Skift Take
Smart travel companies already know that the Chinese travel market will be absolutely crucial to their future growth and success. But the way they approach that market is what counts, and to do so, they need to be well-informed and tech savvy.
No one in the travel or hospitality industries wants to miss out on the incredible billion-dollar opportunity that is the gigantic Chinese travel market, and Marriott International is no exception.
To do just that, the company is not only looking to expand its portfolio of hotels in the region, but it also wants to establish more of a digital connection to Chinese travelers too, primarily through the use of WeChat, Alipay, and its own Marriott Rewards mobile app.
"As Chinese travelers continue to take their travel aspirations further, we need to grow with them and understand what they want, and how we can meet their needs," said Peggy Fang Roe, chief sales and marketing officer, Asia-Pacific for Marriott International. "What we're most proud of is how we have utilized the social platform WeChat — China's most popular messaging app — to make guests' lives easier."
Pointing to research compiled by the Hurun Research Institute for a Chinese Luxury Traveler 2016 study, commissioned by Marriott, Fang Roe said "Chinese travelers are very tech-sav
