Fosun-owned Club Med says Hongkongers heading for ski slopes, bucket-list destinations as travel bookings rebound
- Club Med data shows that people are now spending 23 per cent more and staying 10 per cent longer than they did before the pandemic
- The resort operator, owned by Hong Kong-listed Fosun Tourism, sees an increase in advance bookings, making its 2024 figures ‘promising’ already
Hongkongers are ready to splash out more money on travel, especially to snowy and premium destinations, according to resort chain operator Club Med.
The company, owned by Hong Kong-listed Fosun Tourism, racked up record sales of last-minute travel bookings for September, which signals that tourism in Asia is in a “rebound phase” after the rollback of travel curbs, said Rachael Harding, CEO of East and South Asia and Pacific.
However, mainland China’s outbound market is still lagging behind, she said.
The last-minute nature of recent bookings shows people have lingering concerns about making long-term plans, Harding said. But Club Med also sees booking patterns shifting back to a more traditional profile with more advanced bookings, making the company’s 2024 figures “promising” already, Harding said.
Club Med data shows that Asia-Pacific travellers now spend 23 per cent more and stay 10 per cent longer than they did before the pandemic. Bucket-list destinations have also become popular choices among Club Med customers this year, with luxury beach resorts in Maldives and Bali proving popular in addition to ski destinations.
Hong Kong locals are keen for ‘revenge travel’, and Japan has always been a top-of-mind destination, said Prudence Lai, senior research analyst with Euromonitor International. “A lot of Hong Kong locals have saved up travel budget during the three years of pandemic and are willing to spend more on premium local experiences when travelling abroad this year, for example on food and dining, and experiences such as skiing,” she said.
