This year, Dubai ranked fourth as the favorite international travel destination for wealthy Chinese, up from 11th place in 2020. The percentage of survey respondents choosing Dubai rose from 14% to 34% over the past five years.
While the traditional luxury goods market is currently under pressure, the market for luxury experiences is performing well. The report notes that the market size of high-end services (such as hotels and travel) has grown by 17% year-on-year.
Sub-sectors such as cultural and tourism events, high-end hotels, private jets and luxury yachts all show growth potential.
41% of respondents have 30 or more vacation days per year and travel abroad twice a year on average. Only 7.5% have never traveled abroad.
On average, respondents spent up to RMB225,000 (US$31,000) on leisure travel in a year. 52% said they planned to increase domestic travel in the coming year, with 48% planning to increase international travel.
The Pulse
US-Travel-to-Europe
Hot List 2025: Europe’s Top Picks for US Travellers
US travellers represent the second-largest international tourism spend globally, contributing a massive $158.7 billion USD in 2023 (Statista).
With such significant economic impact, understanding their travel preferences is essential for destinations hoping to optimise their strategies for the year ahead.
ForwardKeys’ data
So, what travellers heading to Europe this summer?
No change in top destinations: London, Paris, Rome, and Dublin remain the top four choices for US tourists.
New trends emerging: Berlin and Porto are rising in popularity, while some former favourites, like Reykjavik, are seeing declines in US visitors.
Nordic nations on the rise: Helsinki and Copenhagen are set to attract more US tourists, driven by improved flight connectivity.
