Though Chinese outbound travel has long been associated with group tour packages arranged by travel agents, Chinese travellers now prefer to use online sources of information, according to the China Outbound Travel Monitor 2007.

Traditional travel agents rank only second behind online sources (63 per cent) as the most popular travel research option, while the use of newspapers and magazines is much lower (40 per cent). When it comes to making a booking, however, 61 per cent still use a high street travel agent, with 29 per cent booking via an online travel agent and 16 per cent via hotel or transport operator web sites. These latter numbers are expected to continue to increase in the coming years.

The joint Nielsen Company and Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) survey was conducted in October 2007, via telephone and online interviews with travellers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Findings covering 23 other Chinese cities will be released in early 2008.

"China's outbound travel market is recognised as one of the key emerging outbound travel markets in the world, and has evolved faster than any other Asian outbound market," said Grace Pan, Head of Travel & Leisure Research, The Nielsen Company, China. "It is important for industry participants to keep a close eye on this lucrative market by tracking how Chinese travellers are evolving, in terms of their travel behaviour and travel motivations.”

The study adds that with nearly seven in 10 Chinese leisure travellers accessing destination web sites, and about six in 10 using online travel discussion forums, travel operators and tourism promotional bodies will need an effective Internet presence to capture the opportunities presented by Chinese outbound tourism.