(6/14/2010)
A recent article in the Financial Times tracked how Chinese travelers were changing the face of travel as well as the face of tourism in Bali:
• In Bali many handicraft sellers are now creating art work more in keeping with Chinese tastes, such a figurines bearing the likeness of the Guanyin - the Chinese Buddhist goddess of mercy.
• In recent years there has been an explosion of Chinese restaurants in Bali catering to the growing number of Chinese travelers.
• Bird's nest and shark fins are considered travel bargains to Chinese visitors in Bali with many shops now dealing exclusively in these items.
• Worldwide there were 42.2 million mainland Chinese traveling in 2009 spending an estimated US$42 billion. This is nearly a six-fold increase from the less than 7 million mainland Chinese who traveled abroad in 2001.
• Total mainland Chinese tourist visiting Bali in 2009 totaled 199,533, an increase of 54.43% from the 129,121 PRC citizens who came to the island in 2008.
• The increasingly affluent Chinese travelers are proving to be significant shoppers with major retail outlets worldwide developing dedicated services for Chinese travelers.
• Hotels are introducing Chinese culinary items to their menus and breakfast buffets.
• In many Asian destinations, including Bali, Chinese tour groups are preyed upon by unscrupulous tour operators whose income is dependent on high commissions earned from restaurants and shopping venues.
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