Mainlanders top shoppers overseas
Christopher Bodeen
May 26, 2005

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/China/images/camera0526.jpg
Chinese tourists are spending an average of US$987 apiece, mostly on clothes and cosmetics, on overseas shopping trips. REUTERS

Retailers take note: you might want to brush up on your Putonghua.

Chinese are now outspending Japanese on overseas shopping trips, blowing an average of US$987 (HK$7,699) on designer clothes, cosmetics and other items each time they go abroad, according to a recent survey.

Rising incomes and loosened government restrictions allowed 29 million Chinese to travel overseas in 2004, a 43 percent increase over the year before, according to the survey by market research firms ACNielsen and Tax Free World Association.

Although Chinese spend less altogether on their overseas trips than Japanese travelers, they splurge more at the shops, accounting for about 30 percent of their total spending, according to the survey.

"With increased disposable incomes, the Chinese are turning to overseas travel and exploring new and interesting places," said Glen Murphy, ACNielsen's managing director for China.

While the spending figures may be good news for foreign retailers, they are far from representative of China's 1.3 billion people as a whole.

Even in China's three wealthiest cities of Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, where the survey was conducted, only about one in 10 residents has traveled abroad. Of those who do, 69 percent are women and 36 percent are in their 20s - groups with the largest disposable incomes and the most extravagant spending habits of all Chinese.

Asian countries and regions are most favored by Chinese shoppers, with Hong Kong the top destination by far. Over 70 percent of those surveyed who visited Hong Kong said they did so mainly for shopping.

However, those visiting European countries that were opened as official tourism destinations last year spent the most - an average of US$1,781 per person per trip, the survey said.

It said fashion, cosmetics and candies were the top three purchases by Chinese visitors, a contrast to European travelers who spend the most on alcohol, perfume and tobacco products.

Industry experts say Chinese travelers tend to economize on hotel rooms and food.

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$1000 on Cadbury and Maybelline?

since when is HK overseas? Did I miss some tsunami?

HK is classified as an international destination for tourism statistics since mainland Chinese cannot freely cross the border. In fact, they have to apply for visas to visit Hong Kong for either business or leisure. Under more relaxed restrictions from the individual visit scheme, residents living in Guangdong province and several large cities can now obtain simplified visas for individual visits and not confined to tour groups. As a result, there has been a huge influx of Chinese tourists into Hong Kong.

So this whole statement of spending more overseas is just a laugh! It should read: spend more in Hong Kong.

bECAUSE SOME foreign famous brand stuff in HK si cheaper than mainland.so many people go shopping in HK.

Actually, the middle class in China is growing and getting wealthy enough to fly to Europe. I came across an article a few months ago mentioning how many mainlanders now have set their sights on Paris for some major shopping.

and some people just for shopping

Actually, the middle class in China is growing and getting wealthy enough to fly to Europe. I came across an article a few months ago mentioning how many mainlanders now have set their sights on Paris for some major shopping.

I highly doubt the middle class could afford the air fare to Europe. This extravagant spending is probably by the upper-class, who drive Mercedes and Cadillacs.

i can

i can

no need to prove anything, let it be.

lv , armani

gucci

i'm a middle class but i can't, tickets to europe and u.s. are so expensive, my family can only afford asian trips because its nearer to us.
I think the Chinese are outspending (ehem, the title should be:"Mainlanders top shoppers in Hong Kong") because for many decades they were prohibited to these things (thanks to communism) which are normal comforts of americans, europeans and the like whom for the years enjoyed economic freedom. Honestly, when something "new" is introduced, everyone who "can", grabs for it, that is what is happening to chinese now, at least that's for me of course. Here, we have a term to call that trait: "nababana" or simply raving too much at something.

Where is the money coming from? Credit cards?

in asia i would''ve thought on general japanese and koreans would spend the most?

Japanese and HKers.

Japanese and HKers and taiwanese...

not korean...

Send those Chinese on shopping sprees to Mexico :D

$1000 on Cadbury and Maybelline?

No my friend, Chinese do NOT use Maybelline, they buy expensive designer staff such Christian Dior, Channel, Shishedo, Estel Lauder and such.

Where is the money coming from? Credit cards?

To begin with ... from the keyboard you wrotte that.

