Front coronavirus pandemic in China it was the biggest source of foreigners tourists in the world, making 170 million trips in 2019 alone and investing $253 billion in the global economy in 2019. Chinese travelers are projected to make 110 million international trips this year, two-thirds of 2019 levels, according to the China Research Institute. International tourism (Cotri). The institute provides consulting services and training in the Chinese international tourism market. Indeed, as reported by Bloomberg, the return of Chinese travelers is an economic boost that the global travel and retail sector is lacking. According to a study by data and marketing agency Dragon Trail International, more than half of travelers surveyed said they would be ready to travel once restrictions were lifted, and 32% plan to travel within two years. However, there is one caveat. Destinations seeking new profits should adopt an approach familiar to Chinese tourists who have been living away from the world for three years now. “The Chinese tourist is no longer what it used to be, and this needs to be adjusted,” says Wolfgang Georg Arlt, CEO of Cotri.

There is time to prepare. Chinese tourists are not expected to travel far and wide until June. China’s ban on the sale of group tour packages, introduced in the early days of the pandemic, has not yet been lifted. Visa processing will be a bottleneck because foreign consulates have cut staff. Major airlines will also need time to resume flights.

According to Bloomberg, five elements need to be changed. First, the old notion that all Chinese tourists are the same is not true. Sienna Parulis-Cook, director of communications for Dragon Trail International, predicts that the first wave of 2023 will be made up of seasoned hikers. While some will visit neighboring Asian countries as more accessible, others will look for new destinations. “The game is no longer about going where everyone else is going, but about discovering new places,” says Arlt of the Cotri Institute.

Secondly, mass tourism will not be in demand without disappearing. Just sightseeing tours in large groups can only attract Chinese travelers from small towns who have never traveled before.

Thirdly, for the Chinese, in addition to the pricing of the tourist package, the safety of the destination is also very important. This is not surprising given the wave of anti-Asian hate around the world, including in the US, Canada, Italy, Brazil and New Zealand, in the wake of the pandemic. More than two-thirds of Chinese travelers have named the US the least safe place to visit since December, according to Dragon Trail.

Fourth, before the pandemic it was considered impressive to brag about your big expenses, and now it is considered important to spend money to gain experience and learn something.

Finally, fifthly, it is also extremely important to simplify visa procedures for Chinese traveling abroad.