Digital travel sales in China are projected to total RMB726.6 billion ($109.4 billion) in 2017, up 20.6% over the previous year, according to data from iResearch Consulting Group. Sales are expected to increase another 17.8% in 2018, when they will total RMB856.3 billion ($128.9 billion).
eMarketer estimates somewhat higher digital travel sales in China for this year: $122.0 billion. Digital will make up almost a fifth of total travel sales in the country, by our projections.
iResearch also expects that flight ticket reservations will account for 56.0% of the online travel market in China, with hotel booking making up 19.4%. The firm reports that both airline and hotel bookings will account for a diminishing share of online travel sales, largely because travelers are moving toward more comprehensive travel services.
It’s clear that an increasing number of digital shoppers there are making their travel purchases online. According to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), the number of internet users who made any kind of travel reservation via digital totaled 299.2 million in 2016, up 15.3% from the 259.6 million who did so in 2016.
By_Ben Clague
From_Emarketer