Moreover, Marseille has a significant soft power among Chinese people, which is especially apparent in football, film, literature, and beauty. Famous brands and products from Marseille such as Marseille soap and wine and brands like L’Occitane, Compagnie de Provence and Le Petit Marseillais have a glowing reputation in China. Meanwhile, businesses like Airbus Helicopter and CMA CGM are flocking to China, strengthening Marseille’s metropolis position.

Data source: Statista, arrivals of tourists from China (including Hong Kong) in tourist accommodation in France from 2012 to 2018

The Chinese perception of Marseille

Why are Chinese so enthusiastic about this Mediterranean city?

As a port-hub originally founded by the Greeks, many Chinese associate Marseille with the Mediterranean, beautiful landscapes and French fashion. But beyond these superficial perceptions, Marseille and China have deeper connections.

Since 1987, Shanghai and Marseille have become sister cities. Moreover, the 2018 Belt and Road Initiative conference was held in Marseille, boosting Marseille and China business investment.

Politically, the establishment of Chinese consulate-general’s branch office in Marseille demonstrated this city’s political significance for both countries. In terms of education, Aix-Marseille University has opened a joint institute with the Wuhan University of Technology in China, and the kedge Business School shares executive partnerships with Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Relying on its innovation dynamics, Marseille is upgrading its image and becoming more familiar to Chinese people.

Qualitative analysis of Chinese perceptions of Marseille

Source: Baidu index of Marseille 马赛 Chinese perceptions of Marseille

Chinese people’s discussion scope about Marseille centers on its popular tourist spots, cultural activities and products. Besides Marseille, Chinese tourists also show great interests in other cities in South France like Nice, Gannes and Provence. As for cultural activities, Marseille’s football matches are absolutely a sensation in China. Chinese netizens also frequently search for Marseille’s brands and products like Marseille soap, L’Occitane and Compagnie de Provence.

Source: Zhihu & Weibo, Chinese people’s various concerns about the security in Marseille.

However, Chinese tourists consider Marseille to be poorly policed. This is due to frequent demonstrations, thefts and robberies. Plus, Chinese tourists’ inclination for showing off wealth makes them more susceptible to pickpocketing. “Is it really safe there?”, “Are there many thieves?”, “Are manifestations of the yellow vest movement over yet?” such queries are often present in Marseille related posts on China’s social media. In fact, the security of France has been negatively reported by media in recent years, not just Marseille.

Footprints of Chinese KOLs in Marseille

Source: Red, Online social gathering with Chinese KOLs in Marseille

Recommendations and sharing of KOLs about Marseille largely direct Chinese people’s perception of this city. By focusing on Chinese social media like Red, Weibo and WeChat, Chinese KOLs have great interests in seeking excitement in Marseille. They like experiencing new situations and unique trips. Thus, exploring niche and wild landscapes like Verdon Gorge Grand Canyon, Calanques national park and seaside villages are their fondness. Because they can give their voice of loving life and chasing uninhibitedness by conquering desolate places. Just like a popular traveling blogger on Red shared, “I love the feeling of freedom and unfettered.”

Chinese KOLs also have a craze of sharing their liked local delicacy and shopping. “Traveling isn’t just about taking in beautiful scenery, it’s also important to enjoy local cuisines”, a Chinese traveling and food blogger commented on Red. Besides, it is indispensable for Chinese KOLs to take photos to record impressive dining experiences. And they will caption it “attendance (打卡) in an internet-famous restaurant”. If they find any adorable products and brands, they will also share them on social media. For example, Marseille soap, Le Petit Marseillais and Compagnie de Provence is harvesting more Chinese consumers through KOLs’ recommendations.

Marseille’s cultural output towards China

China has one million Olympique of Marseille fans

If you ask a Chinese football fan about their impression of Marseille, the answer will definitely be this city’s team, the Olympique of Marseille. Through leveraging China’s social media, this football club has attracted nearly a million followers on Weibo.