Tourists from China to South Africa have increased five fold in the past ten years, yet chinese expenditure has stayed low. Chinese are not known as big spenders. A newspaper report stated recently that ,after a 30minute drive to a well known tourist attraction outside of Cape Town, a busload of chinese tourists did want to enter the grounds, because the R10 (US$1.50) entrance fee was too much! Instead, they took pictures of the partly exposed monument from the roadside. lol.

or are there not much things worth spending in south africa to chinese
i guess most chinese spend alot on electronics and brand named clothings the most... so that might explain

Tourists from China to South Africa have increased five fold in the past ten years, yet chinese expenditure has stayed low. Chinese are not known as big spenders. A newspaper report stated recently that ,after a 30minute drive to a well known tourist attraction outside of Cape Town, a busload of chinese tourists did want to enter the grounds, because the R10 (US$1.50) entrance fee was too much! Instead, they took pictures of the partly exposed monument from the roadside. lol.

not really if you know the spending pattern of people in mainland china. most people who travel abroad are absolutely loaded (i'm not talking about the general people) and they probably just find it too cheap so they worry there won't be much to see in there.

i mean it's a common logic. if they can afford USD2000-2500 for the flight and accommodation.. will they mind the USD1.5? --"

To begin with ... from the keyboard you wrotte that.

Yeah, but the majority of the money isn't necessarily going to the middle class, but rather transnational companies (BTW, my Apple keyboard was assembled in Malaysia).

or are there not much things worth spending in south africa to chinese
i guess most chinese spend alot on electronics and brand named clothings the most... so that might explain

ouch! :runaway:

or are there not much things worth spending in south africa to chinese
i guess most chinese spend alot on electronics and brand named clothings the most... so that might explain
South Africa's is also known as "a world in one country". That goes for the variety of goods to be found here as well. I guess those who cannot appreciate the value of their destination, might as well stay at home and buy their brands in their home country. Oh, I get it, they can't find those brands in their home country !:fart:

South Africa's is also known as "a world in one country". That goes for the variety of goods to be found here as well. I guess those who cannot appreciate the value of their destination, might as well stay at home and buy their brands in their home country. Oh, I get it, they can't find those brands in their home country !:fart:
you r stupid,China will become the biggest free market of the world,China has all the brands,just because the impost,so the price of some famous brand in HK is much cheeper that the mainland China,So the mainland chinese like shopping in HK.

If people don't find value in the admission, then regardless of how much that charge is, it's not worth spending the amount. Conversely, if they perceive value, then they are willing to pay big bucks for it. That's why many Chinese tourists flood the LV store in Paris to buy their brand name goods.

I highly doubt the middle class could afford the air fare to Europe. This extravagant spending is probably by the upper-class, who drive Mercedes and Cadillacs.
“男人爱东南亚，女人爱巴黎”———这是中国中产者一个精彩的旅游写照。调查说，女性明显更青睐于巴黎、纽约、米兰等都市购物之旅，选择的比例高于男性一倍；而男性则对东南亚之旅表现出较高的兴趣，比例是女性的两倍。而未来欧美游将成为高学历、高职位城市白领的出游首选，其中硕士及以上学历的人群尤为明显。

“男人爱东南亚，女人爱巴黎”———这是中国中产者一个精彩的旅游写照。调查说，女性明显更青睐于巴黎、纽约、米兰等都市购物之旅，选择的比例高于男性一倍；而男性则对东南亚之旅表现出较高的兴趣，比例是女性的两倍。而未来欧美游将成为高学历、高职位城市白领的出游首选，其中硕士及以上学历的人群尤为明显。

1. I'm not Chinese, so I would prefer English.

2. What does that have to do with my claim?

^ Maybe he was explaining that the upper-class don't drive Cadillacs but BMW and AUDIs.

South Africa's is also known as "a world in one country". That goes for the variety of goods to be found here as well. I guess those who cannot appreciate the value of their destination, might as well stay at home and buy their brands in their home country. Oh, I get it, they can't find those brands in their home country !:fart:


go and explore the world mate

god this forum is littered with idiots......

harkerb, get off your racist podium. you don't speak for any chinese tourist here, or in south africa.

sounds like you were offended that a few chinese tourists didn't care to pump more money in the little south african economy.

:|

South Africa's is also known as "a world in one country". That goes for the variety of goods to be found here as well. I guess those who cannot appreciate the value of their destination, might as well stay at home and buy their brands in their home country. Oh, I get it, they can't find those brands in their home country !:fart:
As for" a world in one country",South Africa is so special that Chinese tourists are noticed to be aware of robbery in random shopping. If you expect Chinese people to buy something they love , you need to do more work to suck up to customers and offer favorable service and goods to them;Otherwise, next time, your travel agency and Air South Africa's profit correspondingly decline too, not to mention shopping market's small expenses.

god this forum is littered with idiots......

harkerb, get off your racist podium. you don't speak for any chinese tourist here, or in south africa.

sounds like you were offended that a few chinese tourists didn't care to pump more money in the little south african economy.

:|
Is that little cow a picture of you? And it's black and white, how multi-racial!

^ Have you ever seen a red or green cow? http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif