In an effort to attract more Chinese travelers to come to the city, hotel and restaurant establishments in Boston are using a Chinese-friendly approach to making tourists feel more at home.
Added service such as offering Chinese cuisine for room service and booklets translated to Chinese are examples of showing hospitality that Chinese tourists would appreciate.
There are more Chinese tourists traveling the globe. The increase of spending power from China's middle class will soon surpass the disposable income of tourists from the United Kingdom and Japan.
Smaller cities in Boston are becoming frequent destinations for international tourists. The same trend is apparent for cities like Washington D.C., Seattle and Las Vegas.
According to Elliott Ferguson, CEO of Destination DC, "Americans traditionally lag behind what other international designations do for different cultures. We just kind of assume that one size fits all. Quite frankly, that's just not welcoming."
Major hotel chains such as the Sheraton in Boston and the Four Seasons in Georgetown have made special accommodations for Chinese guests. These extra services would include a green tea bar and more Chinese dishes in the restaurant menu.
However, a Chinese guest named Zhe Zhang, a 36-year-old from Guangzhou, said that he didn't feel that there was an extra effort from a hotel in Los Angeles. He said that translating the menu to Chinese or adding pictures would be a better form of extended service.
"If possible, restaurants could provide a simple Chinese menu or pictured menu," Zhang said.
The Chinese tourism market is raising great potential in terms of revenue. A Chinese tourist spends $7,200 more than other visitors.
A Chinese tourist can now obtain a tourist visa which is valid for 10 years. The issuance of the visa was done to attract more Chinese travelers to make frequent visits to America.