EDITORIAL AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

What was planned as a special thematic issue on Asia’s hospitality and tourism marketing has resulted in a fine collection of nine articles on the Chinese consumers. The wisdom of contributors and reviewers alike is strong recognition that, while an emerging market only a few years ago, Chinese tourism–its outbound market in particular–is becoming a major driving force of change in the global marketplace. Today’s outbound annual demand from China is more than 30 million person trips, as compared to less than six million only 10 years ago. Today’s outbound departures are 80 percent financed by personal funds, while 10 years ago it was less than 50 percent. The global tourism marketplace will continue to witness growing consumer demand brought about by an evolving economic and social structure. However, the world has yet to be prepared for it. Ideological, psychological, social, and cultural barriers remain on the part of hosting communities to accept and embrace the Chinese tourists, albeit their governments and businesses are eager to roll out welcoming mats. Yet, how much do international tourism organizations know about their Chinese guests and consumers? Even if they think they do, the source of their information can be ideologically biased and historically dated. Outside China, informed literature about the Chinese consumers, scholarly and