With the Lunar New Year around the corner, eight out of
10 Chinese are packing up for the week-long vacation, according to
ACNielsen's online survey, which polled over 3,000 people across
the country aged from 15 to 54.
The survey found family reunions are the major reason many
Chinese travel during the holiday. Of them, more than a third will
travel within China for Spring Festival family events, 18 percent
will travel to domestic holiday destinations, and almost one in 10
will travel overseas.
"In China, many people move to cities or provinces for better
job opportunities. The Spring Festival and a family reunion are
what most have been looking forward to after a long year of hard
work," said Grace Pan, head of travel and leisure research at
ACNielsen China.
Many are also considering spending the week-long vacation
traveling within or outside the country, with individual disposable
income on the rise, and a more open and favorable outbound travel
policy.
Going south is the preferred choice for many mainland travelers,
with Hong Kong, Macao and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region the
most popular destinations among outbound travelers.
Of those surveyed who had booked overseas trips, up to 74
percent will visit Hong Kong. Other Asian destinations at the top
of mainland travelers' lists are Macao, Singapore, South Korea,
Taiwan, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia.
Despite the cold weather, 13 percent of those surveyed have
chosen to go to Europe, followed by Canada and the United States
even though neither of these countries has approved destination
status.
The survey also indicated that an increasing number of Chinese
travelers prefer to take control of their itineraries, with 62
percent of domestic and over 50 percent of overseas travelers
organizing their own accommodation and plans.
More than half of those traveling over the Spring Festival week
said they would spend 1,000 to 5,000 yuan, and nearly one-fifth
will spend over 5,000 yuan.
According to ACNielsen, fashion, accessories and leather goods
are at the top of the shopping list for over two-thirds of Chinese
going abroad. About 63 percent will also shop for gifts, perfume
and cosmetics. Other items include souvenirs, jewelry and
watches.
(China Daily February 14, 2007)