Family travel is key to attracting more Chinese guests to your hotel in 2018, at least around the Chinese New Year, which will be celebrated Friday, February 16 next year.
1. Have a powerful presence online on travel sites and travel blogs
Many Chinese travelers, according to statistics we shared in a previous post, still look at travel websites, travel blogs, travel agents, and tour guides to plan their trips. It is important that you reach out to bloggers, travel news sites, and social media influencers to review your hotel.
2. A WeChat presence is essential.
If you want to reach more Chinese tourists, WeChat is an essential tool in your hotel marketing strategy. Plateno already has the world’s biggest loyalty platform in the industry, with four million WeChat followers, growing at a rate of a million a month. You can always contact us to help you set up and manage your hotel’s WeChat account. Also, keep in mind that 70% of the bookings to hotels that partner with Plateno come directly from our proprietary CRS system. A partnership with Plateno Europe can only benefit your hotel, attracting more Chinese guests and busting ROI.
The Chinese New Year can be a golden opportunity to attract more Chinese guests to your hotel in 2018.
3. Focus on the Chinese legal holidays
6.15 million Chinese people traveled abroad during the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) in 2017 and the numbers are expected to skyrocket in 2018. In 2018, the event is celebrated on Friday, February 16. Create a special promotional package for Chinese travelers around this date. Besides the Spring Festival, China has six other legal holidays:
In addition to the above seven festivals, Chinese people celebrate Women’s Day, Youth Day, Children’s Day, and Army Day.
If you create special promotions around the legal holidays of China you will likely attract more Chinese guests than your competitors.
4. Offer services in Mandarin
Because very few Chinese travelers speak English, having your site translated into Mandarin and offering serivices in their language can be a very appealing feature. Chinese guests will appreciate city information in their language too. Have a special travel guide designed for them featuring the most interesting tourist landmarks, but also luxury shops close to your hotel. The address to a Chinese restaurant nearby is a nice touch. Speaking of which, if you have a restaurant at your hotel, adding a few Chinese dishes on the menu will increase your hotel’s valu for Chinese visitors.
5. Improve your hotel amenities to satisfy Chinese guests
As mentioned above, if you have Chinese food on the menu in your hotel’s restaurant, you will certainly attract more Chinese guests. Other hotel amenities include:
- A kettle for warm water in the room and a selection of good Chinese teas
- fast, complimentary WiFi
- free disposable slippers
- hire staff who speaks Mandarin
- prepare a UnionPay POS to allow Chinese guests to pay quickly and securely
Source: Chinese International Travel Monitor 2016, Hotels.com
6. Etiquette rules
- Chinese do not liketo be touched by strangers: so no handshakes, hugs, patting, or other greeting formalities
- A greeting in Mandarin creates a good first impression
- High-end, luxury Chinese travelers prefer to be welcomed by the general manager/ or owner of the hotel
- Do not address your Chinese visitors by their first names unless specifically asked
- Women use theirmaiden names even after marriage, their marital status being idicated by the use of Mrs, Ms, Miss, or Madam
- Accompany your Chinese guests to the door to show respect
You can find even more information about etiquette and general rules to satisfy your Chinese guests in this document by Tourism and Events Queensland.
Guest post by Tomasz Janczak, the E-Commerce & Distribution Director for Plateno Group Europe, the daughter company of the Chinese hotel group, which manages more than 3700 hotels under 16 brands globally. Tomasz is also heading up the launch of a new project for Plateno corporate, that will open up the unlimited Chinese travel market to European hoteliers.