend, China’s tourism industry has entered the “mass tourism” stage, with people’s willingness to travel growing steadily. The tourism market in 2018 is expected to maintain relatively optimistic growth.
With the emergence of the post-90s and post-00s generations, the “mass tourism” trend has given rise to a wider variety of tourism products. The travel consumption mindset among students is undergoing a transformation—shifting from the traditional passive acceptance to active pursuit. Traditional group tours are now facing increasing competition from independent travel. Some believe that the domestic customized travel market could reach the scale of hundreds of billions, with its user base still rapidly expanding. It can be predicted that in 2018, customized travel will continue to grow and become even more widespread.
Policy encouragement + evolving mindsets: Is the mobile tourism market becoming the core battleground?
Two key factors drove the continuous expansion of the tourism market in 2017. The first is the growth of online travel. As the online travel industry boomed and mobile phone functionalities improved, more and more consumers opted for “wireless booking” to save time and enhance their journeys. By 2017, the mobile segment had become the core competitive arena of the tourism market, with brands launching various mobile booking promotions to seize market share. The “2017 China Tourism Baidu Index Report” pointed out that from January to October 2017, the daily average search index for tourism was 15.7 million, a 23% increase from the previous year. During the peak summer vacation months of July and August, the index rose steadily once again, climbing by another 27%. At present, wireless technology has shown significant momentum in driving up tourism search indices, and the wireless operation model of online travel is expected to remain one of the major approaches used by industry leaders in the future.
On the other hand, deeper regional tourism cooperation has also been a major driver of the 2017 tourism market’s growth. In recent years, seeking regional collaboration and shared development has become a consensus in the tourism industry. In 2017, regional economies grew increasingly interconnected, tourism resources were better allocated, and the disparities in tourism development levels across different areas narrowed.
The year 2018 ushers in an unprecedented era of transformation for the tourism industry. Unprecedented policy guidance, ever-evolving industry structures, flourishing cross-sector integration, and rapidly changing consumer markets have all converged. New energies, new forces, and new technologies are sweeping through the field. Which brands will truly stand out in this dynamic landscape?
The Golden Tower Awards August list launches, with three top-tier rankings competing for the spotlight.
In August 2018, to promote optimized development in the tourism market, and under the guidance of the China Youth New Media Association and the National School Communist Youth League New Media Operation Center, the Golden Tower Awards August tourism sector ranking selection—jointly organized by the China Campus Market Alliance, Weibo Campus, and Kreuzer—officially kicked off. It strives to provide accurate market guidance for student travel and offer high-value decision-making references for tourism brand marketing.
As the most authoritative award in China’s campus market, the Golden Tower Awards focuses on data indices from three major platforms, offering precise insights into future tourism trends. Covering 30 million college students nationwide, it establishes industry benchmarks in the campus sector. With a wide array of tourism platforms, hotel brands, and airline brands thriving, who will capture the attention of millions of college students? Who are the true giants in the tourism industry? Follow #GoldenTowerAwards on Weibo—the August tourism sector rankings will reveal all.