Besides, Marseille’s legendary player, Zidane also opened his personal account on Weibo in November 2018 and has more than 212,000 followers. Beyond its digital strategy in China, the Olympique of Marseille is also active in offline promotions. In 2018, it created a fan club in Shanghai. The president of the club Jacques Henri Eyraud attended the ceremony and said: “The establishment of this Shanghai fan club is the first step of entering the Chinese market, and we hope to have more comprehensive and in-depth cooperation with Chinese fans in the future.”

Source: Weibo, Chinese poster of the Olympique of Marseille

Marseille films rank highly in China, which in turn, puts the city in the map in modern Chinese literature

Marseille’s cultural output towards China goes far beyond sports. Marseille’s films, music and literature are also influential to Chinese, partly thanks to French filmmaker Luc Besson favoring Marseille as a location for film shooting. The symptoms of this city’s intense renovations in the 1990s were indicated in the action film series Taxi, which were highly appreciated by Chinese audiences. Douban, China’s authoritative film rating site, gave the Taxi series a 7.8 / 10 rating, same as the contemporaneous French film Jeux d’enfants (2003). In literature, French writer Alexandre Dumas’s magnum opuses, like the Count of Monte Cristo, the Three Musketeers and the Man in the Iron Mask, inspired many Chinese readers and draw them to visit Marseille. Additionally, there are also many depictions in Chinese novels about this city. For example, Chinese popular scientific fiction the Three Body Problem mentioned Marseille as a large-scale science research base.

Source: Douban, Chinese poster of Taxi 5

Chinese tourism in Marseille

Chinese tourists’ top destinations in Marseille

Ctrip lists the top three attractions of Marseille for Chinese tourists by three categories: popular landscapes, must-see museums and historical discovery. Known as the most beautiful canyon in Europe, Verdon Gorge is considered by Chinese visitors the most beautiful local place. Boating on the Sainte-Croix lake is a must-play activity for them. Another popular destination for the Chinese is the Château d’If. In center city, Chinese tourists like to take pictures in the old port and soak up the atmosphere of its fish market. Besides, the Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde basilica, the Panier district and numerous museums are preferred by Chinese tourists as for picturesque facades and historical value.

Source: Ctrip, ranking of landscapes and tourist sites in Marseille

Chinese tourists’ eating, living and shopping in Marseille

Restaurants serving local food, like Panisse, Madeleines and Moules Marinière, are popular with Chinese customers. O’Bidul, a seafood restaurant with authentic recipes and heart-warming service, is appraised by Ctrip as the most popular restaurant.

China’s wealth inflation allowed Chinese tourists to splurge on luxury hotels in Marseille. The hottest hotel in Marseille for Chinese tourists is InterContinental Marseille Hotel-Dieu, of which the cheapest room charges at least 30,000¥ for one night. In addition, Chinese tourists increasingly adopt Airbnb is as a cost-effective accommodation.

In terms of shopping, there are many super malls like Galerie Lafayette, Les Terrasses Du Port and Centre Commercial Bourse, which can satisfy Chinese customers’ various fashion demands. Also, many Chinese tourist make bulk purchases at local pharmacies and boutiques.

Source: Ctrip, ranking of hotels, restaurants and shopping malls in Marseille

Chinese interest in Provence, France was sparked by a soap opera

Lured by clusters of mauve flowers, Chinese tourists are conquering Provence in the form of sightseeing. Every July and August, groups of buses carrying thousands of Chinese visitors crowds the country lanes. Many French medias has reported Chinese people’s obsession with Provence, and are surprised they don’t go to Paris, but yearn for this remote landscape.

In fact, this Chinese craze stemmed from the Chinese drama shot in Provence, Dreams Link (一帘幽梦), which was on screen between 2007 and 2008. The lavender and sunflower fields, the French castles and the pure sky had root in the memory of the Chinese the frame of a France more romantic than ever.

