Posted on Fri, 26 Aug 2011
Ni Hao! The Chinese Are Coming!
More food for thought regarding differences in travellers’ expectations and what hotels in the west are doling out for Asian travellers used to real luxury….
Remember years ago when hoards of Japanese tourists could be found in every designer nook and cranny of the world, following their little flags and buying up the world? Well, this time, it’s the Chinese’s turn.
According to the World Tourism Organisation, 66 million Chinese will travel overseas this year, a 15% increase over last year, and 100 million will be global travelers by 2020.
They are not coming to your shores as coolies and labourers like in centuries past, and who had to endure all manner of discrimination and hardship. Tables have turned. These tourists are turning up, aflush with cash – being the world’s third-largest spender on international tourism, behind Germany and USA – and waiting to be impressed. However, research at Thoughtful China has revealed that the hotels, airlines and luxury retailers in the west are unprepared to handle this.
The biggest issue is language. “When it comes to menus, hotel information, and just general conversation, there needs to be more work done,” says Bruce Ryde, general manager of InterContinental Hotels’ Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund
Meeting their needs is another issue. For example, Chinese expect to have their cuisine readily available in restaurants and room service, but that’s not happening fast enough. “If a hotel can provide Americans with a hamburger in Hanoi, then Chinese should get noodles in Nice,” says P.T. Black, Thoughtful China’s senior creative director in Shanghai. (And make that Hokkien mee with a good sprinkling of pork lard, please.)
Foreign companies should also be working harder to provide product information, marketing and online booking options in Chinese, says Chloe Reuter, a luxury retail specialist based in Shanghai.
“The most important the hotels need to be thinking about is understanding and tapping into the cultural differences, and ensuring they understand what’s important to Chinese travelers,” says Gary Rosen, the former senior VP and head of global operations for InterContinental Hotels Group.
“Know your nationalities. If you can’t tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese, now is the time to learn. Chinese people hate being addressed in Japanese, so err on the safe side. Learn to say ‘Ni hao,’ which means ‘hello’ in Mandarin,” advises Mr. Black.
Okay, we at SimplyFab are not economists, but just stating the obvious….it’s funny why the west see a rising China as a threat. Won’t they rather see the wondrous opportunities this burgeoning market offers? Plus, the Chinese are not likely to be travelling, buying or living on credit! 
Peace, Love and Cocktails!
