Preparing for a Post-COVID-19 Travel Boom: Research on the Ivory Consumption Behavior of Chinese Travelers A presentation from GlobeScan November 2020 1
Presenters and Panellists today Mia Signs Jim Sano Karen Xue Wander Meijer Jesse Taweekan Daniel Bergin Outreach & Vice President, Director, Global Program Manager, Senior Project Director Asia Advocacy, Illegal Conservation Coordination, Ivory Illegal Wildlife Manager Pacific Wildlife Trade, Travel, WWF High Impact Trade, WWF GlobeScan GlobeScan WWF Greater Initiative, WWF Greater Mekong Mekong 2
Agenda 1. I Int ntroduction ( n (WWF) F) – 5 m minutes tes 2. R Resear arch P Presentat ation on ( (Globe obeScan an) ) – 25 m 25 minutes • Research Description and Specifications / Typical Travel Behavior • Ivory Purchase Outside of Mainland China • Comparison of Destinations Key Findings • 3. Recom ommendation ons ( (WWF) – 5 m minutes tes 4. Q Q&A ( (with a all l participan ants) – 25 m 25 minutes
Context: Traveling overseas for ivory – desk research Experts caution that some of the trade in ivory may have been displaced to surrounding counties after it was made illegal in China. 4
Context: Traveling overseas for ivory – consumer research Research from GlobeScan shows that despite a general decreasing trend for ivory purchase among Chinese consumers, Regular Overseas Travelers have been increasing in their ivory purchasing habits Ivory Purchase Channels Ivory Purchase Index 2019 Post-ban 2018 Post-ban 2017 Pre-ban 60 Index ( x (Tot otal Sample) In person, in a retail store in China 66 55 2.82 48 Total sample 2.35 In person, in a market stall in China 50 3.75 53 40 In-person, when travelling out of the country on 41 short-term trips 36 Index b by Ove verseas Trave velers 19 In person, from street vendors in China 23 21 1.94 Never 1.63 17 2.46 Online 17 3.46 Occasionally 24 2.85 3.78 12 5.06 In person in China, from a private individual 19 Regularly 4.79 12 4.65 6 In-person, when travelling out of the country on 3 long-term trips for work 3 5
Research Description and Specifications Travel Behavior
How We Did It: Research Design and Specifications Qualitative Phase – Aug – Sep 2019 2 Focus Groups in each of Beijing and Guangzhou (32 • participants in total) All had bought ivory or rhino horn abroad in the past • 12 months. Each group had: 4 male, 4 female; 4 planned, 4 unplanned; 4 likely to buy again, 4 unlikely. Qualitative Phase – Oct 2019 – Jan 2020 Conducted online; respondents invited via email and • could answer on any device Sample representative for the online populations in • China from 31 provinces. Natural demographic fallout for destinations Questionnaire median length 14 minutes for travelers • and 4 minutes for non-travelers Total sample size n=5291, including 3011 travelers • 7
Know the travelers: Why, how and when are people traveling? Travel Purpose Travel Arrangements 92% 92% Independent % L Leisure 13 of travelers are traveling for le leis isure 9 Agency (e.g. vacation, festivals, shopping) 54 Tailored tour Short business trip 13 25 Semi-independent Working 8 Study / school visits 5 Visiting family / friends 5 Travel Period Lunar New Year 15 15 National Day Holidays 22 Summer Vacation 36 Another public holiday 33 Other time 8
Know the travelers: Drivers of travel and research methods Drivers of Travel Most important reasons to Travel Information Research Methods I can spend time in nature travel I can experience the local cuisine Online - travel forums, blogs etc. 59 I appear more fun by having experiences traveling abroad 53 Online - tour companies Least important reasons to travel I can consume wild (exotic) meat Offline - tour agency 41 I can shop for ivory Offline - travel guides, books, etc. 40 I can shop for rhino horn 9
Path to Purchase: Travelers Purchasing Ivory Outside of Mainland China
Before traveling: Ivory purchase plans Travelers Planning to Buy Ivory Where Are Travelers Finding their Before Their Trip Ivory Information? 11% Thailand was Online ne 61% perceived as the best destination to buy ivory by those planning From peo m people By Destination to buy it I k know w 59% Hong Kong SAR 17 Some legal Japan 19 trade Tour g guid ide 21 Thailand company any 51% Cambodia 5 Laos 9 I first searched on an online auction site to find a seller of wildlife 4 Myanmar products. I then contacted the owner via WeChat video call to make sure he had what I want and met him when I arrived at my destination. Vietnam 4 11