Source: Xiaohongshu & Weibo, Chinese tourists are conquering this purple land

There is no doubt that the Chinese boosted local economic development. They are bigger spenders than other foreign tourists. In Provence, the average daily expenditure, excluding hotels and meals, of the French is about 60 euros, for Americans it is 97 euros, however, for Chinese it is an amazing 170 to 300 euros. Hence, local tourism beneficiaries adopted various strategies to cater for Chinese tourists, like making everything in lavender purple, adding Chinese instructions in billboards, and promoting special souvenirs. Additionally, Provence has become the Garden of Eden for Chinese couples. In recent years, the trend of holding wedding or spending honeymoon in Provence is soaring for Chinese people. Because the Chinese translation of Provence includes the character Wàng (旺) which means ‘prosperity’.

What you should know about Chinese tourism in Marseille

Along with the boom in traveling abroad, China’s tourism is undergoing a consumption renewal towards niche destinations and customized tourism. Under this circumstance, knowing how to effectively reach these increasingly sophisticated travelers is a strategic advantage for Chinese tourism stakeholders. Digital marketing is an effective channel, and there are so many platforms to choose from. In combination with a KOL marketing strategy, niche and lesser-known destinations can put themselves on the radar for Chinese travelers. As demonstrated by the success of the Olympique of Marseille, Weibo is useful to accumulate consumer awareness in China.

Additionally, Xiaohongshu can also be leveraged to promote destinations including stores, restaurants, and hotels. WeChat is also not to be overlooked, not only running a WeChat account for promotion, but also local vendors can set up WeChat pay for Chinese tourists in Marseille.

Source: Zhihu, digital tourism marketing channels in China

The economic links between Marseille and China

Beyond its tourists, China’s businesses are flocking to Marseille.

Marseille’s economy is surging under the cooperation with Chinese companies. Many international groups having long traditions of working in China such as Airbus Helicopters and CMA CGM shipping. Chinese magnates such as Weichai Power, PetroChina, Watchdata Technologies and Tinno Mobile have all invested in Provence. In March 2019, Marseille-Fos gained a 105 million euros investment from Quechen Silicon Chemical to build its European silica factory. This expensive contract is one of the largest Chinese greenfield investments in France.

Now, many Marseille-China direct sea and air routes are planned.

Along with Marseille’s transportation connections being expanded, more investments from China will be boosted. “With its unique geographical location and abundant resources, Marseille can play an active role.” Fei Zhaohui, president of the Paris branch of China’s Export-Import Bank, said at the 2018 Belt and Road conference in Marseille. In the future, Marseille-China trade will advance as Marseille can act as a bridge between China, south Europe and North Africa.

The popular industries, brands and companies of Marseille in China

Competitive advantages of brands and products from Marseille in China’s market

Skin care products

Soap produced in Marseille is a well-known traditional craft for Chinese. It boasts a high reputation in China by means of its beauty benefits and scents of olive oil or lavender. Now, Marseille soap is more than a must-buy cosmetic for Chinese tourists, as it is a symbol of the city.

Le Petit Marseillais and Compagnie de Provence, niche skin care brands in China, are extensively shared by Chinese beauty bloggers on social media. These two brands’ shower gels have attracted many loyal Chinese customers because of their various and innovative fragrances. Many second-time purchasing customers commented that they love their attractive aroma. However, without accessing China’s market, the main purchasing channel of these two brands for Chinese customers is through Daigou or Haitao.

Source: L’Occitane, L’Occitane’s KOLs strategy in China.

If Marseille’s skin care products are the crown, L’Occitane is definitely the pearl on top. Now, China has become L’Occitane’s third biggest market in the world with 197 million euros sales revenue in fiscal year 2020, behind America and Japan. Its success is attributed to its digital and KOL marketing strategies in China. Vigorously participating in China’s various e-commerce promotions, L’Occitane focuses more on online selling. In Chinese ‘6.18’ online shopping carnival, relying on its high customer reputation and imported brand property, L’Occitane’s turnover increased by 170% compared to 2019. Meanwhile, it leverages Chinese celebrity influence to acquire more customers. Among 100 comments of its popular hand cream, 54 purchasers spoke bluntly that Zhu Yilong, the brand ambassador of L’Occitane, was their buying stimulus. This Chinese male star has acted in several popular Chinese TV series and films, and he has 25 million fans on Weibo.

