The number of Chinese learners is expected to surpass 10m by 2020
A new global market study has shown higher growth rates than expected for Chinese language learners. The founders of Hutong School, Mr. Jeremie Rossignol and Mr. Jan Wostyn, announced the results of the study which showed substantial growth in the number of learners both within China and globally.
As numbers of Chinese students continue to grow around the world, the global market study estimates that numbers of learners worldwide could surpass 10 million sooner than expected. Rising demand is driven by the language learning travel segment, as Chinese becomes more prevalent among K12 students around the world and thereby joins English, French and Spanish as common second or third languages.
The new growth markets are in South East Asia and Europe where Chinese business people and tourists have become a common sight bringing with them the Chinese language. More established markets, such as Japan and South Korea where more than 2 million people are already learning Chinese, are expected to remain stable in size over the next decade. In total, the market for learning Chinese is concentrated outside of China with currently 90% of learners being in other countries. 78% is predominantly focused in Asia, but Western Europe and North America is expected to reach 27% by 2020.
While business and inbound tourism will remain key reasons to learn Chinese, more and more people are also starting to consider China as a tourist destination. The variety of offers attracts growing numbers of tourists each year, who in turn have inspired more people to consider China as a potential location for their own business or career. Mr. Jeremie Rossignol observes that more people than before are searching for internship and career opportunities in China’s largest cities compared to a few years ago and expect this trend to follow closely as China’s economy and global position continue to rise.
Mr. Jeremie Rossignol expects the ongoing growth in the market to attract a wider variety of learning options. With many new technologies already available, the next phase will see a trend towards more sophisticated and customizable options that suit the increasing diversity of learners.
About Hutong School
Hutong School was founded in 2005 to meet the growing demand of students, graduates and young professionals from all over the world eager to discover China. As an officially accredited language school, Hutong School creates new opportunities in China through its Internship Program and Intensive Chinese Programs, as well as being an entry-level job placement service. Hutong School is the leading company in its sector, offering all-inclusive programs in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Hangzhou, as well as introductory Chinese courses in many western capital cities.
