ILTM China’s second annual show in Shanghai – which took place 30 October – 1 November 2019 – facilitated over 9,000 one-to-one business appointments for 200 global luxury travel brands and experiences who met with 200 hand selected, high-end Chinese travel agents. The agents – each specializing in planning luxury travel for their high net-worth clients – were from 17 cities across China, reflecting the increasing spread of wealth across the nation.
The ILTM Opening Forum on 30 October focussed on the continued growth of China’s buying power and the global influence of Chinese consumers on tourism and luxury industries worldwide. It also featured a panel conversation with four travel specialist KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders/social media influencers), with wide followings in China to discuss insights on their influence on luxury travellers as well as the evolving role of social media in the travel experience.
Keynote speaker Jeff Towson, a Peking University professor and author of The One Hour China Bookemphasized the relative youth of regional consumer wealth, stating, “By 2020, 35% of total consumption in China is expected to come from young consumers and over 80% of wealth is currently held by those under 40 years of age.” Towson emphasized the size and “digital-first” behaviour of these consumers making them unique as a demographic.
Chris Walker, Senior Vice President of Global Sales for Leading Hotels of the World commented, “China is becoming increasingly important for The Leading Hotels of the World. Our members were excited to meet such high quality buyers at ILTM China 2019 – the quality of appointments was good and we met new buyers from different parts of China, such as Chengdu and Chongqing, as well as of course Beijing and Shanghai. Overall, we find this to be a great event for our members to engage with buyers and top luxury media.”
Ms. Kholoud Khalid Almanea, Tourism Marketing Analyst from the Royal Commision for AlUla, Saudi Arabia added: “This is the first time that we have participated in any exhibition and we chose ILTM China because we recognize the high potential in China. Chinese travellers love to be the first to experience a destination – our highest number of visa applicants are already from China. We will be collaborating closely with those we have met to build business and be back for ILTM China in 2020.”
Benoit Badufle, Regional Director for Visit Monaco was thrilled with his experience adding, “My hoteliers are pleased by the variety of buyers at ILTM China and the chance to discover new buyers – we found the quality of our appointments was even better this year.”
Chunxia Cao (Helen) Co-Founder of Shanghai Bravo International Travel Service commented from the buyer’s perspective: “It’s my second time at ILTM China and again I’ve found it to be a great opportunity to find the exact niche suppliers I need for the needs of my luxury clientele. My customers are increasingly looking for international experiences different from what they’ve seen before and ILTM China is where I come to find suitable partners to meet the needs of my VIP clients. ILTM China is the time and the place for us to get the product education we need as the market continues to evolve.”
Xiangbo Ma (Nathan) with Sichuan Times Global Cultural Development based out of Chengdu added about his experience as a buyer at ILTM China: “This is the perfect event for us to get the information and inspiration we need for our business. We’re a boutique agency providing tailor-made itineraries for Chinese families and ILTM China provides us exactly what we need to cater to luxury clients. As a buyer, I find the event well-organized, comprehensive, and intensive. The appointment process, travel arrangements, on-site support, and networking events are impressively smooth and well-run making the three days a great use of my time.”
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