In the case of Macau — which has seen historic gambling revenue lows this year — there is a shift toward diversification , largely via government mandate , away from a near total reliance on the VIP market and toward a broadening of amenities that have a better chance of appealing to China ’ s growing middle class
Hotels . com ’ s Chinese International Travel Monitor stated that “ leisure ” was their main reason for international travel .
Gambling overseas is also a very popular vacation activity for Chinese tourists . In the last five years , the number of Chinese nationals traveling to Las Vegas has jumped by 80 percent , according to the Wall Street Journal . In a recent survey of mainland Chinese millennials , Las Vegas was cited as the most popular outbound destination for a leisure travel experience .
Two of the gaming industry ’ s leading markets , Macau and Las Vegas , are facing a similar challenge , whereby demographic trends in particular are disrupting traditional business models .
In the case of Macau — which has seen historic gambling revenue lows this year — there is a shift toward diversification , largely via government mandate , away from a near total reliance on the VIP market and toward a broadening of amenities that have a better chance of appealing to China ’ s growing middle class , which McKinsey China forecasts will constitute 630 million people by 2022 .
In Las Vegas , an aging population of slot players is being replaced by younger consumers , including Chinese millennials , who by and large have thus far shown a marked lack of interest in traditional casino games compared to generations past .
Shopping is perhaps the most popular activity of Chinese outbound tourists . China ’ s import and consumption tax rates have resulted in luxury goods often costing several times more in mainland China , compared to the same item sold in Western nations .
In England , Chinese tourists spent nearly $ 3,000 per person per trip , three times the market average . Much of this expenditure is going toward shopping , which for many Chinese is prioritized above other travel items such as accommodations .
Other popular activities among Chinese millennial leisure travelers include visiting important landmarks — though the younger generations are shunning group tours , whereby one might get off a bus to take a quick picture and then immediately get back on to go to the next stop , in favor of deeper cultural experiences .
Chinese millennials are the first generation to be born into the country ’ s one-child policy . As a result , they have more spending power than prior generations . Though they are putting off marriage a couple of years , on average , later in life than their parents did , Chinese millennials are twice as likely to be married than their U . S . counterparts .
A recent survey among Chinese millennials found that 65 percent travel with family and / or their significant others versus traveling with friends . This behavior obviously influences the types of experiences and activities they seek , and may partially explain why nightclubs and other places that encourage “ social collisions ” are generally of less interest among this group of consumers ; this is in direct contrast to what American millennials are typically seeking out in a leisure entertainment environment .
As is the case with their U . S . counterparts , younger Chinese consumers rely heavily on mobile technology , social media and peer reviews when making purchase decisions related to their trips abroad . According to a recent Hotels . com survey , nearly half of Chinese millennials rely on word-of-mouth and consumer reviews online , while 80 percent within this demographic used a desktop , laptop or mobile device to plan and book their travel in 2014 ( compared to 53 percent the year before ). It is not surprising then that , like younger Americans , Chinese millennials rank “ free Wi-Fi ” as by far their most desirable amenity when traveling .
Unlike American millennials , who have transformed places like Las Vegas into a nightclub and dayclub mecca , Chinese younger consumers are generally disinterested in “ clubbing ” and the traditional , alcohol-fueled bar scene . They also prefer indoor pools to outdoor , perhaps partially because of a desire to stay out of the sun due somewhat to perceived social stigmas pertaining to darker skin tones that are not uncommon in emerging countries .
20 CASINO DESIGN 2015