[Travel News ★★★]
(P1) A hundred million tourists from China travel to all corners of the world every year. Destinations around the world are fighting desperately to attract these tourists because they know Chinese big spenders will bring them money in the following decades. In 2013 alone, Chinese travelers spent over 100 billion dollars abroad.
(P2) A booming economy and a growing Chinese middle class allow more people to travel than ever before. Western countries have been preparing for the mass influx of Chinese tourists for some time. They are also making it easier for Chinese travelers to feel at home when on holidays.
(P3) France, for example, has started hiring police officers from China to protect tourists in Paris and other cities. Other countries, including the United States and Great Britain, are not requiring visas for Chinese travelers anymore. Chinese credit cards are becoming more and more accepted in Europe and elsewhere. Hotels, airports, and shopping malls around the world have been hiring Mandarin speakers.
(P4) Shopping is the main reason for Chinese citizens to travel abroad. China is becoming the biggest market for luxury goods. Louis Viton bags and Rolex watches are only two items that Chinese are fond of, and they will do anything and go anywhere to get them. Luxury items are bought as status symbols. Many Chinese buy them abroad because there are high taxes on such goods inside China.
(P5) However, shopping is not the only reason for China’s travel boom. Chinese citizens go to other countries for sports and leisure activities. Canada, for example, wants to help Chinese tourists during the winter months by hiring Chinese skiing instructors. They also go on extended tours of Europe and the US and enjoy a new culture that is different from what they experience at home.
WORDS: 292
SOURCE: http://www.english-online.at/news-articles/travel/how-the-world-attracts-chinese-tourists.htm
VOCABULARY: desperately, booming, influx, Mandarin, luxury goods, fond, status symbols, leisure, skiing
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.
- Briefly, summarize the content of the article in your own words.
- Are there a lot of Chinese tourists in your country? If so, what do you think are the main reasons why they travel to your country?
- Have you ever traveled to China? If yes, describe your visit. If no, do you want to go? Why or why not?
- Tell me 3 reasons why people like to travel abroad.
- Describe a place in your country where tourists visit.
EXPRESSIONS or PHRASES:
What do the following expressions or phrases mean?
- All corners of the world (P1)
- Big spenders (P1)
- Feel at home (P2)
- Extended tours (P5)
Image source: by “unknown” http://www.travelibur.com/2016/04/chinese-tourist-arrivals-to-malaysia.html