A new study by information company TNS suggests that destinations including Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia look set to gain from the fallout of Hong Kong’s recent scandals involving the sale of…
A new study by information company TNS suggests that destinations including Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia look set to gain from the fallout of Hong Kong’s recent scandals involving the sale of counterfeit goods to mainland Chinese travellers. Tourism industry organisations and travel companies in Hong Kong fear the scandals will result in a drop of up to 30% in the numbers of group tourist arrivals to the territory.
The study, which probed the travel preferences of mainland Chinese holidaymakers from across the country, found that while Hong Kong was named by 74% as the most likely destination for travel over the coming 12 months, substantial numbers are set to venture further afield.
FAVOURED DESTINATIONS
Q1i. Where do you plan to travel for leisure in the next 12 months?*
According to almost half (49%) of those polled, sightseeing is the primary motivation for leisure travel, notably amongst those aged over 35 (56%). Relaxation was the next most favoured reason for taking a break (39%). Beyond these primary motivators, shopping is mentioned as the most popular activity (68%) amongst those taking a leisure trip. This contradicts the reputation of mainland Chinese as being driven to make overseas trips solely for the purpose of shopping, hence destinations looking to increase their share of this lucrative market would be wise not to position themselves simply as ‘shopping paradises’.
REASONS FOR TRAVEL
What would you say is your most key motivation for undertaking the trip?
What other activities do you plan to do in the trip?*
Yet whilst South East Asian destinations remain the most popular choice for China’s growing number of travellers, it is France that represents the ‘money no object’ dream destination for most. This response is likely to reflect strong interest in buying designer brands such as Dior, Louis Vuitton and Chanel which were among the top six named brands they would look to purchase on their next trip.
MOST ASPIRED TO DESTINATION
If you could go anywhere in the world, regardless of cost, where would you go?*
TNS Project Director Neel Banerjee said, “Destinations in Asia might be the most popular with mainland Chinese travellers right now but clearly there is a strong desire for longer haul travel. Competition between destinations is only going to get stiffer as this much sought after outbound market becomes better informed and as the choice of overseas destinations they are permitted to travel to increases.”
“For the travel industry to create the right product to seduce Chinese travellers, it needs to recognise that far from being one homogeneous market there are, as the study revealed, quite distinct differences in motivations between different ages and different regions.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
