Rise In Chinese Travelers Changes Travel PR Strategies

Online, October 23, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Hotels are beginning to develop travel PR strategies specific to attracting Chinese guests, especially those traveling on business. Lorraine Abelow, an expert in hotel public relations who runs a boutique PR firm in the New York City area, says "In working with international travel-related companies, we are starting to reach out to the target market from China who travel worldwide."

This plan makes sense, given that China is expected to produce 100 million "outbound travelers" by 2015, according to a Hotel News Resource article. In fact, as reported by The Wichita Eagle, U.S.-bound Chinese travelers have "more than tripled since 2000 and are expected to triple again by 2015." At one Hilton branch in Los Angeles, 30 to 40% of all guests are Chinese. Furthermore, Chinese visitors also spend more than most others - including airfare, each spent an average of $6,243 per visit to the U.S.

The New York Times explained that some of these hotels' approaches include "updating menus, hiring bilingual people for their staffs and even offering access to Chinese television stations." Starwood Hotels has gone a step further and translated some sightseeing materials into Chinese.

Being sensitive to the needs of Chinese guests is also a valuable hotel public relations strategy, according to Andrew Flack. As the vice president of global brand marketing for Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Flack keeps tabs on travel PR trends. "I think we definitely have research that shows that customers look positively on hotel companies that are sensitive to the needs of travelers from multiple countries," he told The New York Times. He even pointed out that "There's a sophistication that goes with that and a worldliness that talks to a high level of hospitality."

These programs seem to be working. Chinese business man Ji Wei Ping had favorable things to say about the "Chinese-friendly" accommodations, especially the green tea, at the Sun Gabriel, CA Hilton he recently stayed at. He told The Wichita
Eagle through an interpreter, "It makes me feel more comfortable that the employees and even the waitress speaks Chinese."

Taking cues from such satisfied Chinese patrons, and using many of the same strategies cited by The New York Times, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is planning to launch a luxury travel PR program called "Starwood Personalized Travel."

The campaign will specifically cater to the needs of foreign guests, including those from China. "Just as our hotels in China have historically catered to American and European travelers with familiar amenities from home, now our hotels globally will provide the same services to Chinese travelers," explained Frits van Paasschen, the President and CEO of Starwood, in a statement to The Wichita Eagle. Flack agrees, saying, "All nationalities like to explore, but they like a little of the familiar. For a Chinese guest, it's no different."

Starwood's new program makes sense, given the increasing amount of Chinese customers it provides service to. Hotel News Resource pointed out that signups by Chinese travelers in the Starwood Preferred Guest program recently grew 71%, and in 2010, they became the second largest segment of the membership, trailing only North America. The Wichita
Eagle mentioned that one of Starwood's hotels, located in the Dana Point section of
Orange, CA, saw a 140% increase in Chinese guests from 2009 to 2010.

Starwood has even gone so far as to open a customer service center specifically designed to answer questions from Chinese patrons. Over 160 Chinese-speaking employees work at the center, which is located in China, where Starwood already has 75 hotels and is construction 100 more. Starwood is the only hospitality public relations company that offers its Chinese-speaking consumers 24/7 support every day.

With the recent rise in Chinese travelers providing business for American hotels, supplying accommodations specific to that segment of guests is becoming a progressively more important hotel public relations strategy.