What Museums need to know about China’s Digital Marketing to attract Chinese People.
Who are these Chinese travellers?
Tourism businesses tend to think that adults in the 35-60 age range are the most likely to travel abroad. That is not true. Chinese millenniums, young tributaries in search of a unique and personalized experience, are the most numerous to travel abroad and enjoy the trip. These young people are among the last children of the one-child policy, so they are the sole heirs of their parents and grandparents and do not care about their expenses. A godsend for all travel activities.
How to attract these travellers?
The main difference between Chinese and foreigners is the online presence, and the relationship to social networks and web content in general. The Chinese digital ecosystem is unique and is developed in a different way compared to Western systems.
i) Adapt payment methods:
Accepting UnionPay, the Asian credit card system is widely used by the Chinese and would, therefore, indicate the museum as “Chinese Friendly”. Beyond Union Pay, the implementation of support to pay with Alipay and WeChat will also make the Chinese feel welcome and comfortable.
ii) Take advantage of Chinese social networks
The Chinese love to share their travels and experiences abroad on social networks. A good strategy is to adapt on-site activities at the museum, but also to create official accounts on the most popular Chinese social networks (Weibo and WeChat in particular).
Official WeChat Account of the Louvre Museum in Paris
Creating an official WeChat account makes it easier for visitors to obtain important information through a museum contact form. This also allows museums to send “newsletters” in the form of push notifications.
Many French museums have adapted to its specificities in order to attract potential travellers and encourage them to visit the museum. The Louvre Museum in Paris, for example, has taken advantage of this unique platform to teach the history of these most famous works. The account also details the museum’s practical information (address, contact details, schedules, etc.).
iii) Implement a PR strategy
The Chinese digital sphere hosts many sharing platforms (Q&A/forums) allowing Chinese travellers to share their experiences abroad. These platforms are therefore essential means of communication for the implementation of museums’ online strategies.
Mafengwo, for example, is a perfect example of online PR. Chinese travellers share detailed travel information and add photos, videos, and notes to the places they visit.
Review and Photos posted by Users of the Louvre Museum in Paris
A real added value for museums is that can collect authentic returns from travellers. In addition, Chinese people tend to do long searches before their travels for their hotels and restaurants as well as for museums, attractions, etc.
Many other platforms offer similar services such as Ctrip, QuNar (from the Baidu group), and Tuniu,…
A real added value for museums is that can collect authentic feedback from travellers. In addition, Chinese people tend to do long searches before their travels for their hotels and restaurants, but also for museums, attractions, etc. Many other platforms offer similar services such as Ctrip, QuNar (of the Baidu group), Tuniu… The reputation of museums is as important to the Chinese as that of a hotel or an airline for example.
There are therefore many digital techniques for museums wishing to attract Chinese tourists. The strategy must be based on Chinese platforms and adapted to the specific needs of Chinese tourists.
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