When the sun is out, most of Changsha’s youth escape the overbearing heat, but come nightfall, everyone emerges from their air-conditioned sanctuaries. Restaurants turn sidewalks into dining rooms as collapsible tables stretch as far as the eye can see. McDonald’s and KFC compete for attention in downtown areas, while the new kid on the block, Papa John’s, starts to develop it’s own fan-base.

Fortunately for the myriad mom and pop restaurants, local dishes are still the favorite for Changsha youth. Given the choice between a Big Mac and Kou Wei Xia (a heap of spicy prawns), most youth would choose the latter.

After dinner it’s time to take a stroll down Changsha’s broad walking avenue – Bu Xing Jie. If you’re into athletic apparel, you’ll have an excuse to pop into a shop or two, but most people go there to stroll hand-in-hand with friends or romances.

On weekends, creative and alternative types check Douban for event listings, then head to 4698 Livehouse or the chilled-out Freedom House in hopes of a good live show. Indie and alternative music are most welcomed, while electronic music draws much smaller crowds.

Hordes of other youth take over rooms in KTVs, or get tables at their favorite club (Soho seems to be the most popular). Once in the KTV or club, it’s time to throw down some cash on whiskey. If you are not drinking Chivas, you’re probably not going to have the most attractive girls sitting with you (mind you, most girls here don’t like whiskey). In the club, groups generally keep to themselves. There isn’t much dancing since your typical Chinese club has no dance-floor. Dice games decide who drinks. The more the guys drink, the more they chat up accompanying girls — although talking over the loud Korean electro-pop that’s been on repeat for the last two years can be quite difficult.

Come two or three in the morning, most are in a cab headed home. Still, some refuse to call it a night, but rather, they gather up the pals to go for round 2 of Kou Wei Xia accompanied by a round of Changsha’s local beer: Bai Sha.

Below are some shots I took around Changsha’s downtown. Click to enlarge.

Chandler is a recent university graduate, with dreams of traveling the world and eventually settling down in Japan. His room is littered with tokens past travelers have gifted him: a Canadian flag on his bed, maps in his closet, posters, t-shirts, and framed photos on his desk. During the week I spent at his place, we attended live shows, hung out with China’s old school punks, ate xiao kao with college students, and even went for a late night swim in the Yangtze.

During the day, we would escape Wuhan’s ferocious heat in a local coffee-shop, and talk for hours about everything and nothing. Since CouchSurfing (CS) is a crucial part of my trip, and an indicator of the changing mentality of many Chinese youth, I thought I’d share Chandler’s thoughts on the CS project.

How did you get introduced to couchsurfing?
My friend Linda — a former teacher from Canada living in Wuhan — told me about the concept. I’ve always loved travel and meeting new people, so I immediately joined the community!

Have you met many people since joining CS?
I haven’t yet had the chance to stay with other people, but I’ve hosted quite a few — people I never would have met otherwise. So far I’ve hosted 2 Polish guys, 2 Canadian guys, and you. I’ve also met up with local Wuhan people or travelers for drinks or a CS-organized party. Good times!

So were they all positive experiences?
In different ways, yes. Communicating with the Polish CSers was tough since their Chinese was non-existant, and their English wasn’t very good. But, we got along very well. Body language, spicy food, and beer goes a long way!

On the other hand, there was one surfer who had a hard time coping with the lack of AC in my living room, but when I offered my room with AC, he complained my bed was too hard and that there were too many mosquitos. I guess it’s harder for some people to adjust to more local living standards.

Any crazy stories?
[laughs] Not until you came to stay, but I suppose those stories are for another time!

Do you think CouchSurfing is too foreign of an idea to really catch on in China?
Not necessarily. When I first learned about it, I brought it up to my parents before hosting travelers. They didn’t love the idea, but they accepted it. When I speak to my friends about it, most of them are intrigued by the idea. Many people see it as a way to practice english, and learn about other cultures.

So it can catch on?
Yes, absolutely. Just look how many Chinese join CS every year… [The numbers are indeed growing rapidly. Check out figures here]

Besides foreigners, what kind of people use CS in China?
The travel community in China is growing very quickly. You have leisure travelers as well as more adventurous travelers. Adventurous travelers, like backpackers, seem especially keen on the idea. Many university students are also accepting the idea, since it’s a great way to save some money while making new friends in new places.

