Update on the Greater China Travel Markets to the United States

The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), the U.S. Commercial Service Travel & Tourism Team, and Brand USA are pleased to present a webinar on the fastest-growing top-ten tourism market to America: China. The program will include an overview of Hong Kong and a special insight into Taiwan, one of only four visa-waiver countries in Asia and a market with both high income and high growth rates. The webinar will take place on Thursday, December 4, 2014 beginning at 7:00 p.m. EST (4:00p.m. PST).

China generated 1.8 million arrivals in 2013, setting a new record for arrivals to the United States for the seventh consecutive year. China now ranks 7th in visitors to the United States. Spending by Chinese visitors to and within the United States was a record $21 billion in 2013. The webinar is extremely timely on the heels of the recent White House Announcement to extend visa validity for Chinese business and tourism visas to 10 years and for students to 5 years. To see the White House announcement go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/10/fact-sheet-supporting-american-job-growth-and-strengthening-ties-extendi

To see the Commerce release on this issue, go to: http://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2014/11/10/statement-us-secretary-commerce-penny-pritzker-extension-uschina-visa

With the increasing number of visitors from this market, it is changing rapidly. In 2013, 45% of Chinese visitors were here for the first time. Another change is even though they stay more than 30 nights in the country, gone are the days of visiting two or more states or cities. In 2013, 61% of the Chinese visited only one state. That is the highest share ever of travelers staying put. A similar increase was tracked for cities. How are these and other shifts by Chinese visitors to the country changing their visitation patterns and what do these changes mean for you?

For the first time since 2007, Taiwan moved back into the top 20 arrival markets for the United States. After two years of no growth, Taiwan posted a 33% increase in arrivals to the country propelled by its entry into the Visa Waiver Program in November of 2011. Learn more about travelers from this country and when they will set a new record for arrivals to the United States, last set in 2000 when over 457,000 Taiwanese visited America.

Hong Kong has been a market that has seen its share of ups and downs since 2003, posting increases in arrivals in 6 of the last 10 years, it currently generates over 122,000 visitors to the country.

Please join the Commerce team on the upcoming webinar to learn more about these three important markets.

Here are the details for the China/Taiwan/Hong Kong Webinar:

December 4, 2014
7:00pm - 8:30pm EST (4:00pm - 5:30pm PST)
Event Cost: $75

Webinar call-in & log-in information will be sent after registration is received.

Interested participants may register here: https://emenuapps.ita.doc.gov/ePublic/event/editWebReg.do?SmartCode=5Q1S

For questions, please contact Anastasia Xenias, PhD, at anastasia.xenias@trade.gov, Ron Erdmann at ron.erdmann@trade.gov or Robert Stackpole at robert.stackpole@trade.gov in the United States or Stellar Chu at stellar.chu@trade.gov in Shanghai, Mei Mei Wang at MeiMei.Wang@trade.govin Taipei, and Kimmy Lee at Kimmy.Lee@trade.gov in Hong Kong.

NTTO Background
The International Trade Administration's National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) collects, analyzes and disseminates international travel and tourism statistics for the U.S. Travel and Tourism Statistical System. To view the NTTO’s latest non-resident arrivals & spending data, market profiles, forecast and more, please visit: http://travel.trade.gov/outreachpages/inbound.general_information.inbound_overview.html

For more detail information on inbound international travel to the United States, please visit: http://travel.trade.gov/outreachpages/inbound.general_information.inbound_overview.html

U.S. Commercial Service Background
The U.S. Commercial Service is the trade promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. The Commercial Service trade professionals in nearly 100 U.S. cities and in nearly 80 countries help U.S. companies get started in exporting or increase sales to new global markets. Learn more about the Commercial Service, go to: http://www.trade.gov/cs/

For more information on the Commercial Service Global Travel and Tourism Team, including links to market research, trade events and webinar recordings see: http://www.export.gov/industry/travel