Chinese tourists prefer hotels and restaurants that offer free Wi-Fi when traveling abroad. Most Chinese tourists instantly update their social networks using their mobile phones. They send photos and short videos to friends and family when traveling abroad.
About 10 percent of outbound (出境的) Chinese tourists get expensive marring charges (漫游费) by using 4G-powered smart phones. About 90 percent of Chinese travelers consider free Wi-Fi indispensable when traveling abroad. They often use phone apps to create travel routes and book hotels, which requires large data flows that can be expensive without Wi-Fi.
But free Wi-Fi is not always available, even in regions with advanced telecommunications, such as the United States and Europe. Portable Wi-Fi costs 15~50 yuan a day, depending on the country. It's cheaper in South Korea, Japan and Thailand. The Wi-Fi services increase rapidly thanks to reasonable pricing and smooth surfing.
More than 100 million Chinese went abroad last year, and the10 percent who used Wi-Fi services spent an average of 150 yuan, and it's expected to grow largely. But the travel agencies business may become out of date in five to eight years, because more locations are offering free Wi-Fi. In the meantime, it is reported that more for-profit models should be introduced and offer more services for outbound travelers in the future.