China’s New Tourist Prefers Going Solo

China’s New Tourist Prefers Going Solo

There is a growing trend where Chinese tourists prefer traveling solo on abroad trips than using routine luxury tour guides. Despite the trend, group tours remain dominant for outbound travel plans. Going solo trips are mostly preferred by an emerging crop of younger, educated, and rich travelers at the age of between 25 and 45 years. Most of the travelers who choose to go solo indicate that they do not like the controlling attitude of the tour guides and instead want more freedom to do the shopping and engage in activities they like.

Freedom of shopping is a major concern for solo travelers. They cite that abroad products are very expensive in China because of the high taxes on imported goods; therefore, solo travelers buy the same product at a cheaper price in abroad markets. Solo travelers have unique needs and prefer staying longer in one location. In addition, they indicate a record of high travel experience and know the place they are visiting well. Another major reason that is propelling solo travel is the exponential rise of tourists. In the next five years, Chinese tourists traveling abroad will hit 400 million. Combined with a growing number of millionaires who average 35 years old, solo travelers are expected to increase.

Solo travelers have a different purpose when visiting various abroad countries. There is an increasing trend of Chinese tourists becoming global citizens, sending kids to school abroad, buying real estate, and spending more time outside their borders.

These travelers opt for customized travel experiences depending on their varied needs. Solo travelers are independent and well-traveled. They know the places they are traveling and plan in advance the type of services that they want. Furthermore, they distaste the controlling nature of the group tours who sometimes force travelers to do unwarranted shopping. Solo travelers want a unique travel experience because they know what brand they want, places they want to visit and all the things they want to do while abroad.