Exclusive conversations with industry leaders
采访、作者｜吴文卓 编辑｜Jingyi Li
图片来源：Alexander Spatari/Getty Images
Earlier this year, the United Nations World Tourism Organization released the World Tourism Barometer, which showed that by the end of 2023, international tourism had recovered to 88% of pre-pandemic levels. The optimistic outlook suggests that the global travel industry is poised for a full recovery by the end of 2024, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, where a strong rebound in outbound travel demand will provide significant growth potential for the global travel industry.
With the full resumption of travel between the United States and China last August, as well as the easing of visa policies and the gradual resumption of flights, the United States tourism industry is now looking forward to new growth opportunities. To further inspire Chinese tourists to visit the United States, the United States National Tourism Administration (Brand USA) launched a new marketing plan this year, including a brand refresh and a new marketing campaign called "Experience it all" that conveys the experience of traveling to the United States, with the goal of enabling consumers to imagine and immerse themselves in the rich and diverse experiences of the United States.
Jing Daily recently interviewed Staci Mellman, Chief Marketing Officer of the United States National Tourism Administration, to learn about the changes in travel preferences of Chinese tourists after the pandemic, as well as the promotion strategy and layout implemented by the United States National Tourism Administration to rekindle the enthusiasm of Chinese tourists to the United States.
Staci Mellman, Chief Marketing Officer, United States National Tourism Administration
Image credit: United States National Tourism Administration
How do you see the ever-changing trends in the travel and tourism industry? Especially in the context of the post-pandemic recovery of outbound travel, how does this development affect the marketing strategy of the United States National Tourism Administration?
The ever-changing nature of travel and tourism in the post-pandemic era has had a significant impact on our marketing strategy. We're seeing a strong resurgence in outbound travel, which has led us to focus on personalised, personalized travel experiences to cater to the changing travel preferences of today's Chinese travelers. Digitalization has also become even more important, so we have increased our presence on platforms such as Xiaohongshu, Douyin, WeChat and Weibo. In addition, to re-enter the Chinese market, we launched a new marketing campaign called Experience It All, which aims to showcase the rich and unique experiences in the United States to meet the growing demand for specific interest travel.
What are the characteristics of Chinese travelers' preferences and behaviors when choosing destinations and experiences, and can you share your insights?
Chinese travelers are showing meticulous travel planning and are increasingly looking for personalized and immersive travel experiences. Social media has a huge impact on their travel decision-making process, from the upfront research stage to the final booking process. They will always use digital platforms to plan and share their trips, which reinforces the importance of a strong online presence for travel destinations.
When it comes to the preferences of Chinese tourists, their interests are more diverse than before, often seeking immersive, authentic experiences that cover a variety of topics such as art and culture, wellness, and unique destinations that take a different path. This shift towards personalized and independent travel reflects a general trend of Chinese tourists placing more emphasis on authentic, high-quality experiences.
In your opinion, how does a luxury or high-end traveler in China define a luxury or high-quality travel experience?
China's luxury travelers are looking for a high-quality travel experience, which often emphasizes the uniqueness, exclusivity and personalization of the service. They seek lesser-known and extraordinarily unique destinations, and are often willing to pay more for these high-end experiences. High-end travelers value privacy, comfort, and exceptional service, and they prefer itineraries that are tailored to their interests. Activities such as luxury resorts, wellness experiences, high-end dining and cultural immersions are particularly appealing to this group of people.
In addition, young Chinese tourists are increasingly looking for unique and hard-to-replicate travel destinations, often influenced by recommendations on Chinese social media platforms. That's why United States Tourism is working hard to increase its presence on platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin. These platforms are critical to reaching this segment of the audience, as they rely heavily on peer recommendations and influencer endorsements.
Do you think United States can appeal to this audience? What preparations are currently underway in the United States to meet their preferences?
Of course, United States is highly competitive in attracting luxury travelers. From luxury vacation ranch accommodations in Idaho and Wyoming to prestigious events like Art Basel in Florida, we offer a wide variety of high-end vacation experiences. To cater to their preferences, our marketing campaign highlights one-of-a-kind and exclusive experiences across the country and focuses on emerging destinations that offer high-end travel options. In addition, we hope to entice these visitors to explore locations beyond the gateway city and showcase the rich and diverse experiences across the United States.
