Ep 159: China Reopens for Travel: What Happens Next?, with Prof. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, COTRI

About This Episode

9 Jan 2023 • 55m46s

So, here it is… the first episode of 2023. As we roll into our 4th year of The South East Asia Travel Show, there’s only one place to begin. China’s reopening currently dominates all analysis of travel and tourism. So it’s fitting that we welcome to the show a long-time friend, Prof. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, CEO of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI). Flipping our usual format, Hannah interviews Wolfgang and Gary, who will co-publish The 2023 China Outbound Tourism Handbook, on 22 January.

Show notes

Here is the full interview question list:

  1. Talk us through what actually changed on 8 January in terms of border policies
  2. Pre-pandemic, were groups of Chinese travellers or FITs the most popular?
  3. How important is it to the world’s tourism industry that Chinese travellers are back?
  4. How will the testing requirements for other countries impact Chinese travellers’ destination choice?
  5. What can we expect for the Lunar New Year travel, both domestically and internationally?
  6. What volumes should we expect for Chinese travellers in 2023 - will we see pre-pandemic levels?
  7. Which segments of Chinese travellers will travel first?
  8. What is the situation for international air capacity from China? Can we expect that to ramp up quickly?
  9. How have expectations changed for Chinese travellers?
  10. What new segments have emerged for domestic travel? Will these apply for international travel, too?
  11. How important is technology to Chinese travellers - and how is that different from Southeast Asia or the rest of the world?
  12. Given that holidays and tourism are usually among the first types of consumerism cut back when spending confidence is low, in which sectors of the Chinese outbound market are these cut backs most likely? And, in what ways will Chinese tourists seek to gain more bang from their buck whilst travelling?
  13. How can businesses ensure that they are China-ready?
View All Episodes

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Play
14 Feb 2025 • 36m52s

Ep 239: Fragmentation is the New Normal - Top 8 Chinese Outbound Tourism Topics to Watch in 2025

“In 2025, consumer demand in the outbound travel market in China will continue to fragment, particularly in terms of interests. This shift is one of the most significant changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.” Two years after China reopened for travel, the outbound tourism market continues to diversify and fragment. The landscape looks very different than it did in 2019 - and the 2025 Chinese New Year confirmed this.
Play
30 Jan 2025 • 33m09s

Ep 238: Using the 5Fs, White Lotus, Lalisa & Soft Power to Reposition Thai Tourism, with Chattan Kunjara, Tourism Authority of Thailand

“The White Lotus is huge. It’s a very scenery-driven show, and there are compelling stories behind that. It creates an aura.” As The White Lotus season 3 prepares to air, how is Thailand using various aspects of soft power to reposition itself as a tourism destination? This week’s show comes from Gary’s other podcast, High-Yield Tourism, on which he and Dr Jens Thraenhart speak to global thought leaders about how tourism strategy and development are changing in the post-Covid era.