There are also people who don’t travel, but use CS to meet people to chat over a drink. In Wuhan and Changsha, you’ll find loads of local students who may not be able to offer a couch, but are very willing to meet new friends.

It seems most local CSers share one trait: curiosity. They’re curious to go to a new place; curious to meet people from different cities or countries.

Future of CS in China?
I think it’s bound to grow in popularity. On the one hand, CS provides a great way to meet foreigners — something many Chinese youth want to do. As we become more confident in ourselves, and our ability to communicate with the internatinonal community, CS provides a great platform for cultural exchange.

On the other hand, all forms of domestic travel are booming. Chinese are exploring their country like never before. Most of us youth dread the idea of traveling in groups — you know, the kind where we all wear the same hat, and follow the person holding a megaphone. We want to escape our studies or  jobs for a couple days, or even take advantage of a vacation to go somewhere new. CS makes it at once more affordable and more interesting.

I’ll be regularly posting articles to enovate while on the road. Check here for more stories, photos, and videos. I’ll also be posting content to my blog thesinoists.com/baronburns, and actively tweeting (@MrBaronBurns)

This is pointing to an interesting tendency in China’s emerging consumer: the rising popularity of flying. Many Chinese youth express a strong desire to explore a world outside of their vicinity. Unfortunately, for many there are certain economic and administrative barriers to travelling outside of China. Consequently, domestic travel is turning into a massive industry for China.

Travel in China peaks twice a year during the national holidays, when virtually the entire country is in transit. Most go home to visit families. However, a growing segment of travelers are going to new locations during all times of the year, not just the national holidays. As a result, China’s airline industry is booming:

“The CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) forecasts a 12% increase in passenger and freight traffic from the 230 million passengers and 4.46 tonnes of cargo achieved in 2009, CAAC Director Li Jiaxiang expects passenger numbers to grow to 700 million passengers per year by 2020 – and to double that to 1.5 billion by 2030.”

Price point is an important consideration for young travelers choosing between trains or airplanes, but as competition heats up in China’s airline industry, prices have become reasonable. During the off-seasons, airlines like China Spring Airline and Airasia offer cheap tickets. Flying can even be less expensive than trains. For instance, when going home to Changsha last year, my options were a 364RMB fast train, or 150RMB flight on China Spring Airline. Easy decision…

Air travel is also much more convenient. For one, purchasing airline tickets is infinitely easier than train tickets. The points of sale are numerous. Agencies have offices city-wide, and online services, like ctrip.com, will deliver your plane tickets directly to you day or night. Meanwhile, to buy train tickets, you may have to wait on some of the world’s most intimidating queues, as they can only be purchased at select, authorized vendors.

The journey itself is also much more convenient on planes. It’s obviously much faster, but it’s also way more pleasant. Spending the day on a Chinese train can be a tremendous sensory overload. They can be loud, dirty, and uncomfortable. The longer the ride, the worst it is generally. I dare you to take a 25 hour hard-seat train from Guangzhou to Shanghai. The lights are on for the entirety of the trip, smokers abound, and strange odors overwhelm. No thanks…

Having taken note of this fast growing market, Airlines are actively targeting Chinese youth. Airasia’s online campaign has made it a popular airline for the Chinese backpacker relying on DIY backpacker websites and BBSs. To further engage Chinese youth, Airasia also name the popular Taiwanese singer, Rachel Liang, as there spokeswomen.

Airasia is not alone in targeting Chinese youth. International airlines are also trying to get in. Lufthansa’s ongoing Renren campaign (lufthansa.renren.com) currently has over 40,000 registeres members. Their international initiative in which Lufthansa sponsors 15 student ambassadors from 15 countries (including China) has also helped make them a popular choice among Chinese youth travelling or studying abroad.

*for more of our insights on taobao click here

*for more of our insights on travel in China click here

“Flash play” (闪玩, quick fun/play) is described by our friends over at CIC research as “a new term for offline events organized by netizens online.”

