Opportunities in China for future hoteliers to learn about the Chinese consumer.

The struggling UK hospitality sector, suffering from the recession in the West, is looking eagerly towards China as it attempts to recover and grow despite the global economic woes. The industry is desperate for people with China expertise and new opportunities are opening up for future high fliers in the UK hospitality sector to train in China.

With the Chinese economy growing at an annual rate of 9.1%, a figure unprecedented for western economies, the population is witnessing a rapid rise in disposable income. According to  Time Magazine, the growing middle class will comprise 70% of China’s 1.3 billion strong population by 2020. The new-found wealth of China means that, for an ever increasing number of Chinese citizens, international travel is a new and exciting possibility. In one year alone – 2009 to 2010 – China’s spending on international tourism rose by an incredible 21%.

The Chinese tourist is a fast growing market for the UK tourism sector. According to VisitBritain, the number of visitors to Britain from China is increasing at a quicker rate than visitor numbers from any other country, with an expected increase of 89% between 2010 and 2014.

The UK tourism industry has finally woken up to the fact that China is an extremely lucrative market, and it is taking action. UK hotels and attractions are now proactive in making themselves more appealing to the Chinese consumers. In September the London Ritz became the first UK hotel to accept UnionPay cards, the Chinese equivalent of Visa, joining Harrods and Selfridges who similarly now accept the Chinese technology. According to tourism-review.com even UK golf clubs are currently recruiting by Chinese speakers to their staff in a drive to attract Chinese tourists.

The Hilton Hotels and Resorts group recently commissioned a report from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies titled: How the Rise in Chinese Tourism will Change the Face of the European Travel Industry.  The report claims there are several areas in which the UK must adapt if it is to maximise the potential income from the Chinese market.

According to the report there is a pressing need for the UK hotel industry to better meet the needs of Chinese consumers. It recommends employing marketing initiatives suited to the Chinese market, embracing Chinese social media, and increasing Chinese language presence in hotels through Mandarin speaking staff and Chinese signage.

However, implementing these recommendations poses a problem for the UK hotel industry in which in-depth understanding of the Chinese market and Mandarin is not widespread. Hotels are therefore increasingly looking to recruit staff with China expertise, and young people seeking to work in the sector are keen to equip themselves to meet demands of their future employers.

CRCC Asia, the leading provider of internships in China, has teamed up with The  Hainan Study-Work –travel Program to offer students and graduates the opportunity to gain work experience in 5* resort hotels in the Chinese tropical resort of Sanya, alongside Chinese language instruction. “This is an excellent opportunity for participants to acquire an in-depth understanding not only of the hotel sector, but also of Chinese consumer behaviour and Chinese language skills – highly marketable skills for those aspiring to work in the hospitality sector in the UK or abroad,” said Daniel Nivern, Director of CRCC Asia.

The training program includes a three month internship with one of a range of 5* hotels – including the Hilton Resort and Spa and the Sheraton Sanya Resort – in the beachside resort of Sanya on the Island of Hainan, preceded by 10 weeks of intensive Chinese tuition at Hainan Normal University.

For Further information about the Hainan Hospitality Internship and Language Programme please visit www.crccasia.com/hainan-swt

Alternatively call Dominic McDonagh on 02073786220,  or email: d.mcdonagh@crccasia.com

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