It's Getting Crowded Out There! How China Will Affect Your travels...

Clients just back from a first trip to Europe are astonished by the enormous crowds and lines. Old CW (conventional wisdom) was, just go during the off-season.  New CW: what off-season?!  China has between 70 - 300 million middle-class consumers and an estimated 100 million of them have enough money to travel internationally.  Holy Moly!  China is even bankrolling resorts in places such as the Bahamas and scheduling new flights to places such as Hawaii.  The cruise lines are planning for a huge expansion in the Asian trade.  Sorry folks, the marquee attractions are being overrun by the newly-affluent travelers from the emerging world.  Of course, they have every right to travel as much as we do.  But for those of us who don't like crowds, how to cope?  I have some ideas:

• Don't go to major destinations such as Paris and London during the summer.  Go on the edge of shoulder season (November-April).
• Buy private tours of places such as the Vatican, Hermitage etc.  It costs more, but you won't be standing in line for two hours and then sharing the experience with the multitudes.
• Try smaller towns and rural areas.  For many travelers, these have the authentic culture and flavor they are looking for vs. the tourist hoards.  This is one reason river cruising is so popular.  We can also help you with a custom itinerary focusing on off-the-beaten path gems such as Melk, Germany and Cesky Krumlov,  Czech Republic. 
• Stay in smaller boutique hotels and resorts. 
• Book small cruise ships that visit the places big ships can't go.

What do you think about this trend???