Mastercard highlights continued growth of Chinese tourism

Chinese tourists are travelling to international destinations in larger numbers each year, and Mastercard has affirmed that the upwards trend has continued with its latest Global Destinations Cities Index.

The USA tops both Top Destination Cities by Origin and Top Destinations by Origin, with China in second place on both counts.

Rounding out the top ten of each list (in descending order) are Germany, the UK, France, South Korea, Japan, Canada, the Russian Federation, and Taiwan.

For China, its second-place position represents a jump of seven places in 9 years, highlighting the growth of China’s middle class over that period as well as the country’s surging influence on international tourism.

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Companies around the world have been working to facilitate this expansion of Chinese tourism by both catering to their payment preferences and using technology to bridge the language gap.

For example, Alipay, ANT Financial’s payment platform, has expanded its reach in territories such as Europe, Japan and Australia to provide both payment and translation services at partnered restaurants, retailers and more.

“Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index: Origins offers a new way for local officials and companies to see how travelers spend at destinations, providing them with better insights on how to plan and promote travel and tourism capabilities,” said Diana Robino, Senior Vice President of Tourism Partnerships at Mastercard, in the firm’s press release.

“Managed well, travel and tourism can be a catalyst for inclusive growth, benefiting both visitors and all communities in the destinations. Mastercard is committed to using its expertise and technology to help cities and destinations realize these opportunities.”