Data source: Digitaling, L’Occitane’s relative comments and activity on China’s social media.

Alcohol        

Chinese wine drinking habits are changing at a quick pace. However, China’s national wine production has plummeted, and the demand of imported wine has soared. Under this circumstance, the unique geographical advantage makes wines from Provence highly appreciated by Chinese consumers. From January to June 2019, France is China’s second largest wine exporter with 351 million dollars total annual in exports.

Hence, as one of France’s prominent wine production zones, Marseille has great potential in China’s wine market. French wines & spirits giant Pernod Ricard is penetrating China’s alcohol market. China accounts for 9% of Pernod Ricard’s net sales, becoming its third largest market in the world. Additionally, its turnover in China increased 21% in fiscal year 2019, while Chinese baijiu and whisky showed robust momentum. Additionally, targeting China’s strongly evolving spirits market, this alcoholic drink tycoon has accelerated its layout in China. Pernod Ricard’s whisky distillery in Sichuan, as China’s first spirits factory with foreign investments, started the construction in 2019, and the production is scheduled to start in 2021.

Source: Pernod Ricard, Pernod Ricard’s business in China

Logistics

CMA CGM China (达飞轮船), a subsidiary of Marseille’s CMA CGM Group, has served 28 years in China. With 51 offices nearly covering all major port cities across China, CMA CGM China has evolved into an industrial leader. It implements “Customer Centricity” strategy to provide high-quality, customized and cost-effective shipping solutions for Chinese customers. Beyond an industrial giant, CMA CGM China is committed to environment protection and marine biodiversity preservation by reducing carbon discharge. Besides, in order to facilitate customer serving process, CMA CGM China has opened its official account on WeChat, which allows customers to discover more about them and submit LOI documents remotely.

Source: CMA CGM, key figures of CMA CGM China

During the COVID-19 outbreak, CMA CGM Group proved its resilience and team’s expertise. Due to Chinese government’s strict measures to restrain the epidemic, CMA CGM China’s business suffered an obvious decline. Shanghai Yangshan Port, China’s busiest port, saw a 17% plunge in cargo volume under the impact of COVID-19. However, CMA CGM effectively controlled its cost and limited the volume shrinkage at optimistic 4.6%. Moreover, its operating margin surprisingly increased to 13.5% and realized positive net result of USD 48 million in the first quarter of 2020. Besides, CMA CGM Group has donated 50,000 FFP2 (EU N95 standard) masks to China to help Chinese government in controlling the pandemic, which reflecting its close bond with China and a great sense of social responsibility.

Source: CMA CGM, CMA CGM Macro Polo’s call in Chiwan (China)

Future prospects for Marseille and China

Marseille is the fastest growing interconnection hub in Europe, and it is striding towards a metropolis leading the world having close contacting with China. Yet Marseille has showed its significance in the diplomacy, and it will be strengthened with Belt and Road policy’s further implementation. As for tourism, Marseille is one of Chinese tourists’ top destinations, aiding local economic advancement. Meanwhile, relying on its geographic advantages and abundant resources, this port city will be more attractive as a goldmine for Chinese companies to invest there. Contrary, although the organization and HR of Marseille’s famous brands and companies in China were impacted by the epidemic, they will certainly be more competitive in China’s market following the country’s economic recovery. If you want to know more information about China’s market, please send e-mail to dx@daxueconsulting.com

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Atout France Actively Promotes French Tourism on Chinese Digital Platforms

The Weibo official account of Atout France has attracted 1.6 million followers with 6,125 posts in total and an active posting frequency of 1-3 posts per day. It has been sharing a wide range of topics about France, including views, food, history, travelling tips, exhibitions and events information, to interact with Chinese audience and promote Chinese tourism in France.

The top 5 hottest posts are all related to the new Paris tourism ambassador, including the endorsement of a C-pop boy group. This shows celebrity endorsement and KOL marketing can effectively boost awareness in the tourism industry, especially among young travelers like  Generation-Z.

