ForwardKeys says that 37 pc of travellers plan to stay in their destinations for 6-8 nights, representing a 3 pc increase compared to 2019
Travel data and analytics company ForwardKeys reports that the current outlook for travel on this year’s peak for Golden Week time, which is September 29, has already reached 84 pc of the pre-pandemic level, ahead of a webinar with Dragon Trail International, a travel and MICE industries specialist, on September 21.
In a press statement, ForwardKeys says Hong Kong, the UAE and Macao have already surpassed the travel levels seen in 2019. On the flip side, overall bookings for upcoming Golden Week travel are 58 pc lower than the same period in 2019.
Nancy Dai
“The outlook is not that dire, as Chinese travellers tend to book more last minute,” says Nancy Dai, the China Market Analyst at ForwardKeys.
ForwardKeys says that 37 pc of travellers plan to stay in their destinations for 6-8 nights, representing a 3 pc increase compared to 2019.
“The air ticketing data also show that there has been an increase in bookings made by solo travellers and couples, something for tour operators, hoteliers, and retailers to keep in mind this Golden Week. For young travellers, personalised options that meet their needs are becoming even more popular,” adds Dai.
The statement adds that Dragon Trail International’s Chinese Traveller Sentiment Report offers in-depth, qualitative information for long-haul destinations around the world, to help better understand consumer awareness and motivations.
It says that in terms of travel plans for 2023, South Korea tops the wish list of intended travel destinations for 2023, chosen by 10.4 pc of respondents. This is a particularly positive sign for Korea’s inbound Chinese tourism recovery, now that group travel has been allowed for the first time since 2017.
The report says that Europe remains by far the most coveted region for long-haul tourism, chosen by 34.4 pc of travellers who intend to make an outbound trip still in 2023, with Iceland, emerging as a dark horse destination thanks to trending travel content about Icelandic volcanoes on Chinese social media platforms earlier this year.
“We’ll be sharing destination deep-dives in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Oceania, North America, and Latin America. Interestingly, when we asked travellers what they hoped to see and do in the six world regions, natural scenery and iconic cultural landmarks stood out everywhere. Waterfalls, jungles, grasslands, mountains, canyons, oceans, and deserts top Chinese travellers’ bucket lists around the world,” says Janice Meng from Dragon Trail International.
