Beyond The Ivory Ban - GlobeScan

Beyond the Ivory BanResearch on Chinese Travelers While AbroadSummary report from GlobeScan IncorporatedOctober 20201

For more information, contact:GlobeScanWander MeijerDirector Asia Pacificwander.meijer@globescan.comWWF OfficeAnny Liangyliang@wwfchina.orgTeam further composed of: Dr. Daniel Bergin, Senior Project Manager Derek Wu, Project Manager Timothy Cheng, Analyst Dr. Eugene Kritski, Vice President, MethodologyProduced by GlobeScanPublished by WWFAny reproduction in full or in part must mention the title and creditthe above-mentioned publishers as the copyright owners. TEXT 2020 WWFAll rights reserved2

IntroductionFrom the 31st of December 2017, Chinabanned the commercial processing andtrade of elephant ivory, which has inevitablyaltered the way in which ivory is purchasedin the region.China’s bordering markets have had theirown legal and illegal ivory trade since longbefore the ban and in some cases, this isdriven by local demand. In other cases, oftenin tourist spots, products are aimed atChinese nationals traveling in the area.As illustrated by GlobeScan and WWF’s2019 report “Demand under the Ban –China Ivory Consumption Research 2019”,some Mainland Chinese nationals intend totravel to other markets for their ivorypurchases since the ban. From informationidentified in this annual tracking surveywhich focused on 16 cities in China withactive ivory markets before the ban cameinto effect, a substantial percentage ofpeople who travel outside Mainland China atleast twice per year were found to have highintentions of persistently purchasing ivory,despite the ban.The ivory ban is widely recognized as a gamechanger for elephant conservation. However,more work must be done to tackle illegalwildlife trade, including urgent action toreduce intention of ivory purchases fromChinese travelers visiting neighboringcountries. Therefore, in-depth research onChinese travelers' ivory consumptionoverseas is urgently needed so that effectivemessaging can be developed to influencethis important group of consumers.3MethodologyIn this survey, we seek to betterunderstand the motivations and potentialinfluencing factors of outbound Chinesenational travelers, specifically about theirpurchases of wildlife parts and productswhile abroad, with a focus on elephantivory and a secondary focus on rhino horn.This research will serve as baseline datafor future initiatives in relation to attitudes,values, motivations, and behaviors of thebuyers, users, and intending consumers ofelephant ivory while traveling, as well asidentifying the hotspots of ivory purchaseand investigating the groups that are mostlikely to purchase ivory while abroad. Thisstudy was focused on travelers to 7 targetdestinations – Cambodia, Hong Kong SAR,Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, orVietnam.Data were collected in both qualitative andquantitative phases. The quantitativephase took place in August 2019. Fourgroups of 8 travelers who had purchasedivory or rhino horn products while travelingoutside of Mainland China wereinterviewed for approximately 2 hours inGuangzhou and Beijing.The quantitative phase took place fromOctober 2019 to January 2020.Respondents who had traveled outside ofMainland China to any of the targetdestinations at least once in the past 24months was directed to a questionnaireabout their travel habits and knowledge of,and interactions with, ivory and rhino hornwhile traveling.

Sample Profile and OverviewQuotas were set on region, age, gender and education. These quotas applied to all surveyparticipants (n 5291), to ensure as accurate a representation as possible of travelers and nontravelers, and travelers to each destination.Demographics (%)Travel and Household Profile (%)GenderAgeMarital owed2331-4024With entire family41-5024With parents( siblings if any)With spouse/family(with children)With spouse/partner(no children)61 154RegionEastNorth EastNorth West43%57%High school or below29Vocational school27741University or above43Monthly Personal Income3951 Middle (RMB 8,000-19,999)8Not answered122813234Employment12676Full-time employmentPart-time employmentNone533High (RMB 20,000 )17Travel Overseas*15South CentralSouth WestMyself30North24Low ( RMB 8,000)21-3051-604EducationHousehold Composition9Socio-economic Status (%)433Freelancer / Business owner7Occasional26Full-time student5Regular25Unemployed / retired7Frequent6Non-travelers (n 2120): respondents whoSurveyed about their perceptions ofivory and rhino horn trade outside ofMainland Chinahave not traveled anywhere outside ofMainland China in the past three years.Surveyed about their travel habits andknowledge of and interactions with ivoryand rhino horn while traveling, and answerquestions about a previous destination:Travelers (n 3011): respondents whohave traveled anywhere outside ofMainland China in the past three years.Assigned Travel DestinationWeighted Sample Size% of Total SampleCambodiaHong Kong SARJapanLaosMyanmarThailandVietnamTotal travelers370457422389375407591301112151413121420* Over the past three years (2017-2019): Occasional is 1 time per year or less; Regular is 2-3 times per year;Frequent is more than 3 times per year

Overall Travel Behavior92%Travel ArrangementsBase: Leisure Travelers (%)of travelers are traveling for leisure(e.g. vacation, festivals, ravel PeriodTravel Research MethodsBase: All Travelers (%)Base: All Travelers (%)Online - travel forums,blogs etc.5915Online - tourcompanies53Lunar New Year15National Day Holidays2236Offline - tour agencyOffline - travel guides,books, etc.Tailored tourSummer VacationAnother public holiday4133Other time40Reasons to TravelBase: All TravelersMost important reasons to travel5Least important reasons to travelI can spend time in natureI can consume wild (exotic) meatI can experience the localcuisineI can shop for ivoryI appear more fun by havingexperiences traveling abroadI can shop for rhino horn