The Atout France official Weibo account has a high engagement of its follower. They posted interactive dialogue, “Do you know the story behind Le Moulin Rouge?”, voting on “What’s your favorite sea food in Plateau de fruits de mer” and offered incentives through a lucky draw to encourage followers to comment and repost, thus enhancing follower engagement.

Baidu Analysis of Chinese Tourism in France through Chinese perception of French cities

Marseille

Marseille is a relatively popular travel destination for Chinese people. Chinese travelers show interest in its natural views and outdoor activities, and they relate it to a lot of famous French literature, such as The Count of Monte Cristo. Marseille is also well-known for its football club, Olympique de Marseille.

To distinguish the search result of Marseille and a Chinese actress who share the same Chinese name, we use “法国马赛” (France Marseille) as the search word in Baidu index. It is mostly related to other popular travel destinations in France such as Paris and Lyon. People usually go to multiple cities when they travel to France and they like to compare and contrast Marseille with other famous cities or do research about how to travel from other cities to Marseille beforehand.

Lyon

Lyon is also a well-known French city among Chinese people. Information about universities in Lyon such as their rankings, applications and courses takes up most of the top search results. As a travel destination, Lyon’s art, food and architecture are most attractive for Chinese people. Chinese people are developing a stronger interest in football, hence they are also interested in its football club, Olympique Lyonnais.

Nice

Nice gains high search volume on Baidu platform. It is another popular travel destination which is usually connected with sunshine and beach. The football club, OGC Nice, is also shown in the search result. The peak in the search index appeared when the Nice truck attack of 2016.

The relative keywords are also mostly other travel destinations such as Monaco and Lyon. Since Monaco and Lyon are close to Nice, Chinese travelers usually visit them together.

Bordeaux

Bordeaux has the highest number of search results on Baidu platform which are mostly related to wine. More and more Chinese tourists in France and Europe are visiting wine vineyards. In addition to Bordeaux wine, the travel guide and football club are also highly-ranked in the search results. The daily search index has been stable with some minor ups and downs in the last 4 years.

The top 3 relative keywords are Gavotte Wine, the wine producer, Cabernet Sauvignon, the one of the most recognized red wine grape varieties, and Bordeaux Mixture which are used as a fungicide in vineyards. 

Strasbourg

Strasbourg is a relatively unknown city among Chinese with limited search result. It is known as an important port city in France especially for people working in international trading industry. It is also a travel destination chosen by some niche Chinese travelers, who are usually interested in its French and German mixed culture, Christmas fair and European Parliament. The RC Strasbourg Alsace football club also contributed to Chinese people’s awareness of this city.

Nantes

Chinese people are less aware of Nantes, which can be shown in the small search volume. Its best known for the University of Nantes and the FC Nantes football club also caught Chinese people’s attention. Travelers who choose to visit Nantes are usually attracted by its history and quietness.

Versailles

Versailles is known by Chinese people not only as a city in France but also as a French historical fiction TV series set during the construction of the Palace of Versailles during the region of Louis XIV. The TV series has gained large popularity in China which has accounted for the main search volume and Chinese audience are attracted by its historical stories, magnificent views, fine clothing and accessories. For traveling, Chinese people are mostly only aware of the Palace of Versailles and frequently searched for the travel information such as transportation from Paris and tickets.

When people search Versailles on Baidu, the relative keywords have high correlation with its history including the Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV and the Treaty of Versailles.

What you should know about Chinese tourism in France

Along with much of Chinese consumption, Chinese tourism in France is also experiencing a consumption upgrade, with more focus on experience, niche destinations, and customized tourism. How can a tourism board effectively reach these increasingly sophisticated travelers? Digital marketing is an effective channel, but there are so many platforms to choose from. In combination with a KOL marketing strategy, niche and lesser-known cities in France can put themselves on the radar for Chinese travelers. As demonstrated by the success of Atout France’s digital strategy, Weibo is one platform that can be used. However, Xiaohongshu can also be used to promote destinations including stores, restaurants, and hotels. WeChat is also not to be overlooked, not only running a WeChat account for promotion, but also local vendors can set up WeChat pay for Chinese tourists in France.

