SHANGHAI, March 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Travelzoo®
(NASDAQ: TZOO), a global publisher of exclusive offers and
experiences for members, is forecasting the largest popularity
growth of Africa in 2018 among
avid Chinese travelers, according to the results of the latest
Travelzoo Travel Trends Survey.*
Africa Becomes Top Destination to Explore In-depth in
2018
The survey shows a record high number of Chinese
respondents—more than 60%—who plan to travel in-depth in 2018.
"In-depth travels" is a term used by travel websites in
China to describe the type of
trips that involve more unconventional journeys beyond the typical
tourist experience. For the very first time, Africa moved up to first place as the top
in-depth travel destination Chinese travelers hope to visit in
2018, dethroning the ever-popular Japan and Australia. Among the destinations in
Africa, Travelzoo's Chinese
members are most interested in Morocco, Tunisia, South
Africa, Namibia,
Madagascar and Tanzania, according to Travelzoo's website
statistics.
Travelzoo deal experts say the rapid growth in popularity in
exotic destinations such as Morocco and Tunisia is largely due to relaxation of visa
requirements for Chinese nationals. Chinese passport holders have
been granted visa-free access to visit Morocco since June
2016 and Tunisia since
February 2017, and visa-on-arrival
access to enter Tanzania and
Egypt. There was a 378%
year-over-year growth in Chinese arrivals in Morocco and 240% in Tunisia during the six months after the easing
of visa requirements, which pushed Morocco to first place and Tunisia third as the destinations that enjoyed
the greatest growth in Chinese visitors (source: ForwardKeys,
October 2017).
Furthermore, the survey showed a 25% increase in the number of
Travelzoo members in China who
plan to take five or more overseas holidays in 2018. Travelzoo's
statistics show the click-through rates of Morocco deals have increased 20% since the
visa-free Morocco access was
announced. "Travelzoo members like to explore the less-traveled
destinations and have immersive local experiences," comments
Yoyo Huang, Associate Publisher at
Travelzoo in China. "These
Travelzoo members become influencers for their friends and family
when they seek travel suggestions. Now that the major visa
restrictions were lifted, our members are definitely keen on
Africa and their friends will
follow. 2018 is about time that Africa took off and continued to grow in
popularity throughout the year."
More Interest in Historic Attractions and Less
Shopping
Beach holidays still top the activities
Chinese travelers are interested in, followed by food and wine.
Third place, however, was taken by historic attractions, rising
from fifth spot last year. Cruises climbed to seventh place from
tenth and photography tours appeared in the top 10 the first time.
Otherwise, shopping dropped out of the top 10 activities for the
first time and sightseeing also fell from ninth spot to last.
"The days when Chinese tourists were entertained by merely
sightseeing and shopping are long gone," adds Huang, "the middle
class in China are now seeking
unforgettable experiences at their own pace when they travel. The
destinations that offer rich culture and nature should expect many
more Chinese visitors, so we're confident in our prediction that
2018 will see Africa secure its
place as the fastest-growing popular destination among avid Chinese
travelers."
Additionally, the survey revealed that the U.S.—one of the top
five destinations of all time for Chinese travelers—fell from the
third place to fifth this year while Japan and Australia remain number one and two. The U.K.
retains the fourth spot, while no other Western European country
made it into the top 10 this year.
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About the Research
*The Travelzoo Travel Trends
Survey was completed by 1,671 Travelzoo members in China who responded to an online questionnaire
in January 2018.
About Travelzoo
Travelzoo® provides our 28
million members insider deals and one-of-a-kind experiences
personally reviewed by one of our deal experts around the globe.
With more than 25 offices worldwide, we have our finger on the
pulse of outstanding travel, entertainment, and lifestyle
experiences. For over 15 years we have worked in partnership with
more than 2,000 top travel suppliers—our long-standing
relationships give Travelzoo members access to the very best
deals.
Travelzoo and Top 20 are registered trademarks of Travelzoo.
Media contact:
Xu Lin
+86 (0) 216 056 1056
xlin@travelzoo.com
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