They now make up the third major market for the industry
“Bhutanese culture isn't the main attraction for Chinese tourists,” said a tour operator. “It’s to do with the happiness factor. Most Chinese tourists say they come to experience happiness in Bhutan.”
Tourism: From 19 in 2003, Chinese tourists visiting Bhutan is emerging as the third major market for the tourism industry after Japan and the United States since 2011.
The tourism council of Bhutan (TCB) recorded the highest number of Chinese tourists last year at 3,766, an increase of more than 30 percent from the previous year.
Japanese were the number one international visitor at 6,967 last year, a 77 percent increase from the previous year, followed by 6,007 from USA.
Last year, tourist arrivals stood at 105,407; of which 54,685 were dollar-paying tourists, and 50,722 were regional visitors from the neighboring countries of India and Bangladesh.
The wedding of the Hong Kong actor couple in Bhutan in 2007, according to tour operators, helped promote Bhutan as a tourist destination. In 2010, about 21 Bhutanese travel companies visited China for marketing and promotion.
“Bhutanese culture isn't the main attraction for Chinese tourists,” said a tour operator. “It’s to do with the happiness factor. Most Chinese tourists say they come to experience happiness in Bhutan.”
Chinese tourists usually visit the country in October and during their New Year, which coincides with the Bhutanese Losar. Students visit during their summer breaks in July and August.
Officials of the national airline, Drukair, in an earlier interview, said it was mostly Chinese tourists, who usually flew in from Kathmandu in February, and this year there were also requests for chartered flights.
According to UN world tourism organisation (UNWTO), Chinese travellers spent USD 102B on international travel in 2012, about 40 percent more than what they spent in 2011. “More than 80M Chinese travelled internationally in 2011, outspending German tourists, the longtime leader in overseas travel spending for the first time,” the UNWTO report released in April this year states.
In Bhutan too, China made it to the top five major markets for the first time in 2010, with an increase of about 30 percent in arrivals from 2009. (see graph)
According to the 2012 Bhutan tourism monitor, Chinese tourists visited Bhutan for a short holiday period. “Their time of visitation is spread throughout the year, with a slight majority skewed towards September to November months,” the monitor states.
Chinese tourists, who visited the country, were highly educated, with the majority holding university degrees, according to TCB. About 64 percent of the total visitors were in Bhutan for the first time, while about 27 percent of them came for the third time.
About 34 percent of Chinese tourists came to visit only Bhutan, while the rest combined their trips with neighboring countries, like Nepal and Thailand.
Just as Chinese travel in other parts of the globe in large groups, a majority of Chinese tourists also came to Bhutan in groups. “About 49 percent of the visitors came in as ‘group of friends’, followed by about 21 percent as couples, and about 20 percent as part of organised tour groups,” according to the tourism monitor.
A leading tour company in China has estimated that about 90 percent of the Chinese visitors travel in larger groups, moving from destination to destination while staying at budget hotels.
Visitors from USA stayed for eight days last year, according to TCB records, while Chinese and Japanese tourists spent an average of 4.96 and 4.88 days respectively. “Asian tourists staying for shorter duration is a stable trend and does not seem to change with the years,” states the monitor.
Last year, a majority of the Chinese visitors flew in by air through Kathmandu, while the rest came through Thailand.
Despite the drop in international tourists arrival this year, tour operators said they were expecting more Chinese tourists.
Source: Kuensel
By Kinga Dema