Activities can range from KTV meet ups to a simple shopping trip, but the roots of flash play seem to lie in travel. In previous travel research we have noticed this phenemenon of seeking travel partners online but it is through social networking sites such as douban where the concept of flash play has begun.

One event of the Douban “flash play group” has received interest from over3000 people, with 1700 “flash friends” planning to take part. The group’s ethos being: “perhaps all we need is to switch cities and sip coffee..”.

In analysing the reasoning behind the burgeoning popularity of flash play and flash friends, CCTV have found that of their research sample:

43 percent said that they wanted to flee a familiar environment to seek something new with strangers in strange cities and 45.0 percent said it is easier for them to feel at ease in front of strangers than in front of acquaintances.

This concept of feeling solace in the company of strangers isn’t a revolutionary idea but now it seems that the active pursuit of this feeling could be cause for concern, even for those whom take part in ‘flash’ actvities.

“‘Flash play’ is a bit like drinking. It’s comfortable when you are drinking, but it’s still painful when you recover from the drunkenness”

What’s apparent is that although these “flash” are activities increasing in their frequency, young people still accept their limitations. While some may revel in the transient nature of a weekend trip with ‘flash friends’, this trend remains only an alternative means for people to interact.

“Flash friends” are yet to replace “real friends” but if and when they do, enoVate will let you know…

Having worked closely in the past, we here at enoVate are familiar with the ideals and practices of Greennovate. For those unfamiliar, Greennovate is made up of a group of creative thinkers from around the world. Their goal is to promote greater environmental awareness in China through both social and business platforms.
Having already launched two successful campaigns with eno, Greennovate have already started to raise eco-awareness amongst young Chinese. enoVate got in touch with Greennovate founder Mihela Hladin to get her opinion on eco-awareness and the Chinese youth.

Can you give us an overview of Greennovate and your work within the eco-friendly product space?
We are a social enterprise, developing ideas for sustainable future. Our projects are focused on raising environmental awareness and sustainable development for businesses and communities in China. We are following the trends in eco friendly products from the consumers, retailers and manufacturers perspective. We encourage businesses and consumers to see the big picture of each product including raw materials, their source and production process. Calling a product green or eco friendly is getting more sensitive as consumers are getting more curious on environmental related topics and they are speaking out on social media. It’s a challenging time where it is important for companies to strategize beyond one product line or sustainability part and really start incorporating environmental and social principles into the whole business model.

What can brands do to encompass a greener perspective whilst remaining relevant to ever changing youth trends?
We think that most important thing is to educate the consumers. With all the ‘greenwashing’ going on I think consumers will go for honest approaches, even though they might look like smaller steps. Every brand should develop a long term sustainability strategy and be transparent in how they are getting there, rather than popularizing one or two ‘green’ actions and calling themselves green.

greennovate x eno - neti charms

What ways does Greennovate work to target and communicate with the Chinese youth? What is most effective in getting your key messages across?

We started partnering with designers because we believe that fashion is a good communication channel for environmental education. It is a way to build awareness and get young consumers encouraged to go and learn more themselves. We are also building up the capacity on Chinese social media, having a lot of interesting content available which is spurring ideas and calling out for participation. We found it very exciting with the amount of young people coming back to us and discussing what they are concerned about and how willing they are to live more sustainable lifestyles.

What is the biggest challenge for companies looking to create and source eco-friendly product in China?
I think access to the relevant information and where to source is the first challenge. Then pricing is usually right after that as there is a constant struggle on how to justify the higher price on eco products. The real challenge as we see it is how to get consumers to understand why to pay more and relate to it on their rational and emotional level. Most of the feedback that we get is that they buy eco products because they are cool, and only after that, because they are eco friendly. This has to do with young people not really seeing the real connection between the eco friendly product and the size of the environmental challenges that they know of.

What is the most surprising or interesting thing you have learned to date through working with the Chinese youth?
For me it’s always so amazing how they are willing to learn if information is presented in fun and engaging ways. The Chinese young people that we are working with, in different places around China, are always asking: “What can I do, what can I do?” We think this is a great opportunity for the companies to build loyalty for their brands, through transparent environmental commitments and initiatives.

