Chinese tourists are world’s biggest spenders

Chinese tourists spent $102 billion on foreign trips last year, spending 41 % more than last year and beating the $84 billion spent on travel by German and U.S. tourists.

"The impressive growth of tourism expenditure from China and Russia reflects the entry into the tourism market of a growing middle class from these countries," said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.

The German Travel Association (DRV) said it was to be expected that the Chinese would eventually overtake Germans in terms of spending, given that the country had more inhabitants than North America, Russia and Europe put together.

The Chinese travel mostly in organized tour groups, and spend a lot on luxury products abroad.