Travel search volume for Singapore and Malaysia have seen massive spikes in recent weeks, which Expedia said was the “knock-on effect” of recently released Hollywood film Crazy Rich Asians.
Singapore tourism has hit jackpot with this blockbuster movie, which has already sparked a boost in tourism promotions and new tours to sell the island-state.
When comparing the search volume for travel to Singapore across Brand Expedia sites in the two weeks before and after the movie was released, Brand Expedia’s Malaysia site (Expedia.com.my) saw the biggest increase, with search volume doubling over the comparison period. Brand Expedia’s Hong Kong site (Expedia.com.hk) also saw an increase of more than 90%, while its Taiwan (Expedia.com.tw) and US (Expedia.com) sites saw increases of nearly 50% over the same period.
When comparing the search volume for travel to Malaysia across Brand Expedia sites in the two weeks before and after the movie was released, Brand Expedia’s Hong Kong site (Expedia.com.hk) saw the biggest increase, with search volume increasing by almost 85% over the comparison period. Brand Expedia’s Singapore site (Expedia.com.sg) also saw a nearly 75% increase, while its Taiwan (Expedia.com.tw) and US (Expedia.com) sites saw increases of almost 45% and over 40% respectively over the same period.
“There are a few things in life that are certain to inspire you to travel, no matter who you are, and a good movie is most definitely one of them. Crazy Rich Asians has been an amazing hit for Singapore and Malaysia, both on the awareness and tourism standpoint,” Lavinia Rajaram, regional head of communications, Brand Expedia in Asia, said in a statement.