While traveling: Suggestions to Purchase Ivory While Abroad Who Suggested It? 0 20 40 60 22 Local tour guides 60 Ivory Was Recommended Staff at a tourist information 37 center 88 Someone suggested buying ivory Chinese tour guides 30 Nobody suggested buying ivory Staff from my accommodation 30 Other travelers 29 12
While traveling: Visiting ivory shops Visits to a Shop / Market That Sold Ivory Yes, one Yes, more than one No, I did not visit but I saw ivory for sale No At minimum 57% 57% Total travelers 15 9 28 48 of the sellers spoke Chinese Hong Kong SAR 20 12 27 41 Japan 25 11 22 42 Thailand 20 18 29 33 I was at Ho Chi Minh City 12 6 30 53 Cambodia and Danang in Vietnam with a tour group and was brought 32 51 Laos 9 8 to a shopping mall that sells ivory and rhino horn 22 63 Myanmar 10 5 products. I looked around Vietnam 11 6 30 54 and only Chinese tour groups were there. The staff knew how to speak Chinese too. Travelers planning 42 50 6 2 to buy ivory 13
While traveling: Identifying real ivory How Did You Know the Ivory Was Real? 47 The sellers provided authenticating documents 62 26 This shop was recommended to me 75% 75% 39 24 I know how to identify the products of travelers who visited 34 Travelers who identified ivory shops believed that some of the ivory they saw 17 they could tell real ivory as real I trusted the tour guide 23 from fake ivory Travelers who planned to buy ivory and identified 16 I trusted the seller(s) some of the ivory they saw 18 as real 20 I am not sure if the product is real 5 14
Ask the experts Jim Sano: In your opinion, what are the ▪ most significant findings? How can we best use this knowledge going forward? Audience question: What % of ▪ Chinese travelers do you think bought ivory while travelling internationally? 15
While traveling: Ivory purchase rates 15% Someone in their travel Typical Buyer Profile group bought ivory 6.8% Estimated travelers Popular lar i items: Pendants, sculptures, necklaces buying an Ivory Product Ave verage s spend: RMB 5,997 Ivory Pendant Price Pr ce: RMB 1,300 Travel: l: Frequent Location: n: Cambodia Age: 25-34 Buyer er’s p profile: Female, age 45, income RMB 50k+ per month, Income: In : High group tour (RMB 40K-60K per month) Ivory Necklace Education on: High Pr Price ce: RMB 3,380 (University or above) Location: n: Hong Kong SAR Gender: r: Female Buyer’s p ’s profile: : Female, age 56, income RMB 15-20k per month, independent travel 16
While traveling: Ivory purchase reasons Top Reasons for Gifting TOP 5 OP 5 Reasons to Buy Ivory For a personal relationship 50 58% For the buyer to keep 36 For a business relationship 57% As a gift for a friend / family For a birthday 24 25% As a gift for a business contact As a a g gif ift To celebrate new business 24 22% By request from someone in China 21 For a wedding anniversary To sell in China 11% For Lunar New Year 20 17
While traveling: Advice on bringing ivory back to Mainland China What did they advise? Who gave the advice? Given advice on how to bring ivory back to China Local tour guide 49 By mail 16 Yes No Buy less/buy small products 11 People you were traveling with 34 % Yes Yes Don’t buy 8 Wildlife product seller 32 22 78 It is OK to bring across the border 7 Local people 31 Conceal the products 5 Chinese tour guide 29 Buy high quality/expensive products 3 By taking a ferry 3 Information online 29 Obtain a proof/certification letter from seller 3 Other tourists recommended to buy cheap and small items. Just try your luck across the border, even if the goods are confiscated you will not be losing too much money. 18
While traveling: Bringing ivory back to Mainland China Perceptions of illegality of buying ivory in destinations (%) Top 5 ways the person buying ivory Legal brought it back to Mainland China 22 Shop mailed it (34%) Illegal 60 18 Don’t know By plane (28%) Buyer mailed it (10%) Awareness of illegality of bringing ivory back (%) Legal By road (7%) 17 12 Illegal Don’t know By ferry (6%) 70 Hide the small pieces among the items in your luggage, the customs are unable to detect them. For large pieces like bracelet or accessories you can just wear it on yourself. 19
Ask the experts Karen Xue: How do we deter Chinese outbound ▪ travelers from bringing ivory back to the Mainland? Jesse Taweekan: What kind of interventions ▪ could be enacted in destination countries? Audience question: What non-ivory, ▪ wildlife-friendly souvenirs do you think would be most popular as an alternative for travelers to buy? 20
Key Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations
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