As the weather turns cooler, hot spring travel routes are gradually heating up. With the popularization of hot spring consumption, prices have become more affordable. However, a reporter's survey found that 70% of consumers believe that hot springs in Beijing lack characteristics, have poor service quality, and are increasingly low-end. Meanwhile, the fact that nearly 400,000 Chinese tourists travel abroad to soak in hot springs every year clearly indicates a strong demand for high-end hot spring consumption among domestic tourists. The industry believes that to cultivate the 5th-generation hot springs (hot spring culture), it is necessary to strengthen the concept of hot spring culture, segment the market, and appropriately develop high-end hot springs.
I. Dilemma of Experiential Consumption: Hot Spring Market Struggles to Retain Repeat Customers
Industry insiders stated that most domestic hot spring tourism is still in the leisure stage and has not fully advanced to the health preservation stage. Most consumers who soak in hot springs come because of the cold season, attending meetings, or receiving coupons, not for health preservation. This kind of experiential consumption is difficult to attract a large number of repeat customers.
Foreign countries have stronger promotion in this regard. For example, when soaking in hot springs in Switzerland, the beautiful mountains and rivers are secondary; what makes people feel more physically and mentally comfortable is the perfect unity of civilization under a highly developed economy and nature.
II. Competition Drives Transformation: Hot Spring Theme Gradually Marginalized
Li Mingde, Deputy Director of the Tourism Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes that hot spring tourism has a clear theme. Even if it serves as a supplement to other forms of tourism, the theme should not be misplaced. Projects such as accommodation, catering added in the design and planning should not affect or hinder the display of the hot spring theme, avoiding overshadowing the main focus.
However, a reporter's survey found that most hot spring industries in Beijing focus their marketing on projects other than hot springs. For example, when a reporter consulted the staff of Yuanwang Boli as a consumer, the staff focused on promoting conference, guest room, and wellness entertainment projects. The relevant person in charge of Honglu Hot Spring frankly stated that the current hot spring market is sluggish, and some areas of the resort are under renovation, so they place more hope on group meetings. When it comes to Yuanwang Boli, the more response from the tourism industry is large-scale cultural performances. The well-known water scene performance "Holy Water Guanyin" in Beijing's tourism industry has now become the signature of Yuanwang Boli. In an interview, Shi Chenfeng, general manager of Yuanwang Boli Hot Spring Tourism Development Co., Ltd., introduced that in 2003, Yuanwang Boli mainly operated hot spring projects, and the evening party was only an accessory, with good benefits. The average daily passenger flow was 5,000 person-times, whether for individual tourists or business teams. But the benefits have gradually declined since 2005, so Yuanwang Boli began to seek a new positioning. Shi Chenfeng said that the peak season of the northern hot spring market is only from October to March of the following year. Especially in Beijing, the hot spring market is now blooming everywhere, with fierce competition, and the daily operation cost of hot springs is nearly 100,000 yuan. Therefore, Yuanwang Boli takes cultural performances as its core brand, and hot springs have become auxiliary products. Industry insiders pointed out that Yuanwang Boli's experience shows that the transformation and development of hot spring enterprises will become a trend. For enterprises, it is to explore new markets and seek new development. But this is not conducive to the development of hot spring tourism. If everyone tries to escape the reality of low-end hot springs, it will ultimately affect the overall development of China's hot spring tourism.
III. The Way Out: Focus on the High-End Market and Align with 5th-Generation Hot Spring Standards
It is reported that hot spring culture changes with the times. The first-generation hot spring culture is bathing culture, which is commonly referred to as "soaking in hot springs"; the second-generation is bathing plus games, emphasizing dynamics and richness; the third-generation is bathing plus leisure culture, highlighting that hot springs are a form of leisure tourism; the fourth-generation implants health concepts, endowing hot springs with the idea of health preservation; the latest fifth-generation hot spring culture is the most profound and inclusive hot spring culture represented by hot spring-themed cities. Currently, most hot springs in Beijing are still at the third-generation level.
Zhang Wanbai, Director of the Changping District Tourism Bureau of Beijing, once said that Beijing gathers high-income groups from all over the country and all walks of life. The consumption concept of these people is different from that of ordinary people. However, the hot spring industry in Changping is lacking in hot spring products and projects suitable for high-end groups and high-grade consumption. In this regard, the industry believes that not only Changping hot springs, but also domestic hot springs are becoming increasingly low-end. Even relatively powerful hot spring operating enterprises have to participate in low-price competition to ensure the basic market, resulting in few enterprises making achievements in high-end products.
Industry insiders said that although the consumer group is growing, the price of about 100 yuan makes the profit per consumer only a few dozen yuan. Moreover, almost all resorts are taking the popular price route, which has virtually impacted the high-end market. With the opening of hot spring routes in Japan and Europe, they have become the main choice for the domestic high-end hot spring market. In particular, due to its beautiful environment, proximity to nature and distinctive features, Japanese high-end hot springs attract nearly 100,000 Chinese tourists every year, while Bali hot springs in Indonesia attracted 300,000 Chinese tourists last year. It is not difficult to see that Chinese consumers have demand for high-end hot springs, and Beijing's hot spring enterprises should pay attention to the high-end hot spring market.
IV. Cultural Empowerment: Building the 5th-Generation Hot Spring with Imperial City Characteristics
While cultivating the construction concept, how far is Beijing's hot spring industry from the fifth generation? Some industry insiders have pointed out that to reach the fifth generation, it is necessary to improve the grade of hot springs and introduce cultural connotations. At present, some hot spring venues have begun to try cultural branding. For example, Yuanwang Boli focuses on the "water" culture brand, and Longmai Hot Spring focuses on the "dragon" culture brand. But in fact, apart from a small number of related cultural exhibitions, it is difficult for consumers to feel the culture from the hot springs themselves. Most consumers said, "It's no different from hot springs elsewhere, just bigger."
In other countries, hot spring tourism can be well integrated with local culture. For example, Tampak Siring in Bali is distinctive because it is surrounded by the time-honored Holy Spring Temple. It also has the most traditional Spa methods in the world. The Spa rooms have a strong Balinese style, making it a popular destination for hedonists who love Spa. It attracted nearly 300,000 Chinese tourists last year.
In fact, China's hot spring culture has a long history. The origin of Chinese hot spring culture can be traced back to the 5,000-year-old era of "Fuqiu and Xuandi". There are poems and allusions related to hot springs in every dynasty, which are valuable resources we can use. The reporter learned that there are already high-end hot springs with imperial brands in the Beijing market. The staff of Yuanwang Boli told the reporter that they launched the Guangxu Emperor Yichun Tang at 580 yuan per person per hour, but most consumers with discount tickets will not pay extra to enjoy their high-end products.
Experts pointed out that launching an imperial city cultural brand is very in line with Beijing's culture. We have many hot spring cultural resources left by ancient emperors. For example, Li Longji, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, wrote a poem "Ode to Hot Springs": "The laurel palace is connected to the mountains, and the orchid soup gushes naturally. The shaded cliffs contain beautiful scenery, and the warm valley gurgles. Its merit lies in eliminating evil, and its function is suitable for nourishing integrity. I wish to share prosperity with all people." Therefore, Beijing's hot springs can try to integrate its culture and enjoyment concepts into the hot springs to improve their quality.
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