Spending of Chinese Tourists in Korea !

Spending of Chinese Tourists in Korea ! 

Most Chinese tourists stay in Seoul for six days and spend an average of $ 250 per day, according to a recent survey. The results are based on a survey of 2.22 million Chinese visited the country in 2011. The results showed that 91.1 per cent remained in the capital for an average of six days and spent $ 250 per day, mostly on purchases. Their favorite destinations were Myeong-dong (69.2 percent) and Dongdaemun market (66.7 percent).

 Female spending

The survey shows a slight female preponderance, with 51 percent of all Chinese tourists in 2011 were women, against 43 percent in 2007. Chinese are also more likely than tourists from most other countries to travel in groups. People in their 40s were the majority group visits, while those in their 20s were more likely to have organized their own trips. They tend to stay a little longer, but spend less, the survey showed. By age group, people in their 20s accounted for 26 percent of all Chinese tourists in Korea in 2011. The corresponding percentages for those in their 30s and 40s were slightly less than 23 percent...

sources http://tripsinchina.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/chinese-tourist-travel-to-korea/

Largest Buddha in the World

The Largest Buddha in the world pictured here is the Leshan Buddha carved into a cliff in the year 713.  The Buddha is 215 feet tall and one finger is about 6 feet tall.   Carved into a cliff it overlooks the meeting of the Dadu and Min rivers outside the city of Leshan.  Located just south of Chengdu in Sichuan province it can be visited in one day or on the way from Chengdu to Chongqing by car. As you can see there is a stairs carved into the cliff to go to the bottom or you can view the Buddha close up from the platform at the top.  There is also a boat trip that takes you on the river and passes back and forth in front of the Buddha for a great photo opportunity. Just 20 miles north of Leshan is the Thousand Buddha Cliffs with over 2,400 Buddhas carved during the Eastern Han Dynasty.  As a tour operator we usually visit the Panda Experiment station in the morning near Chengdu and then take people to Leshan to see the Buddha before returning back to Chengdu or on to Chongqing.  As we do custom tours many other sights in that area can be included such as Yellow Dragon Creek Village, WWII museum or the Thousand Buddha Carvings.

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Elderly Man

One of the most interesting times in China can sometimes be the most simplest.  I and a friend were walking in the countryside when we came upon the elderly man in this photo.  He was very intent on cutting strips of bamboo into lengths from a nearby forest of bamboo.  He was using a meat cleaver to cut the strips into very neat and straight strips.   Through my Chinese friend in translating for me we found that he was making strips of bamboo for his daughter and son to take to the market and sell them for making bamboo products.
Many families often have 3 generations living under the same roof and each one contributes to the welfare of the whole family.  The elderly often take care of the grandchildren or some other chore that may bring some extra money to the family.  Earlier I wrote  about the elderly lady who was selling peanuts if you check back in the blog.  After a nice conversation with him, he finally said that I was only the 2nd white person he has ever seen.  So of course I wanted to know who and when was the first.  He never looked up but said,  "A naked lady swimming in the near by river...many years ago".    I could only laugh and told my friend that I must be a great disappointment to him.   Some of my most memorable moments in China are these encounters with the local people.  They have always been very open, friendly and hospitable often welcoming me into their simple homes for a cup of tea.  In 25 years of travel throughout China I have had many of these moments that make good memories and some lessons learned as well.
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High-end British businesses

High-end British businesses with Chinese Tourists

In a move that should have upscale rubbing their hands with glee British companies , George Osborne unveiled a new visa system to make it easier for tourists and wealthy Chinese businessmen to visit the UK. Motivated in part by a study that showed Chinese tourists bought considerably more handbags designers in Paris and London , Osborne said: "I do not want us to try to resist your economic progress , I want Britain to share in ". In other words : " Hey Big Spender, spend a little time with me. "

Chinese tourists are one of the most dynamic of visitors to UK

But while Chinese tourists are one of the most dynamic of visitors to UK groups - a record 179,000 in 2012 , spending a total of £ 300 million - there is a well-trodden path that most visits down . In this case , it is especially indicated by the stores.


