Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport - 2018 EHMA Special Edition

Hotel & Tourism
SMARTreport
SPECIAL ISSUE #09
March 2018 15
Dr Kurt Grötsch
CEO, Silk Road Experience Group,
CEO, Chinese Friendly International
Dr Kurt Grötsch - CEO of
Silk Road Experience Group
and CEO of Chinese Friendly
International outlines the
latest evolution for hoteliers
wishing to attract more
Chinese clients.
THE SILK ROAD
A powerful emerging touristic
brand – and a great opportunity for
hotel operators
THE UNWTO
IDENTIFIES THE SILK
ROAD CONCEPT
AS ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT
EMERGING TOURIST
BRANDS
The UNWTO (United Nations
World Tourism Organisation)
identifies the Silk Road concept
as one of the most important
emerging tourist brands in the
world and Tripadvisor confirms
in 2017, that 8 of 10 (81%)
travellers have heard of the
Silk Road, and 62% percent
of travellers indicate that they
are aware of the Silk Road as a
tourism destination.
However, there is only weak
infrastructure in terms of
communication and hotels to
attend a rising group of heritage
and experience orientated
travellers. Beside Caravanserais
or Musks, the nomadic tribes
of central Asian countries had
no chance to create material
heritages (civil, religious or
war constructions) or a diverse
gastronomy. This lack of heritage
could be supplied by themed
hotels, thematic and experience
tourism formulas on which is
already working the Silk Road
Task Force of the UNWTO. In
this context, we advise that the
hotel sector could and should
consider the Silk Road project
as an opportunity to participate
in the development of brand
and investment opportunities.
As an example, we will present
a hotel concept adapted to the
Silk Road circumstances to the
audience in Marbella 2018