Chinese tourists are spending more money on upgraded travel experiences when they go abroad, and more people are willing to take in-depth, individualized and customized trips, according to a report released this week by the China Tourism Academy and Ctrip.com travel agency.

Tourists opening wallets for travel upgrades abroad

A tourist enjoys the sights in Bangkok, Thailand. More Chinese travelers prefer individualized travel. [China Daily]

"The middle class, who are the backbone of the outbound tourism market in China, are more willing to slow down their travel pace and enjoy in-depth travel experiences, no matter if it is in accommodations, eating, shopping or cultural consumption," said Dai Bin, director of the China Tourism Academy.

"More people prefer independent trips, instead of traveling with groups, and those who spend a lot of money shopping account for a smaller portion of Chinese tourists."

In the first half of the year, 42 percent of Chinese tourists chose to travel with groups and 58 percent took individualized trips, Ctrip said. The shift has coincided with the proliferation of travel websites and mobile applications to find travel information and book trips.

Take Lily Min, 26, a Hong Kongbased lawyer who traveled to Japan last month with a friend.

"I prefer to travel on individualized trips than go with groups because I will have a more flexible schedule and change it as needed," she said. "Besides, I like to plan the whole trip on my own, including booking hotels, choosing places to dine and exploring destinations."

zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA?08/07/2017 page3)