THE PALASZCZUK GOVERNMENT S CONNECTING TO ASIA FORUM

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1 THE PALASZCZUK GOVERNMENT S CONNECTING TO ASIA FORUM PRESENTER Dr Monica Chien - Lecturer UQ Business School, University of Queensland Chinese Student Market Potential

2 Chinese Student Market Potential for Regional Queensland Dr. Pi-Hsuan Monica Chien Dr. Gabby Walters 25 August 2016

3 Tourism and Regional Queensland Demand for diverse tourism products and experiences has increased, especially among travellers from Mainland China Free and independent Chinese Travelers (FITs) are identified as a potential target market for Regional Queensland Little is known as to the knowledge base and appeal of Regional Queensland among this market 3

4 FITs and Chinese Students China is the top country of origin for international students in the world. In 2015, China contributed 27.5% of all international students in Australia, the highest of any nationality, with 136,097 students last year. Lucrative traveller segments in terms of willingness to travel and frequency of travelling. Closely represent a segment of Chinese FITs 4

5 FITs and Chinese Students X Can speak some English Have a university education Are married with children Are under 50 years of age Are confident experienced travellers Want flexible travel options Want to experience and enrich their knowledge of a different culture Like to eat local food and spend time with local people Are internet savvy Are heavy travel researchers and planners Are likely to have travelled outside of Asia previously Tourism Queensland s China Market Snapshot Year Ending June

6 Project Objectives Provide an understanding of Chinese student market s knowledge of, attitudes and perceptions towards Queensland s regional destinations. Develop a profile of the Chinese student market that shows potential for Regional Queensland based on: Travel Motivations Experience sought Likely influencers Activity preferences 6

7 Research Method Phase 1 Focus groups Five focus groups were held at the University of Queensland Chinese students in their first and final year of study A total of 33 Chinese students participated (14 being first year and 19 final year) Phase 2 Survey questionnaire 612 Chinese students from six of Queensland s universities Combination of first and final year students 7

8 How much do you know about the Chinese Millenials? Please go to kahoot.it The Game Pin is: Create a Nickname and get ready! 8

9 Chinese Students View of Regional Queensland Knowledge 85% of the respondents rated their knowledge of regional QLD from vague to non-existent. Willingness to Travel Over 60% of respondents showed willingness to travel to this region. Mode of travel 64.1% of the respondents would travel by car. 9

10 Perceptions of Regional Queensland

11 Chinese Students Travel Motivation 90.20% 88.50% 87% 81.20% 81.10% 48.20% New and unique experience Rest and relax Time with friends Experience nature Learning new things Something to talk about 11

12 Key decision influencers Travel agents 7% TV/film 10% Time 20% Social media 13% Costs 18% Travel companions 14% Accessibility 18% 12

13 Desirable Destination Attributes Pull Factors Authentic cultural experience Public transport Quality and variety of food Natural attractions Accessibility Not crowded Weather Good scenery Safety and security 74% 78.20% 79.50% 80.30% 83.80% 84.50% 86.30% 88.20% 93.30% 13

14 Information Search Behaviour Existing knowledge 6.10% Friends and families 12.20% Other travel web sites 27.40% Travel agents 10.50% Weibo 15.70% WeChat 13.20% Tripadvisor 14.90% 14

15 What Have We Learned? Students who are willing to travel to the region: Predominately 1 st year students Likely to spend more money between $600 and $1200 Consider the region a good place for a road trip Would holiday with friends or family Interested in indigenous culture and wildlife Less likely to be concerned about safety Prefer a country break rather than a city break Less concerned about what their friends think Primary motivations are quest for natural experiences, new knowledge, exciting experiences, stories to tell other, meeting new people. 15

16 What Have We Learned? Students who are not willing to travel to the region: Budget conscious Less motivated by or interested in nature based experiences More likely to be concerned about what their friends think of their travel plans Perceived that Regional Queensland is dangerous Likely to be more deterred by a perceived lack of accessibility Generally prefer city breaks Less interested in wildlife experiences Less likely to participate in adventure style activities Are happy in crowds 16

17 What Have We Learned? November December is the most popular time to travel in Australia, followed by June July. January February is the least likely travel period. Travel decisions are usually made less than 3 months in advance. However, last minute decisions are unlikely. Made their own travel arrangement 17

18 What Have We Learned? Used a wide variety of sources for information search and travel booking Chinese social media and web sites e.g., WeChat, Mafengwo, Qiongyou, Ctrip.com Travel agent Student Flights Web site booking.com 18

19 Thank you! 19