PROJECT 2: INSTITUTIONS ANALYSIS LANA VONG Tourism in the United States The Growing Chinese Market

History of Tourism Industry Western history  Grand Tour: Educational rite of passage by European aristocrats 18 th century people began traveling for leisure  Introduction of railroad travel packages Today, advances in transportation, such as the invention of ships and planes, foster international travel.

International Tourism Statistics in the U.S. 990 million international tourist arrivals to the U.S. (2011) $1,033 billion in international tourist spending (2011)

Chinese Tourists Compared to other countries, outbound tourists from China has exponentially over the past few years.

Incentives Growing middle class seek to buy luxury American goods  Luxury goods cheaper overseas; luxury tax in China Visit American tourist destinations Invest in real estate in the United States  Land in China belongs to the government Birth tourism  Babies born in U.S. reap American citizen benefits  Wish for better opportunity and lifestyle for their children Experience “ideal American lifestyle”

Accommodating Market Stores market towards Chinese customers  Mandarin speakers hired as store associates  Signs, brochures, and pamphlets Products made with Chinese consumers in mind  Ex. Wallets designed with Chinese currency in mind Hotels tailor to tourist’s tastes Tour buses cater to growing crowds Businesses in the U.S. urge government to loosen visa requirements to encourage more Chinese to visit the U.S.

L.A. Southern California is a popular destination for Chinese tourists and investors  The San Gabriel Valley is considered ideal for business and real estate investments Chinese tourists enjoy the conveniences Los Angeles’ location provides  Reminiscent of home country due to local Chinese establishments  Ideal vacation spot  Praised higher education system

Functionalist Perspective From a functionalist perspective, this relationship between China and the U.S. exemplifies the cultural exchange that occurs within the travel process. As China grows as an economic power, the United States progress towards making efforts to catering to Chinese tourists for economic gains. For example, Chinese has become ideal to learn for business. The Chinese, in turn, bring back goods and cultural experiences from their trip. Each side plays a role to cooperate and meet needs of the other to fulfill their own respective goals.

Conflict Perspective From a conflict perspective, this relationship between China and the U.S. is the result of capitalism. The growing Chinese middle class, who have the advantage of claiming real estate and capital overseas, will continue to thrive; leaving those who can’t afford such luxuries to compete for resources back in the homeland. With more Chinese tourists looking to take advantage of the United States’ resources and benefits, Americans may call for changes in immigration laws in fear of losing their own resources to foreigners.

Summary In conclusion, the future forecast of international tourists coming to the U.S. is predicts more incoming Chinese tourists. As both businesses and tourists press for less restrictions on visas, the tourism industry in the U.S. continues to accommodate for Chinese tourists for capital gain. At my local mall, I have noticed growing amount of signs written in Chinese characters and job signs seeking Mandarin speakers. However, the question of regulation in regards to “anchor babies” taking advantage of U.S. citizen is a problem as well as other concerns with the growing amount of Chinese tourists. Personally, I have witness businesses in my hometown using hotels as means of fostering birth tourism. The future is unknown whether the U.S. government will start changing laws, but certainly, U.S. businesses are swiftly changing to cater this growing market.

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