How to efficiently promote your hotel to Chinese tourists

Hotels today are competing with one another to meet Chinese tourists’ requirements. As the number of Chinese tourists increases, more and more hotel chains are making an effort to draw in this exclusive customer, which has surpassed the benchmark of 180 million visitors annually for 2024.

10 Facts About Chinese Tourists and Hotel Choices

1. Preference for Mobile Payments: Chinese tourists often prefer hotels that offer mobile payment options like Alipay and WeChat Pay.
2. Influence of Online Reviews: Decisions are heavily influenced by reviews and ratings on Chinese platforms.
3. Importance of Mandarin-Speaking Staff: Having Mandarin-speaking staff can significantly enhance the comfort and satisfaction of Chinese guests.
4. Cultural Amenities: Hotels offering amenities like Chinese TV channels and food options are more appealing.
5. Value Luxury and Brand Reputation: Chinese tourists often favor luxury hotels and well-known hotel brands.
6. Impact of KOL Recommendations: Recommendations from KOL (Key Opinion Leader hold substantial sway over their hotel choices.
7. OTA Bookings: A significant number of Chinese tourists book hotels through Online Travel Agencies.
8. Interest in Local Experiences: Hotels that provide localized experiences and travel tips are highly sought after.
9. Family-Friendly Services: Hotels with family-friendly amenities and services are preferred by Chinese travelers with families.
10. Wi-Fi Availability: High-speed and reliable Wi-Fi is a must-have amenity for Chinese tourists.

Ways to adopt to Chinese travelers

Famous hotel chains like Hilton and Marriott have created Chinese welcome programs to minimize cultural gaps. These hotel chains have staff members that understand Mandarin and even cater hot tea in the rooms. The hotel staff is also aware of Chinese cultural norms. For instance, the sound of the number four in Mandarin is comparable to the word for death, hence no Chinese people should be allowed on the floor or in room number four.

Additionally, well-adopted hotels serve several Chinese breakfasts based on the visitor’s location. For example, among the various items offered for breakfast Marriott also serves salted duck eggs and dim sum.

Major hotel chains are in fact educating their staff members to avoid cultural blunders that can insult Chinese visitors.

When choosing a hotel, Chinese travelers have certain criteria. They are conducting extensive web research to identify those that may satisfy their needs. Additionally, they place a lot of weight on the advice of their friends and relatives. As you may see, the significance of an effective web marketing plan is clear to observe: If you are a hotel meeting all the Chinese tourist needs you still have to stand out and tell them that you have what they need using the medium of communication they know and use best: Internet Although Chinese tourists spend a lot of money in accommodation during their holidays, it is an important point to consider. Another factor could be the transportation and closeness to the places that they are interested to visit.

10 Tips for Hotels to Communicate with the Chinese Audience

1. Utilize Popular Chinese Social Media Platforms: Engage with potential guests on platforms like Weibo, WeChat, and Douyin, which are widely used in China.
2. Offer Information in Mandarin: Ensure your website, brochures, and customer service are available in Mandarin to make Chinese guests feel more welcomed.
3. Collaborate with Chinese Influencers and KOLs: Partner with Chinese Key Opinion Leaders to promote your hotel in a way that resonates with the Chinese market.
4. Implement Chinese Mobile Payment Options: Offer payment services like Alipay and WeChat Pay, as they are preferred by many Chinese travelers.
5. Tailor Marketing Campaigns: Create marketing campaigns that cater to the unique cultural preferences and holiday schedules of Chinese tourists.
6. Highlight Chinese-Friendly Amenities: Promote amenities appreciated by Chinese guests, such as Chinese television channels, teapots in rooms, and Chinese cuisine options.
7. Engage through Chinese Online Travel Agencies (OTAs): Collaborate with Chinese OTAs like Ctrip to reach a broader audience.
8. Showcase Cultural Understanding: Celebrate Chinese festivals and events at your hotel to demonstrate cultural awareness and appreciation.
9. Provide Local Travel Tips in Mandarin: Offer guides and tips about local attractions and experiences in Mandarin, either in print or through your digital platforms.
10. Encourage Reviews on Chinese Platforms: Motivate your Chinese guests to leave reviews on popular Chinese review platforms, as peer recommendations are highly valued.

Speak Chinese

Since most Chinese don’t speak or read English well enough, you must have a mandarin version of your website. 

Furthermore this website must not simply be a copy-paste translation of your original website but also hosted in China or Hong Kong. Your website must also respect the type of designs Chinese tourists want to see : Most information available at a quick glance, quick to load, and high quality pictures are some of the element that your Chinese website must have.

Several ways to promote hotels in the Chinese market

More and more Chinese are using online platforms during their daily life. Having a important presence on internet, Chinese consumers could have a easy access to hotel’s information.

