Composition of Inbound Tourists? Expense

There is little change in inbound tourists? expense on the mainland of China during the period from January to October in 2002 compared with that of 2001. Among the overnight travelers, tourists from Hong Kong and Taiwan spent more than the previous year, but those from Macao and foreign countries spent less. Among tourists who made a one-day trip to China, the expense of people from Taiwan increased, but that of people from Hong Kong, Macao and foreign counties decreased.

Specific figures are as follows:

1. The average daily expense of the inbound overnight tourists is US$140.09, 0.96 percent, or US$1.33 higher than that of the same period of 2001. The average expense of foreign tourists is US$147.72 per day, 5.77 percent lower than last year; that of Hong Kong tourists, US$111.19 per day, 8.57 percent higher than last year; that of Taiwan tourists, US$151.50 per day, 20.29 percent higher; and that of Macao tourists, US$102.09 per day, 14.88 percent lower.

2. The average expense of inbound overnight tourists is US$854.55, 0.96 percentage higher than that of 2001. However, the average expense of the overnight foreign tourists is US$1004.50, 9.75 percent less compared with that of last year; that of Hong Kong tourists, US$411.40, 33.91 percent higher; that of Macao tourists, US$469.61, 20.09 percent lower; and that of Taiwan visitors, US$1045.35, 9.1 percent more compared with that of the previous year.

3. Of those who traveled China for one day, the average expense is US$30.54, US$3.76 less than last year, or a 10.96 percent decrease. The average expense of foreign tourists is US$31.30, 13.92 percent lower than last year; that of Hong Kong tourists, US$26.41, 12.87 percent lower; that of Macao tourists, US$27.10, 5.61 percentages lower; and that of Taiwan tourists, 67.24, 67.93 percent higher than that of last year.

The expense of inbound tourists does not include money spent on international transport and service charges of overseas travel agencies.

Length of Stay

The 2002 sample investigation shows:

1. Overnight travelers stayed 6.1 days averagely, remaining the same as last year.

2. DIY tourists averagely stayed 6.3 days, longer than those in organized trips who averagely stayed 5.9 days.

3. Foreign tourists stayed 6.8 days averagely, 0.3 day shorter than last year; Hong Kong tourists stayed 3.7 days, 0.7 day longer; Macao tourists stayed 4.6 days, 0.3 day less than last year; and those from Taiwan, 6.9 days, 0.7 day shorter than last year.

The Re-calculated Income in Foreign Exchange Made from Tourism

According to the result of the 2002 sample investigation, the estimated foreign exchange made from tourism is US$17.018 billion (the figure was US$17.196 billion as calculated on the result of the 2001 sample investigation), 14.82 percent higher than that of the same period of last year (it was 16.20 percent higher according to the former estimation). The total expense of foreign tourists is US$7.839 billion, 9.75 percent higher than that of the same period of last year; that of Hong Kong tourists is US$4.751 billion, 27.89 percent higher; that of Macao tourists, US$1.637 billion, o.70 percent higher; and that of Taiwan tourists, US$2.791 billion, 19.38 percent higher.

(china.org.cn by Wu Nanlan December 28, 2002)