Path to PurchaseTravelers Purchasing Ivory Outside of Mainland China1211%Planned to Buy IvoryPrior to Trip (%)Hong Kong SAR*From people I know59%5LaosMyanmarOnline61%21Local tour guide60%Staff at touristinformation center37%Staff fromaccommodation /Chinese tour guideTour guide company51%9Travelers to WhomVisiting Ivory Shopswas SuggestedBase: All Travelers (%)Who suggested itWhere travelers foundinformation on buying ivory19Thailand*22%Base: All Travelers (%)17Japan*CambodiaTravelers planning to buyIvory before trip430%*Note: Ivory purchase is legal under certain circumstancesin Hong Kong SAR, Japan and Thailand4324%Travelers visiting anIvory ShopBase: All Travelers (%)6.8%Typical Buyer profile Why travelers believe ivory is realPopular items: Pendants, sculptures, necklaces Shop provides authenticating documents (47%) Shop was recommended (26%) Travelers claim to identify products (24%)Average spend: RMB 5,997Travel: Frequent Age: 25-34Income: High(RMB 40K-60K per month)57%of the sellers speak ChineseEstimated Travelersbuying an Ivory ProductBase: All Travelers (%)Gender: FemaleEducation: High(University or above) Atypical buyer profile indicates the demographics that aremore likely to be represented. Travel outside Mainland China four times per year or more.6

Post PurchaseTransporting Ivory back to Mainland ChinaTOP 5 ways the person buying ivory brought it back to Mainland ChinaBase: Total travelers who bought/knows someone bought ivory/rhino horn34%By mail (sent by shop)28%By planeBy mail (by person buying)10%7%By road6%By ferryPerceptions of illegality of buying ivory indestinationsPerceptions of illegality of bringing ivory backBase: All Travelers (%)Base: All Travelers (%)LegalIllegal60Legal172212Illegal18Don’t know70Don’t knowTOP 5 reasons to buy ivoryBase: Total travelers bought/knows someone bought ivory58%For the buyer to keep57%As a gift for a friend / familyAs a gift for a business contactBy request from someone in ChinaTo sell in China711%25%22%As a gift

Destination Snapshot on Purchasing Ivory – CambodiaTypical CambodiaTraveler Profile*(n 370)Age: 45-54 (30%)Education: Low to middle (84%)Gender: Male (60%)Trip arrangement: Independent(53%)Income: Low to middle (RMB20,000 or less per month) (75%)Before PurchaseDid you plan to buy ivory before your trip?Did any of the sellers of ivory speak Chinese?(n 189) (%)5%13No Chinese43Did not interactDid you visit a shop / market that sold ivory?2218%Did anyone suggest visiting a shop thatsold ivory while you were traveling?11%22Some ChineseFluent ChineseWho suggested visiting as shop to you?Staff at touristLocal tour guidesinformationcenter(67%)(41%)After PurchaseThe incidence rate for ivory purchase whiletraveling in Cambodia was estimated at:Is it legal to buy ivory in this destination? (%)3.1%Average spend on ivory(RMB) (n 27) 2,940Illegal72I don't knowOnly small piecesare legal129Legal6How did this person bring these wildlife products back into China?(n 29)By plane (32%)8Mail (sent by person buying) (26%)Mail (sent by shop) (20%)*A typical traveler profile indicates the demographics that are more likely to be represented. Completed vocational school / high school

Destination Snapshot on Purchasing Ivory – Hong Kong SARTypical Hong KongSAR Traveler Profile*(n 457)Age: 25-34 (31%)Education: High (74%)Gender: Female (61%)Trip arrangement: Independent(67%)Income: Middle to high (RMB8,000 or more per month) (79%)Before PurchaseDid you plan to buy ivory before your trip?17%Did you visit a shop / market that sold ivory?32%Who suggested visiting as shop to you?Did anyone suggest visiting a shop thatsold ivory while you were traveling?36%Staff at touristLocal tour guidesinformationcenter(55%)(43%)After PurchaseThe incidence rate for ivory purchase whiletraveling in Hong Kong SAR was estimated at:Is it legal to buy ivory in this destination? (%)11.3%Average spend on ivory(RMB) (n 115) 7,166Illegal43I don't know26Only small piecesare legal24Legal7How did this person bring these wildlife products back into China?(n 123)Mail (sent by shop) (39%)9By plane (26%)By cruise ship / By mail (by person) (6%)*A typical traveler profile indicates the demographics that are more likely to be represented. University or above

Destination Snapshot on Purchasing Ivory – JapanTypical JapanTraveler Profile*(n 422)Age: 25-34 (34%)Education: High (83%)Gender: Female (54%)Trip arrangement: Independent(49%)Income: Middle to high (RMB 8,000or more per month) (87%)Before PurchaseDid you plan to buy ivory before your trip?Did any of the sellers of ivory speak Chinese?(n 250) (%)51819%No ChineseDid not interactDid you visit a shop / market that sold ivory?58Some Chinese36%Did anyone suggest visiting a shop thatsold ivory while you were traveling?36%19Fluent ChineseWho suggested visiting as shop to you?Staff at touristLocal tour guidesinformationcenter(61%)(38%)After PurchaseThe incidence rate for ivory purchase whiletraveling in Japan was estimated at:Is it legal to buy ivory in this destination? (%)Illegal3512.0%Average spend on ivory(RMB) (n 125) 6,598I don't know2628Only small piecesare legalLegal11How did this person bring these wildlife products back into China?(n 134)By plane (35%)10Mail (sent by shop) (32%)Mail (sent by person buying) (10%)*A typical traveler profile indicates the demographics that are more likely to be represented. University or above