VIP luxury shoppers are regularly invited to grand openings in China, and when they travel abroad, they expect a similar ?rolling out the red carpet? experience. Photo: Shutterstock
What is the quintessential New York experience in the eyes of Chinese luxury travelers" How does it differ between men and women, and for millennials"
To answer these questions, we spoke with independent tour operators who organize tours of the city for HNWI (high-net-worth individuals) from mainland China. These are the four things they?re looking for.
1. Fodder for their WeChat
Even affluent Chinese travelers like to get a bargain. But in New York City, shopping is often less of a priority because only American brands such as Kate Spade and Tory Burch are cheaper than they can find them elsewhere. Instead, what attracts them most is the experience of shopping in an exclusively NYC style that will impress their friends on WeChat. To accomplish this, they prefer to interact with local people as much as possible. ?VIP luxury shoppers are regularly invited to stores? grand openings in China, [so] when they travel abroad, they expect a similar ?rolling out the red carpet? kind of experience,? said Serena Huang, founder of YOLO luxury travel, a New York-based boutique travel agency.
High-end retail stores such as Barneys and Bergdorf Goodman are considered must-visits.
2. Personal Shopping Assistants
In order to maximize their time in New York, they expect to shop with the help of a per...