I had just moved to China and ran into a ridiculous and obstinate problem: my bankcard sat behind a glass window in the hands of an over protective bank manager unwilling to relinquish my forgotten possession.

The larger issue besides the frustrating inflexibility of the Bank of China was the fact that this bank was located in Panjin, a small city five hours north of Beijing in China’s Liaoning Province.

I hastily put together a journey that has helped to clarify much of my travails, obstacles and insights regarding traveling in China.

Traveling anywhere in the world, with its confined spaces, time consumption, planning and of course a dash of traveler’s luck is perhaps one of the best places to observe human nature and human interactions which are invaluable to understanding how to successfully engage and encourage repeat traveling experiences.

I boarded China’s equivalent to Ryan Airlines, China Spring Airlines and headed to my knee buckling seat. I was seated next to a very young Chinese couple and did not last two minutes with my eyes closed and ears in headphones before they immediately began to strike up a conversation. We chatted about America, China, friends, family, mainly differences in cultures and other interesting things. The open dialogue was nice and helped to pass the time before I landed in Dalian. This part of my journey helped bring into focus one of the largest concepts of traveling within China: personal space.

Personal space to Chinese travelers is not as valued as it is elsewhere in the world. But having less value does not automatically equate to a negative. In fact, placing less importance on personal space actually draws people closer together and opens up new friendships and free dialogue. Many young Chinese traveling alone are open to exchanging numbers and keeping in contact with other people they have met while traveling.

I stepped off of the plane in the sharply cold Dalian airport and quickly hopped into a cab heading to Zhongshan Square in the center of the city. I had previous knowledge of the bus schedule but was not quite sure of its exact departure. The sporadic nature and disheveled transportation system throughout the smaller Chinese cities always makes for an adventurous time planning trips. This is another intrinsic characteristic of traveling in China.

Miraculously I made it to the bus station within five minutes before the crucial bus I had to take to Panjin departed. I bought a bus ticket, ran to the bus and grabbed a seat without a second to spare. Transportation in China hinges on an extremely loose network. Like many things in China, if you can’t do something one way, there is always another solution. Many young travelers in China have this attitude and a missed bus turns into a hitchhiked van ride or motorcycle adventure. Stress is not placed on pre-planning or making sure the itinerary is flawless. Things happen on the fly and quick reaction is more important to traveling in China than is detailed preparation.

As I’m traveling on the bus back to Panjin, another sizable aspect of traveling in China hits me: boredom and eating. Looking around the bus, I notice almost every person indulging in peanuts, crackers, chips, raman noodles and beverages all purchased before hand and brought along in plastic travel bags. I inquire about this trait at a later date with some young Chinese friends and among Chinese it is a well-known fact that traveling and eating food are exclusively linked. Eating is a means to pass time and snacks and beverages quell boredom as well as simply fill hunger on a long a trip.

Looking at these three traits of Chinese travel: personal space, sporadic organization and passing time with food, I notice a few common links. One of these links is a sense of overcoming the sometimes-uncomfortable traveling situations in China and making the most of the journey. Spontaneity and adaptation are synonyms for traveling in China. Another link is friendship. Whether it’s making new friends, sharing in ridiculous experiences with new friends, or having a meal or snack with friends, traveling seems to bring out the lighter, and friendlier side of the Chinese personality.

Overcoming travel obstacles and friendship are key areas that can attract and engage consumers looking to travel within China. Having friendly attitudes and ensuring maximum comfort on trips will elevate both brand and company statuses if this is promoted within their ranks. Many Chinese travelers look at traveling as only a means to see family or friends rather than it being a luxury or an indulgence. But traveling does not have to only be viewed in this context. In my journeys it is clear that Chinese people enjoy traveling and seek to make the most out of their experience, no matter what.

• EDUCATE
  Chinese youth are hungry for knowledge. Chinese punks can list the GBH discography backwards; much like Chinese soccer fans could tell you who was in the Brazil starting eleven at the ‘94 World Cup final. How do they know all this? Well, it’s not the library. Let people know more about the places they are travelling, not just what’s good to eat. Inspire an adventurous spirit and you make a traveller for life, not just spring festival.