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The difference of search volume between the time the French president Macron visiting China in January 2018 and the protest beginning from November 2018 to date

This Baidu Index (百度指数, an index that reflects the total number of searches on China’s leading search engine Baidu based on keywords) evolution graph shows the evolution of the search volume concerning the French riots from November 2018, illustrating the search for France, France’s riots and Macron reaching their individual peaks on Dec.5. Compared with Macron visiting China from January 8th to 10th, however, the search for Macron at that time has more than twice volume as it for the French riots. Still, it is worth noticing that for the unrest in the country, France as a keyword gains far more attention-beyond four times than Macron in terms of the search index. In this case, Baidu Index trend line reflects the downturn of the popularity of Macron for Chinese netizens even though the revolution happening in Paris closely related with the France president.

Search behaviors for France and Macron from 19^th to 25^th November 2018

Concerning the Baidu Index’s related keyword analysis, a large part of words associated with French riots is not closely correlated to this event itself.

Graph of “France” and related keywords from 19 to 25 November 2018

In the first circle, strongly related words are “England”, “Germany”, “Fashion”, “American”. No associated words with France’s riots, yet it is important to notify that fashion is always the thing Chinese interested in France.Graph of “France” and related keywords from 19 to 25 November 2018.

Graph of “Macron” and related keywords from 19 to 25 November 2018

The focus on Macron online is still surrounding his visit to China, his wife, his UN speech, his neighbor’s leader-Merkel. It seems that Chinese netizens did not relate the riots to Macron.

WeChat Index (微信指数)

The WeChat Index reflects the search trend on WeChat-mostly used social media in China

Keywords “Yellow vest” and “French riots” reached peaks individually on December 3rd and December 5th respectively, which means “Yellow vest” firstly becoming a hottest topic to describe this event and then “French riots” coming next perhaps due to the conflict escalation more and more Chinese news media putting attention on it.

Weibo(微博)

Numbers of articles concerning French riots in Weibo within a half month

As for discussion in the form of articles on Weibo from November 17th to December 11th, 2018, Macron got the most attention in terms of quantities. 176 articles include “Macron” in the titles of articles, compared with less than half of them regarding “yellow vest” and further less for “French riots”.

Based on the analysis, main search engines in China reflect relatively large amounts of search than ordinary times, but far below the period of time when Macron visited China in January 2018. Realistically, Chinese do not attach much importance to the events happening away from their home, moreover, the effects of such events are unclear to them.

Images are shown on the Baidu Image by searching the keyword “French riots”

In the first page of search results, street pictures about riots in France show chaos and smog in this violent event, that is how Chinese internet presents such events.

These two pictures can be seen in many China’s popular press releases, aiming to illustrate how violent and furious this time the French rebellion is.

How does the Chinese government respond to the riots in France?

Two consecutive warnings published on the website of the Chinese embassy in France, November 30 and December 7 respectively; constantly focus on the situation going on in Paris. It gives the recommendation that people in Paris should be careful of any incidents around the violent area because of the “Yellow Vest” protest. The French police number and the embassy number are provided in case any help is needed.

Reports and comments from public accounts on WeChat

The article titled as “The most significant turmoil in the last 50 years: Musée du Louvre and Arc de Triomphe morphed into battleground full of smoke and blaze”. The reading volume of this article is over 50k. It analyzes the trigger and motivation of the demonstration, concluding that increase of the fuel price is only the cause, whereas the root cause is constant economic recession which leads to consumption capacity of French low-income group decreases along with life burden driving up.

One key opinion leader-Shuipi (水皮, a famous analyst in China, 6 million followers on Weibo) on WeChat also comments on the violent protests.

“Macron himself should be very clear that the reason for the violent protests is because the combined effect exerted by both global situation and domestic situation of France. The vanity of Macron’s government, due to Paris’s Agreement, forces the use of new energy as well as raises fuel taxes, and in the conditions of a sharp decrease of the gasoline price globally, the price in France increases rather than decreases as other countries. In addition to fuel taxes, the French government makes a deduction on taxes as Trump does in America, leading to pouring oil on the fire, further contradictions between upper and working class.”

