By Yuling Chen, EDITOR

On February 28, 2019, China Tourism Academy and HCG International Travel Group jointly released the China-Europe Tourism Big Data Report, showing that Chongqing contributes the third largest population of Europe-bound tourists nationwide. 

An airplane takes off from the Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport.

Chongqing is at the intersection of the Belt and Road as well as the Yangtze River Economic Belt. The European tourism market has embraced another upgrade by seizing the opportunity brought by the Belt and Road Initiative.

Europe-bound tourists are mainly from Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming, Xi’an, Nanjing, Wuhan, etc.

Europe has become the second destination for Chinese tourists

Combined with tourists’ big data of online and offline reservations, the report concludes in-depth analysis of tourism products. The products include the self-guided tour, package tour, tailored travel to Europe, as well as ticket booking, visa processing, etc. The data show that in 2018, the population of Europe-bound Chinese tourists achieves a year-on-year increase of 27%. Europe, second only to Asia, has become the second destination for Chinese tourists. The population of tourists accounts for 11%.

Combined with tourists’ big data of online and offline reservations, the report concludes an in-depth analysis of tourism products. The products include the self-guided tour, package tour, tailored travel to Europe, as well as ticket booking, visa processing, etc. The data show that in 2018, the population of Europe-bound Chinese tourists achieves a year-on-year increase of 27%. Europe, second only to Asia, has become the second destination for Chinese tourists. The population of tourists accounts for 11%.

An increasing trend of individualization and in-depth travel

The report shows that Chinese Europe-bound tourists’ travel has an increasing trend of individualization and in-depth travel. Package tour still dominates the market, accounting for 70%. This phenomenon is related to the language, visa, culture and other factors involved in the European tour. Customized products such as self-guided tour, tailored travel account for 30%, which is a significant increase from previous years.

There are ten most desirable themes of tailored travel on the demand list submitted by Chinese tourists online. The themes are wedding tour, food journey, skiing, equestrian experience, leisure town, game, cultural tour, and aurora.

Besides, according to the popularity of online orders, the report releases ten new ways for the European tour. For example, you can listen to a commentator at the British Museum in London, take photos in Provence, visit Disneyland in Munich, etc.

Source: Chongqing Daily