• INTERACT
  Pictures are nice, but video is cool. There are plenty of travel programmes on TV, but who watches TV anymore? Quality is always key but an average video can explain more about a place than an amazing photo. Encourage users to upload their own videos, reward them for quality of content. Let ambassadors lead discussions and offer advice. Make them apparitional figures, ‘travel heroes’, inspiring others to get out from behind the computer screen, go travelling, then return home to blog all about it!

• EXPERIENCE
  Those who can afford to go travelling will be from cities and if it’s not a shopping trip they want, then don’t them give a mall. China’s an awfully big place full of mountains, streams, rivers, rocks, etc. If there’s no adventure to be found or made here, then maybe we’re all better off staying in and watching Lost. Offering ‘alternative, adventure’ getaways would not only be a unique holiday but it would also be a great bonding experience. Something which can be discussed before, during and after the holiday, all courtesy of your website.

The advantage of hosting online communities mean sites receive traffic not just from prospective travellers or those who travelled but it can also be those who are just interested in travel. Don’t just limit yourself to one segment.
You’ve created a community, now use it right. Do more, get more.

They're your community, give 'em what they want

This is not to say mangocity’s main site ignores the Chinese youth.  Much like travel competitors ctrip, mangocity makes use of a travel community hosted on their website to help bolster sales. Much of this community is built on travel reports and questions from travellers but the site also includes special offers and competitions.

As testament to the growth of mangocity, they have faciliated a promotion of JCB’s ‘hello kitty’ credit card.  Also working in conjuction with the Korean board of tourism, the competition is only open to JCB credit card holders but is a good example of inter-Asian collaboration; a Japanese a bank, offering trips to Korea for a Chinese market.

While still only offered in English and Chinese, perhaps enoVate’s services may soon have to be translated into Japanese and Korean!

Since April 2004, over 10,000 participators have carried out these ’1kg-more travels’ and now, in almost all the major cities of China, volunteer groups have been organized. However the online community remains a hub for these newly popularized volunteering activities.

Now, charity travel is not only run by organizations such as 1kg-more, but it has also inspired Chinese youth to do their part in their own way. My friend Dana is a photographer and chinese teacher, she has traveled to both Yunnan and Guizhou. When travelling she stayed at local minorities’ homes and took photos to document their lives. After she got back, she held her own photograpy exhibition and all the proceeds from the exhibition were given to the children of local schools she visited.

For more of Dana’s photography visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/danahh

Shanghai electronic collective Antidote, mirrored their hipster image by choosing an offbeat location in small water town Zhu Jia Jiao, for their one day music festival.
However, the prize for most far flung and obtuse location for a music festival goes to newcomer Inmusic. While the musical line up itself follows a similar format to Midi:

• a handful of current Chinese indie/punk favourites (RE-tros, SUBS, etc)
• a smattering of older established Chinese rock heavyweights (Zuoxiaozuzhou)
• a few unknown European bands (Little Dragon, Snake & Jet)
• as well as a DJ tent

Headlining the festival was British trip-hop originator, Tricky, whom one imagines was tempted less by the cash, (tickets ran at 220rmb for the three day event, including bus travel to and from Beijing) and more by  Inmusic’s unique locatiohn: the Northern Chinese grasslands of Zhangbei, over 200km away from Beijing!

As one of the partners of the festival, www.go2eu.com used their community of young travel enthusiasts to offer discounted group travel to the far flung festival. The festival has received mixed reactions. The promise of idyllic green grass and blue sky didn’t transpire as some had imagined but overall people whom attended enjoyed the atmosphere and music, despite some organisational and transport issues.

This type of activity is bound to become more and more popular. The opportunity to meet others, travel together and bond over a mutual interest like music is definitely an appealing opportunity for an adventurous and socially hungry Chinese youth. Our insights have shown that young Chinese are keen to turn online acquaintances into real life friends, and as music festivals increase in number, travel operators and online communities should be keen to work together to cater to the needs of young Chinese.

For more information, photos and footage from the festival please visit:

http://ent.sina.com.cn/f/y/infestival/index.shtm

http://mogo.com.cn