 The hottest 3 comments on this article express different opinions, the first one of which says: “We hope related countries should protect people from hurt and in the meantime, listening to people’s voice, avoiding the situation getting worsened”. The second one says: “European countries sometimes are gentlemen but sometimes are beasts”. The third one is being sarcastic.

As for scanning through discussions on WeChat, the analysis of the riots in France is relative deep inside the event. Even though sarcastic comments exist which is common for people talking about politics, Chinese netizens on WeChat more ration-inclined.

What do Chinese say in special-topic pages on various news apps?

This comment argues that the price of diesel has increased by 16% in 2018 and raising taxes as the government planned in 2019 propels the strikes further to violent protests. Also, it emphasizes the analysis of the details of occupations and living conditions of most protestors.

This account comments that this social turmoil is the critical moment for President Macron. Also, it argues that the pause of taxing is apparently not enough to tackle this situation.

This comment says: “Everyone wants to increase income, which is impossible since raising salary would cause inflation. It is a vicious circle leading to the protest as a result.

News apps are gaining much more attention in recent years in that people are more mobile-focused and get used to obtain information through them. Several news apps with significant traffic among others have “French riots”-special topic, a particular area for discussion since the beginning of the Yellow Vests movement. Some accounts focus on the facts of the protest, some criticize the western political system, some think for Macron to silence the protestors, some blame protestors for the violent actions, all of them from different perspectives, contributing to a comprehensive picture.

How do Chinese travel agencies react to the riots in France?

Mafengwo (马蜂窝)

Mafengwo 马蜂窝 – a Chinese travel platform providing various services for tourists – gave a warning on this event on December 8 when “Yellow vest” would hold another demonstration in Paris.

The warning says: “It seems like the unrest continuing to last for the following weekend. Mafengwo has the responsibility to warn people living or having a trip to France to be rational and not to hang out in the area of protests, to be careful as much as possible.”

Also, it exhibits the intense area in Paris right now and adds the comment that the eastern side of Paris is quite peaceful.

Ctrip (携程)

Ctrip comments: “Guiders in Paris have been told to enforce safety during trips and to adjust schedules according to the situation and projected risks if it’s necessary.”

Chinese travel agencies seem don’t put much attention on this, perhaps because the strikes in France is common in their points of view, or according to their message from European branches, the violent extent is under their alert line.

People actually living in Paris see what is happening there

 A freelance journalist living in Paris made an onsite interview directly with protesters on the street on December 8.

After spending a whole day on the Champs Elysees avenue, she argued that the protest was not as chaotic as most media reported, instead, the demonstration on that day is relatively ordered yet powerful one. The police did some necessary actions to keep protesters in Paris from intruding into deeper corners but not too much violence confrontation happened during the day. From her observation, both groups are relatively rational, and the situation is not beyond control.

This video on Weibo made by a Chinese person on December 11

She says: “I have been living in Paris for many years since I was a student. The protest in Paris is legal and common, but the intense extend like this may be the most violent one since I came here.” Also, she gave her warning to students in Paris not to attend such rise ups.

Given Chinese students overseas likely watching videos on YouTube very often, there is actually an over 10k-watched video on this platform made by a Chinese girl and her French boyfriend (only 187 followers actually, but this video gains popularity).

In this video, the couple analyzes the event from their own experiences and compares it with previous ones. They even dug into the group psychological level and anticipated the situation would rage on in the following weeks.

A big picture of riots in France

France has gained the attention of Chinese media as well as Chinese netizens due to French riots, however, far less than the starting of the year when Macron’s official visit to China. From research on the reports and comments from Weibo, WeChat, news apps, online travel platforms and videos concerning this event, Chinese who live in China emphasize on a broader analysis rather than practical aspects, whereas Chinese who live in France pay much attention to the safety of daily life, travel, and the impacts of the riots. To be specific, people living in Paris don’t believe that the real situation of demonstration is as intense and violent as reported by Chinese online media.

Author: Will Qian

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