Blue Badge Guide Nai -Lin Yeh organized tours for Chinese visitors to the United Kingdom for over 15 years. Despite its efforts to encourage visits to go further , one of the most popular places requested by visitors is Bicester Village, an evacuation center for designer labels and luxury Oxfordshire. " In China, branded products are very expensive and they are worried about fakes ," he said. "When they go shopping , they want to spend much . I think they want the material things more than the spiritual. " Tour the historic sites of London such as the Tower of London seems to be less of a draw. Photo: Jack Sullivan / Alamy / Alamy
A visit to Bicester is usually preceded by a walk around the colleges near Oxford. Similarly, a visit to Stonehenge can integrate Clarks Village , Somerset , a factory outlet that Chinese tourists arrive by the busload to obtain a pair of shoes to a quintessential British fraction of the price at home. The fact that most Clarks shoes are actually made in China does not seem to be a deterrent . say Beijing apartement

 Windsor Castle is the most popular sites

When it comes to historic sites, Windsor Castle is the most popular , said Yeh . " Some want to go to the Tower of London , but tickets are expensive , so normally they just go around the outside of it and take pictures ," he says . "It's the same with Westminster Abbey . they want to avoid spending entrance, but they spend a lot of money buying . I took a group of eight to Harrods last week and spent £ 70,000 in two hours. the one of them almost bought a watch for £ 290,000 . "
Carey Fletcher , chairman of the China Britain Travel Group , said that returning visitors are more likely to visit sites outside the capital. " Now groups are in the Lake District , which previously they did not go at all. Brighton and Portsmouth are also becoming popular. "
According to Visit International survey of passengers in Britain , the three main activities " dream " for Chinese visitors to the UK are visiting Buckingham Palace , watching the sunset at Stonehenge and spend a night in a castle Scottish . But despite this, and the growing popularity of whiskey in China , travel to Scotland are less frequent , with most visitors stick to London. " The only place to buy the least expensive whiskey in China Duty Free "

 chinese-tourist.blogspot.com

2 chinese tourists try to pay their bill with Coins of 1 euro !

2 chinese tourists try to pay their bill with Coins of 1 euro ! 

Two Chinese tourists were briefly detained in France on suspicion of forgery after trying to settle their hotel bill with coins of one euro. Police were called after a hotel owner in Paris became suspicious about two men and 3,700 pieces of one euro were then found in their room.

no counterfeit

But the monay were not counterfeit . The men said they had got the money dealers scrapyard in China, which are often forgotten in euro cars sent from Europe. The owner of the hotel in Bagnolet, in the east of Paris , called the police after the two tourists had again tried to pay the 70 euros (59 € ) of the hotel bill for the second night - all as they did yesterday .
"Investigators suspected they were dealing with a case of counterfeit money, " a source was quoted as saying by Le Parisien newspaper of France . But banking experts have verified the coins and confirmed that they were not wrong. It was later established that the two men - who were not identified - have friends in the scrap metal trade in China and purchased parts from them. Thousands of European cars are shipped to China for scrap each year. They are meticulously searched before demolition - and it seems that the most common values ​​are left inside parts of a euro.

sources http://touristchinese.wordpress.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk

Hiking in China

Many people like to combine hiking with their tour to China.  There are many places and some very convenient to fit into a China Tour.  Nothing like getting out into the countryside for a hike in the mountains, along the rivers  or just out to small villages without a lot of tourists.  There are hikes for every level of hiker from easy strolls to avid hiking and climbing.   Most hikes can be done in one day however there are others where you can stay in hostels along the way like the Tiger Leaping Gorge hike or hikes where you are out for two or three days and sleep in tents such as the 4 Sister Mountain area shown here.  There are countless day hikes in just about every area of the country for those with limited time too.  For more information on hiking in China contact us at   interlak@eskimo.com    Click on the photos for a full screen View!

Prince Gong's Home in Beijing

Prince Gong's Residence  (Gongwang Fu) in Beijing is one of the largest private residences in Beijing.  Few if any Group Tours include this beautiful home of a former Prince of the Qing Dynasty.  I often put it in my tours because it is a classic example of a Chinese mansion of those days with the large park like setting within the busy city of Beijing.  Close by is also another smaller more recent mansion of the early 1900's last lived in by Madame Song Qingling who was the wife of Sun Yat-Sen the founder of the Republic of China.  The home has not been changed since the day she died.  Another is Prince Li's Garden Home which is now a classic Chinese Restaurant of the Qing Dynasty featuring food from the Qing Dynasty.  I often include it as a special evening dinner for my clients who love the atmosphere with the restaurant workers and waiters in traditional Qing Dynasty clothing.   There are many old mansions all across China and I have enjoyed seeing many of them myself and try to include some of them in my customized private tours.  For more information on Mansions of China contact us at  interlak@eskimo.com   www.interlakechinatours.com

                                             Click on the photos for a full screen view!