Chinese visitors not shy about spending

Chinese fans cheer and wave flags during Sunday's diving competition at Rio's Maria Lenk Aquatics Center. Wei Xiaohao / China Daily

Chinese tourists in Brazil for the Olympics will spend an average of 72,145 yuan ($10,860), according to the latest report from Ctrip, one of China's leading online travel service providers.

The report, released on Friday, shows other South American countries have also benefited from enthusiasm surrounding the Games.

In July, the average amount spent by Chinese visitors in South America was around 53,479 yuan - about 10 times what Chinese outbound tourists usually spend abroad, according to the report.

This month, the average was pushed higher due to the increased cost of hotels and air travel.

Tuniu, another online travel service provider in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, said the company offers a range of travel products for the Olympics, including tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies and athletic events.

"These products generally cost between 40,000 and 70,000 yuan, and sales have not been bad," said Alex Yan, Tuniu's chief operating officer.

The logistical difficulties for Chinese wanting to visit Brazil mean far fewer are attending these Games, compared with the thousands who made their way to the 2012 London Olympics.

Yet industry insiders say affluent Chinese tourists have become increasingly interested in tailor-made tours to Brazil and other South American countries. Beijing Caissa International Travel Service Co, a travel agency authorized to sell Olympic tickets in China, said there has been a spike in the number of Chinese traveling to Brazil, especially businesspeople.

Zhang Rui, senior vice-president of Caissa, said the Olympics are the biggest event on the sporting calendar and businesses are keen to promote themselves through the Games.

"Hundreds of companies have asked us about the Olympic packages, hoping to use them for brand promotion, marketing opportunities and customer incentives," said Zhang.

"By far, bookings from corporate customers are the majority. There are also bookings from individual tourists."

According to Ctrip, the majority of Chinese travelers to Rio are from Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou of Guangdong province and Shenyang of Liaoning province.

The company said Brazil ranks 60th on the list of overseas tourism destinations for Chinese travelers, yet Chinese outbound tourists in South America account for fewer than 0.05 percent of the total.

"However, we have seen rapid growth in the first eight months of this year," said Fan Xuguang, of Ctrip's public affairs department.

"The visits paid by Chinese travelers to South America have jumped by 150 percent year-on-year.

"Popular destinations include Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia.

"New emerging tourism destinations explored by Chinese tourists include Uruguay, Ecuador, and Colombia."

suzhou@chinadaily.com.cn