New outbound tourism habit

In Hong Kong, the majority of the shopping by tourists from the Chinese mainland has shifted from luxury brands to products that are more practical and evenly priced. The proportion of expenditure on shopping dropped from 35.4 percent in 2011 to 30.7 percent in 2012.

In 2012 there were 77.05 million outbound travelers visiting for personal reasons, about 92.63 percent of the total number of outbound travelers, a year-on-year increase of 1.36 percent, according to the report.

The report showed the percentage of the number of tourists who traveled out of the mainland for the first time fell 4.66 percent to 58.9 percent in 2012 over the 2011 figure.

"Chinese travelers are becoming more mature and rational and making more requests for richer experiences at their destinations," said Jiang Yiyi, an academic researcher.

Because of the rise in frequency in outbound travel, medium-priced hotels are gaining popularity among Chinese travelers with less demand for economy hotels than before, the report revealed.

The number of outbound visits exceeded 83.18 million, a year-on-year increase of 18.41 percent, the report added. Total overseas spending by Chinese tourists in 2012 reached $102 billion, with the tourism services trade deficit further increased to $51.9 billion.

The number of outbound visits from the Chinese mainland is expected to reach 94.3 million this year, a year-on-year increase of 15 percent, while spending is to hit a record $117.6 billion, according to Dai Bin.

Tian Juan, from the media relations department at CAISSA Travel Management Co, said the number of travelers wanting tours providing rich experiences rose to 38 percent in 2012 from 18 percent in 2008.

Chen Xiaobin, president of CAISSA, said with the growing maturity of Chinese travelers, they are no longer satisfied with quick tours but pay more attention to enhanced travel and trips with interesting themes.

Of all the destinations Chinese travelers visited last year, the number going to Asian countries and regions accounted for 90.04 percent.

In addition to the traditional popular destinations such as Europe, the United States and Asian islands, countries such as Brazil, Argentina and Cuba have begun to attract the attention of experienced tourists, Chen said.