Eurostar sponsored DIY travel workshop in Beijing

Eurostar workshop 1

ChinaContact’s client Eurostar sponsored Geyoo Travel Salon’s DIY travel workshop in Beijing on the Sunday 13th of April.                            50 high net worth Chinese guests, selected out of 250 registered applicants, attended the 3 hour workshop at Beijing’s Parkson Department Store VIP salon. The guests learned about independent […]

ChinaContact Weekly Newsletter 20th January 2014

    ChinaContact Weekly Newsletter   20th January, 2014 Greetings!   Last week France made the front news by announcing it would set up a fast-track visa scheme for Chinese visitors as part of the celebration marking the 50th anniversary of its diplomatic ties with China. This move was the occasion for business groups in […]

ChinaContact Weekly Newsletter, December 2nd

      CHINACONTACT WEEKLY NEWSLETTER   2nd December, 2013 Greetings! In this week’s news, the focus was on the influence of China’s new tourism law and visa regulations on Chinese outbound tourism. Nevertheless Chinese tourists are on their way to outspend all the others combined and have a strong  thirst for new overseas travel […]

ChinaContact launches a first for UK&Ireland: a private internet technology tour to China

In a first for the UK and following on the successful ‘geeks on a plane’ tour from Silicon Valley to China and Japan in June, ChinaContact has taken the initiative in organising a dedicated internet technology tour for British and Irish entrepreneurs and investors which will introduce them to the cutting edge of technology innovation in China. The tour will take place from 23-31 October visiting 5 cities and combining education, networking and high quality sightseeing. By visiting both the most developed cities and second tier cities where growth is at its fastest, the group will gain a deep insight into the opportunities that exist in this vast market.

When things look bad, find a market that continues to grow and win business there – lessons from China

The reason I am focused on promoting tourism development with China is because I have witnessed first hand the dynamic growth and immense potential of the sector. I have felt the energy of the people working in the sector in China and seen the hunger of Chinese to travel overseas. The pace of growth and expansion has overwhelmed me when I was working there in 2002-2005 and since then, each time I return I can see that the Chinese travel professionals are even more sophisticated and knowledgeable.

What this means is that Western companies and destinations need to get smarter in how they market and sell travel services in China. It used to be the case that simply becoming an approved destination (ADS) was enough to start getting tour groups, and a photo-op with a Chinese government leader got you all the business you needed. This is no longer true. Consumers shop around, research destinations online and share experiences with others that have been on chat rooms and web forums.