CCTV9英语新闻：LA laps up China's big-spending tourists

The number of Chinese tourists is growing rapidly, and every year the numbers going overseas break new tourism records worldwide. For those travelling to the U-S, their number one choice of destination is Los Angeles, and when they visit, they don't hold back, spending nearly twice as much as other international visitors.

 

They are the most sought after visitors in Los Angeles… the Chinese. Last year some 700-thousand Chinese vacationed in L-A and spent one-billion dollars. That spending is expected to double this year.  

 

A recent survey on Chinese tourists to the US found that they only spend about 30% of their travel budget on hotels and sightseeing, so the rest of the 70% is spent on shopping. All the more reason why retailers are scrambling to attract more Chinese tourists.  

 

Here at the glamorous Santa Monica Place, an outdoor shopping mall just blocks away from the Pacific Ocean, businesses are fully prepared, specifically to cater to Chinese tourists. Just recently the mall became only the second in Southern California to be certified as "China Ready" by the city's Tourism Board. Staff received 30 hours of training in everything from cultural nuances to payment options.  

 

"That was instrumental in helping us understand the China Union Pay program and helping us help our retailers understand it. We also earned the ability to send out retailers to the program as well and companies like Tiffany and Louis Vuitton also participated in it," said Shoshana Puccia, senior marketing director of Santa Monica Place. 

 

LA's focus on the Chinese traveler is very direct and aggressive. 

 

"We spend more money enticing the Chinese visitor to LA than any other group in the world," said Ernest Wooden Jr., CEO of LA Tourism Board.

 

For Chinese visitors, the customized service, like Mandarin-speaking sales staff, makes perfect sense.  

 

"People visit here not only students, but visitors from China, travelers, they don't speak English as well as us. Or some of them, they don't even speak English," said a man.

 

And with more plans to award the 'China Ready' designation to other businesses in Southern California, and beyond, speaking English may be less of a necessity than ever before.