China's super-rich love visiting Australia and France, they wear Cartier watches, use Nokia mobile phones, prefer HSBC for offshore banking services ... and spend little time with their families.
That is according to a survey, published yesterday by the Hurun Report, based on data from 589 mainland Chinese with personal wealth of at least 10 million yuan, including 177 with more than 100 million.
Asked for their favourite hobby, 28 per cent said travel, 22 per cent swimming and 12 per cent golf, while spending time with their wives and children ranked ninth, after tennis, fishing and fine wine.
The most popular destinations were Australia, France and Hawaii, followed by the US, Italy, Britain, Canada, the Maldives and Japan. Their favourite European airline was Lufthansa, with Air China No1 at home and Singapore Airlines the top in Asia.
'New-found wealth and mobility means that travel - and in particular international travel - is now high on the agenda for China's elite,' said Rupert Hoogewerf, chief executive of the Hurun Report. 'As China's entrepreneurs increasingly go abroad on business, they are learning more about luxury travel and the tastes of their overseas counterparts and want the same experiences for themselves.'
Of the domestic destinations, Hong Kong ranked third, after Sanya and Yunnan and ahead of Hangzhou and Beijing.
