The 2nd International Forum on Chinese Outbound Tourism was held in Beijing on November 20-21, aiming to provide a wider platform for international and local industry professionals to discuss further the rapid development of Chinese travel and the needs of the global industry.

Per Setterberg, CEO of the Global Refund Group, a leading supplier of international financial services, attended the forum and said the money Chinese tourists spend on overseas shopping has reached US$235 million per month, ranking first in the world.

According to Tuesday's Beijing Youth Daily, an investigation done jointly by ACNielsen and Tax Free World Association found that Chinese tourists spent an average of US$987 each on overseas shopping.

Setterberg said this was because most Chinese people have fewer opportunities to go abroad, but when they do they buy goods with famous foreign brands so they can show them to their colleagues and friends when they return.

Beijing Youth Daily said Chinese people often take much more money than they need when they travel in case of unexpected consumption, and end up spending more of it. They also think that buying foreign commodities in their perceived place of origin assures quality, and their prices can be cheaper than inside China.

The report said Chinese tourists' behavior overseas is different from other people's, which tends to focus more on enjoying the scenery and cultures of places visited. Chinese people are less likely to really appreciate other cultures, it said, and more likely to focus on shopping opportunities.

Paolo Zegna, CEO of the Zegna Group, which own Italian designer brand Ermenegildo Zegna, said he had been surprised by Chinese tourists' consumption capacity.

A professor from Paris' Ecole Superieure de Commerce said global luxury brands agree that China will have an important influence on the future development of their businesses.

(China.org.cn by Zhou Jing, November 27, 2005)