The 2014 National Day holiday revealed changes in the spending patterns of outbound Chinese tourists, who were found to have spent more on accommodation, entertainment and dining during the seven-day vacation, reported China Daily.
According to Morgan Stanley's estimates, Chinese travellers will spend $194 billion by 2015. This year, 116 million Chinese are expected to spend $155 billion overseas, which is 20 percent higher than in 2013.
"The data show that outbound Chinese consumers are focusing more on what they gain from their travel experiences instead of what they buy at their destinations," China UnionPay data analyst Chen Han explained.
"This shift shows a heightened awareness of quality time during their holidays," Chen added.
From Oct. 1 to Oct. 7, Chinese tourists spent 56.6 percent more on entertainment and recreation than in 2013, and 30 percent more on shopping, based on data from China UnionPay Co. and its global subsidiary, UnionPay International.
Most of the Chinese travellers who spent 52.2 percent more on dining and accommodation went to Taiwan, Switzerland and Australia; while most of those with increased expenses on entertainment and recreation went to the United States and Thailand.
Meanwhile, South Korea became the top destination of Chinese outbound travellers during the holiday, with 160,000 tourists this year as compared to 40,000 in 2013.
Chinese tourists in South Korea spent 111 percent more than in 2013. The other countries where Chinese tourists spent the highest were Germany (102 percent), the United Arab Emirates (88 percent), New Zealand and Spain (87 percent) and Australia (83 percent).
"In the past, shopping was the top priority for Chinese visitors to the city," Seoul restaurant manager Kim Joon Hee noted. "But now they want to savor fine dining and experience Korean food as a part of their travel experience, rather than merely shopping at duty-free stores."