Chinese travelers are becoming more independent, organized and interested in leisure and culture than in shopping, which used to be their top priority when going abroad.
Sightseeing was the No. 1 reason that Chinese tourists traveled overseas in 2016, according to a report published by consulting company Olive Wyman.
Leisure and entertainment overtook shopping as the second-most-popular reason for traveling abroad. Shopping fell from the No. 2 spot to No. 3 due to the decline in the "daigao" business, in which Chinese living or traveling overseas buy foreign goods for resale in China.
The report, published Tuesday, tracked the overseas trips of 2,000 Chinese mainland tourists last year. On average, spending by these tourists rose 3.5% to 20,300 yuan in 2016, up from 19,635 yuan in 2015.
However, shopping accounted for only 33% of that spending in 2016, down from 41% in 2015, according to the report.
Spending on shopping shrank on an annual basis, even as overseas Chinese tourists spent more abroad.
Japan became a more popular destination for Chinese tourists, with a 4% increase in mainland tourists visiting the country in 2016.
Despite the decline in shopping spending, the trend of Chinese tourists traveling further abroad offers an opportunity to the hospitality industries. "Chinese tourists are spending more nights overseas, and this can boost revenue for hotels and restaurants," Williams said.
Williams advised foreign companies that want to attract Chinese tourists to increase their presence on Chinese-language travel platforms such as Mafengwo and Tuniu, which mainland tourists use for reviews and information to plan their trips.
Williams also suggested that they diversify their services. "Backpackers, business travelers and travelers in tour groups have different demands for their trips." he said.