Social Media Communication 

Social media have an enormous influence over Chinese population. They are using social networks like Wechat , or RED (little Red Book) , very similar to instagram.

Given that Chinese spend  a third of their time online on social networks, a skilled use of social networks by a Hotel company will result in a sizable increase in asking about the hotel and in trust of the brand. Why trust? Simply because when an important number of people start sharing content about your brand it implies that they vouch for it, something Chinese consumers trust a lot : user experience and reviews

VIDEO 

Multimedia such as videos and pictures are used by travel agencies in order to attract consumers. Showing destination’s images would help tourists to give them a feel of the place they want to visit, something very important here since what matters is the  affect to have a consumer book your resort. 

That is why you have to have pictures showing the best part of either your hotel or the land nearby. It will have an even stronger impact on the Chinese clientele since they enjoy multimedia content very much.

Did you hear about Douyin ?

Douyin Marketing, The Best Way to Promote Destination Travel

PR & MEDIA

Press Relations are based on contents, pictures and comments about your hotel  and would help to gain more customers. Doing Online PR allows you to receive a much welcomed expert support in a market with the most distrustful customers, Chinese people. Indeed, for your brand to be acknowledged as a good brand, one of the many strategies is to have content about your hotel published in online newspapers. This will make you benefit from their already established readers community and reputation. Online PR is particularly effective in China since it is twice as effective as traditional PR. A great tool indeed for hotels wishing to attract outbound Chinese tourists

SEO for Baidu, we have the offer to push your publication in top of Baidu , Baijiahao 

 

Product Placement

Create an advert for mass media like TV or film it is a good way to increase the brand’s presence 

Expensive in 2024 but can be a good source of content if TV shows is happening in your Hotel

Register at Ctrip

Ctrip, also known as Trip.com Group, is one of China’s largest and most influential online travel agencies (OTAs). It plays a pivotal role in shaping the travel decisions of Chinese tourists. Known for its comprehensive range of services, including hotel bookings, flight tickets, and travel packages, Ctrip is a go-to platform for many Chinese travelers planning both domestic and international trips. The platform’s user-friendly interface, coupled with its extensive array of options and customer reviews, makes it a trusted source for travel planning and booking. Hotels partnering with Ctrip gain access to a vast customer base, allowing them to tap into the lucrative Chinese travel market effectively.

OTAs in China and Collaboration

Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) in China, such as Ctrip, Qunar, and Fliggy, play a crucial role in the travel industry. These platforms are not just booking portals; they are comprehensive travel ecosystems offering reviews, travel tips, and user-generated content. Collaborations between hotels and Chinese OTAs are mutually beneficial. Hotels gain increased visibility and access to a vast market, while OTAs expand their offerings to include diverse and quality accommodations. These partnerships often involve tailored marketing campaigns and promotions geared towards the Chinese audience, leveraging the OTAs’ data analytics and marketing expertise to attract and retain Chinese travelers effectively.

What Is Mafengwo And How To Use It To Attract Chinese tourists?

Further reading

How to attract Chinese tourists with the Digital?

Sources:

• All  you need to know about chinese tourist trends.
• Tourism intelligence

“Travel brings power and love back into your life.” –

GMA (Gentlemen Marketing Agency) is a leader in the outnound tourism marketing arena. Our agency is dedicated to transforming how destinations reach and engage travelers. Here are seven compelling reasons to collaborate with GMA:

1. Innovative Marketing Strategies: At GMA, we pride ourselves on crafting unique, cutting-edge marketing strategies that capture the essence of your destination, ensuring it stands out in a crowded market.
2. Deep Understanding of Diverse Markets: Our team possesses a profound understanding of various outbound markets, allowing us to tailor your campaigns to resonate with different cultural sensibilities and preferences.
3. Extensive Network: GMA’s vast network of travel industry contacts and media partners expands your reach, connecting you with key players and influencers in the tourism sector in China.
4. Data-Driven Approach: We employ a data-driven methodology, (Douyin, Red) leveraging analytics to inform our strategies, ensuring that your marketing efforts are both effective and efficient.
5. Creative Content Creation: Our creative team excels in producing engaging content, from stunning visuals to compelling narratives that tell the story of your destination like no other.
6. Sustainable and Responsible Marketing: We’re committed to promoting sustainable tourism, helping you attract visitors while preserving the natural and cultural integrity of your Hotel .
7. Personalized Service: At GMA, every client is unique. We provide personalized service, adapting our approach to meet your specific goals and needs.
8. We are Cost effective, we are not expensive

Collaborating with GMA means choosing a local partner who not only understands the art of travel marketing but also shares your passion for bringing the world closer, one journey at a time.