Could the US emerge as a No. 1 site for Chinese visitors?
“New research from Taylor Nelson Sofres plc (TNS), a world leader in market information and insight, shows that the United States could emerge as a new highlight for China’s outbound tourists,” says the company, which adds:
“For a long time, the destinations most frequently visited by outbound Chinese tourists were Hong Kong and the neighboring enclave of Macao. But that is set to change.”
One major reason is the 2007 agreement between China and the United States, which set the terms of Approved Destination Status (ADS) for the US. Under ADS, Chinese nationals can obtain a tourist visa for entry into the United States, provided that travel is organized by a tour operator approved by the Chinese National Tourism Administration (CNTA).
Another driver for Chinese interest: the continuing depreciation of the dollar.
The TNS study says that discloses that about 20% of those planning to tour outside China in the coming year cite the US among their favorite destinations.
Among potential visitors age 36 or above, the figure is even higher at 29%, ranking the United States in the top five most desirable destinations — alongside Europe, Hong Kong, Australia/New Zealand and South Korea — and beating the traditional favorite, Southeast Asia.
Over half of all respondents cited the US as a desirable destination. For those aged 36 or above, the figure rises to almost two thirds.
The favorite American city among the Chinese?
When asked to name their top three U.S. cities (choosing from New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Chicago and Houston), New York City appeared in 72% of the answers, followed by Los Angeles (named in 47% of the answers). San Francisco was next, followed by Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.
“The TNS study reveals a hunger for the great outdoors, with ‘seeing the Grand Canyon’ as the top choice. Viewing New York City from the top of the Empire State Building came second,” said the survey summary.
Touring the White House, the Statue of Liberty and visiting Walt Disney World in Florida trailed behind.
