April 18, 2012 – With Australian tourism striving to be more “China ready,” there is a growing demand in the travel and hospitality business for people with proven China expertise and experience. CRCC Asia, the leading provider of China internships, recently announced its new Hainan Study-Work-Travel (SWT) Program on Hainan Island, the “Hawaii of China.” The program, which commences in October 2012, will provide students and graduates from around the world with the opportunity to study Mandarin and intern at a leading five-star resort in the tropical seaside city of Sanya, Hainan’s booming leisure and tourism hub.
The program launches at a time of explosive growth in Chinese tourism that is dramatically reshaping the landscape of international travel. By 2013, China is expected to surpass Japan as the second largest travel and tourism market in the world. Last year alone, Chinese tourists spent an estimated $55 billion on their holidays abroad – a staggering 26 percent increase from just three years ago.
Australia has already benefited greatly from these trends. In 2010, tourist arrivals from China increased by 24 percent; in the same year, China overtook the United Kingdom to become Australia’s most valuable inbound tourism market. Like other states, Tasmania is eager to ride the Chinese wave. China is “now, by value, the biggest market for Australian tourism … [There is] a real opportunity for Tasmania to grab a part of that market,” Tasmanian Tourism Minister Scott Bacon told the Mercury in February.
But as Chinese tourists flock to visit in record numbers, hotels are struggling to understand and adapt to the needs of this pivotal market. Even at big-name international chains, Mandarin-speaking staff and resources, awareness of Chinese culture, and knowledge of Chinese travel preferences are limited, as are special offerings tailored to Chinese guests. According to a recent Boston Consulting Group report, “Only a handful of companies understand the needs of Chinese travelers, 95 percent of whom claim they are poorly served on both the domestic and international front.
To meet this challenge, governments and the private sector in Australia have launched a series of initiatives to better serve Chinese travelers. This year, Tourism Australia announced its China 2020 Strategic Plan, which will devote significant resources to researching the needs of Chinese consumers and improving the range and quality of services for Chinese tourists. The plan will place particular emphasis on better understanding affluent Chinese travelers, who are expected to number 100 million and to account for one-third of all Chinese tourism by 2020.
Tasmanian hotels have already begun introducing new services to cater to Chinese guests. The Mercure Hotel in Hobart now greets Chinese visitors with welcome packs and other hotel and tourist information in Mandarin. The Mercure also offers new room amenities – including Chinese TV channels, newspapers, and slippers – as well as a wider range of Chinese dining options at its restaurant. Other establishments, in Hobart and elsewhere, are gradually following suit.
These trends have created a new demand in Australia for hospitality employees with Chinese language skills and China experience. Programs such as CRCC Asia’s offer one way for students and young professionals to develop these assets. The Hainan SWT Program features ten weeks of intensive Mandarin training at a local university, followed by a three-month internship at an international name-brand hotel and resort in Sanya. According to CRCC Asia Director Daniel Nivern, the program is “an excellent opportunity for participants to acquire an in-depth understanding not only of the hotel sector, but also of Chinese consumer behavior and Chinese language skills” – highly marketable assets, he says, for those aspiring to work in hospitality at home or abroad.
With Chinese tourism set to shape international travel trends for the foreseeable future, understanding the Chinese market has become not just a priority, but a necessity for hotels everywhere. Tasmania’s future growth may well depend on how ably local businesses adjust to the new Chinese reality.
For further information about the Hainan Study-Work-Travel Program, please visit www.crccasia.com/hainan.swt. To learn more about CRCC Asia’s other internship and Mandarin study programs in Shanghai and Beijing, please visit http://crccasia.com/internships or contact Erik Korpas at [email protected].
About CRCC Asia:
CRCC Asia specialises in connecting China with the global community through consulting, intensive courses, and internships. As the leading provider of internships in China, we offer university students and graduates opportunities by placing them in professional placements across a range of industries. CRCC Asia has seen their numbers increase from 250 in 2008 to over 1,000 placements this year, evidence that a fast-increasing number of students are choosing to explore their professional development and career prospects in China. Our consulting services link international and Chinese companies by offering strategy recommendations, due diligence support and practical advice. Our intensive Mandarin courses allow students to gain insight into many aspects of Chinese culture, enhance their language skills and learn to use Mandarin in real-world situations.
