The volume of Chinese tourists has increased during the last five years and is expected to keep growing for the next five years. In order to gain profit from the travel market, it is important for companies to understand the holiday booking process among current tourists.

This Report provides analysis on the behaviour of domestic travellers and outbound travellers. It goes into detail to understand which types of holiday products are booked by tourists and when tourists book those holiday products. In the meantime, booking channels as well as outbound holiday destination are also investigated in this Report.

The Report discusses the holiday booking process among Chinese consumers. For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

• Tourism is any travel, which involves an overnight stay away from home.

• A holiday is a form of tourism, as defined by the tourist in response to Mintel’s survey. A holiday can be distinguished from other leisure travel such as visits to friends/relatives or shopping trips.

• Domestic refers to holidays within Mainland China. Outbound/Overseas, therefore, refers to holidays outside Mainland China including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

• Group tour/holiday is defined as a tour which is travel in a group while sharing one tourist bus, a licensed driver, a tour guide, or an all-inclusive holiday. The term 'all-inclusive' is used to describe a special type of holiday in which food, visas, excursions, transport and other services are provided as part of the total holiday cost.

• An independent holiday is one in which the traveller organises itinerary and books transportation and accommodation from separate sources.

Mintel also divides consumers into three groups based on their monthly household income (MHI).