There is a good reason why independent hotels selling rooms to Chinese travelers should have a “Mini Program” on WeChat.
Over 10% of more than a billion potential Chinese travelers have a passport, and this percentage is growing. Chinese travelers are more and more traveling as Free Independent Travelers (FIT) instead of relying on group travel, and this is an entirely new opportunity that is exploding for destinations and hotels selling to this audience.
According to McKinsey, 90% of Chinese travelers will not make direct room bookings but will instead use a travel agency or online booking platform (Online Travel Agency – OTA) when booking trips abroad. Independent hotels know this and work with the major OTAs around the world.
The key is to capture revenue after the Chinese traveler arrives at a destination.
The China market is big. There is now a cost-effective way to target Chinese travelers that will travel to the destination when they are at the destination.
Chinese are quite advanced in the digital world. However, the world is different when Chinese tourists are getting to unfamiliar territory. While Chinese may spend hours in researching attractions, hotels, and restaurants at home and put a substantial time in to get the very best deal possible, this may be different once they get to their destination.
“Why can’t I get my information on WeChat (the Chinese language search and chat feature with over a billion daily users). Why can’t I book on using my apps?” they want to know.
That is where the Mini Program comes into play.
A Chinese guest who wants to know about the spa menu and opening hours of a restaurant at a participating hotel can find a CS (Chat Session) icon on any screen to open a chat session on Live Chat and find pre-programmed responses for 80% of all questions and receive responses immediately.
For more complex issues like a maintenance issue, a user can talk to a human interface who would contact the hotel and get a response in Chinese.
In short, the Mini Program helps hotels to offer proper customer service to Chinese guests with the help of technology.
Chinese guests may spend hours researching for the best deal, but once they get to their destination they are relaxed and ready to spend money.
The Mini Program helps to communicate and offer instant room upgrades, an upgrade for a taxi compared to a limousine, available tours, and restaurant and show or spa reservations.
The Mini Program can show restaurant menus and reviews by other Chinese guests who give first-hand feedback all aimed at an instant decision and business for the Chinese travelers.
While WeChat is a closed platform, the WeChat Mini Program is open to all users and will show up under “Discover”.
If you are willing to start your business with the Mini-program on WeChat, please contact us at Service@Chinabn.org at your earliest convenience.
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