To expand our reach, we use social media platforms to communicate directly with these audiences. Partnering with influencers plays an important role in our strategy, allowing us to present experiences in the United States in a way that is authentic and relevant to life. This strategy helps us connect with these travelers and subtly motivates them to explore diverse and unique destinations across the United States.
Art Basel, held annually in Miami Beach, Florida
Image courtesy of Art Basel
What challenges and opportunities do you see for the United States tourism industry in attracting young Chinese tourists?
The main challenge is to remain relevant and attractive to the changing preferences of young Chinese tourists. However, there is also an exciting opportunity within this challenge that inspires us to innovate and enrich our range of services. Our country's vibrant cities, stunning natural landscapes, and rich cultural experiences have inspired us to rethink how we tell the story of United States. We're constantly looking for new ways to showcase the diversity of destinations and tell compelling stories that inspire visitors to explore.
What role do partnerships and collaborations play in United States Tourism's global marketing strategy? And how do you choose the right local partner?
Partnerships and collaboration are critical to our global marketing strategy. We work closely with online travel platforms, travel agencies and local partners to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese consumer preferences and ensure that our marketing efforts are effective.
During our time in Shanghai, we connected with online travel platforms, travel agencies and local partners to better understand the preferences of Chinese consumers through direct market interactions. Our visit to Shanghai includes visits to culturally important sites such as the French Concession, iconic buildings such as the Bund, and various museums. By observing different themed destinations in China, we gained a valuable insight into the maturity of China's tourism industry. Our partners share a common goal and are passionate about the travel industry.
Staci Mellman speaks at the U.S.-China Tourism Summit.
Image credit: United States National Tourism Administration
Can you share some of the key strategies that United States Tourism uses to promote niche attractions and experiences?
One of our key strategies is the "Experience It All" campaign, which highlights many of the United States' lesser-known tourist attractions and showcases the uniqueness of these hidden gems in both text and video. By sharing through popular Chinese social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu, WeChat, Weibo and Douyin, we effectively reach and engage Chinese tourists to experience a unique and enriching travel experience beyond the well-known attractions.
In addition to hosting events, we are also actively using our social media accounts to promote these lesser-known tourist attractions to more Chinese tourists. We think recent Chinese travel trends, such as Zibo BBQ, National Highway 318, Harbin Tour, and Hainan Tour, are good examples of themes that we can emulate on social media and promote in places like Colorado, the Gulf of Mexico, and Northwest United States, while also focusing on states that are not yet in the top 10 for Chinese tourist visits.
United States CNTA can follow the example of Zibo barbecue, National Highway 318, Harbin Tour, and Hainan Tour to promote Colorado, the Mexico Bay Coast, and Northwest United States.
Image courtesy of GoUSA
You have a background in both traditional and digital marketing, so how do you balance the two in your campaigns?
Traditional marketing helps build credibility, while digital marketing drives awareness and engagement, and the two channels go hand in hand. China is a highly digital society, and the United States Tourism Administration recognized the importance of online interaction and expanded its reach on social media by opening accounts on Xiaohongshu and Douyin. We are also re-entering the Chinese market with the important event "Experience Everything", which is our first major initiative in four years. The event aims to attract Chinese tourists by showcasing the wide variety of travel experiences in the United States, deepen people's understanding of United States as a top travel destination, and inspire their desire to visit.
Looking ahead, what trends do you think will influence the future of destination marketing, and how will you adapt to them?
We have noticed that the number of high-income young tourists is increasing. In response to this trend, we aim to further strengthen our presence on social media in China, especially on social media platforms. With rapid growth, it's now both a treasure trove of travel inspiration and a convenient booking tool. As the influence of social commerce grows, our efforts to attract young travelers or FIT (Freelance Independent Travelers) will be centered around social media platforms, integrating social commerce capabilities with our existing travel operator and online travel platform initiatives.
Another trend is the shift towards a more personalized and customized travel experience. More and more Chinese tourists prefer exclusive, luxurious itineraries rather than traditional group tours or popular tourist attractions. They love to discover hidden treasures and share these amazing experiences in their social circles. As a result, United States Tourism is focusing its efforts on raising awareness of lesser-known cities and attractions in the United States that are well suited to a variety of themed travel experiences.
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Jing Daily 中国区编辑
Jingyi Li
Jingyi's coverage covers the fields of fashion, beauty, wellness, finance and lifestyle, and analyzes the luxury industry from multiple perspectives such as social environment, market trends, and consumer insights. She graduated from the University of the Arts London in United Kingdom with a degree in Fashion Management and International Fashion Retail.