Compared to the same period in 2022, both EU destinations have witnessed a notable growth in Chinese travelers, making them two new popular destinations for upcoming travels between September and December 2023, according to EU Helpers.
However, as in the previous year, France continues to be the most popular destination for Chinese tourists, as indicated by the results of the most recent Long-Haul Travel Barometer study conducted by the European Travel Commission (ETC). Of the 1,000 respondents, 47% included France in their autumn 2023 travel plans.
To better understand the travel plans of long-haul travelers, the ETC conducts 1,000 online interviews in each of the six major markets: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, and the United States.
A growing number of Chinese tourists are also interested in visiting less well-known locations, such as Bulgaria, Iceland, Sweden, and Ireland. Remarkably, a few of these locations weren't at the top of the list in the fall of 2019.
After France, Germany (selected by 23%), Italy (selected by 20%), and Denmark (selected by 20%) are the other locations that Chinese tourists prefer.
Switzerland, Greece, and Finland tie for the fifth most popular travel location among Chinese respondents, with 13% apiece, ahead of Austria, which comes in close second at 19%.
Chinese tourists said that they would rather have gastronomic experiences in Europe, with 40% of respondents favoring this option.
Particularly, the younger Chinese respondents—ages 18–34 and 35–49—who said they would be traveling to Europe in September and December 2023 are very interested in taking cooking classes and indulging in regional food.
Activities related to city life, such street art, culture, and history, came in second at 32%, while 29% of respondents selected outdoor pursuits like hiking and travel, which also attracted a lot of attention.
Luxury shopping was the least popular choice among Chinese travelers contemplating a trip to Europe, with only 17% of respondents finding it to be their preferred pastime. This indicates that luxury shopping has less attraction.
Regarding modes of transportation, the vast majority of Chinese respondents—roughly 83%—plan to take full-service planes to travel between European nations. Another 29% think that taking cheap flights is a possibility.
Additionally, among Chinese travelers, train passes ranked somewhat lower at 25%, while motorhomes, which include campervans and truck campers, were the least popular alternative, chosen by only 7% of the respondents.