BELT-TIGHTENING by corporates and high weekend hotel rates have resulted in Singapore contributing less traffic to Hong Kong and Macau last year.
According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), traffic from Singapore to Hong Kong in 2013 fell 3.9 per cent to 700,065 arrivals, while across all markets overnight business dropped five per cent though total leisure visitor numbers grew two per cent.
The number of Singaporean travellers to Macau last year decreased by eight per cent to 189,751, but the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) said Singapore remained one of its top 10 source markets.
Both NTOs are reaching out to the trade for better visitorship figures.
Simon Wong, regional director, South-east Asia, HKTB, said: “In the pipeline for 2H2014 is a B2B platform called Partnernet, which will be rolled out in South-east Asia to allow local travel consultants to engage directly with trade partners in Hong Kong.”
Along with the Hong Kong Specialists Programme that has yet to be launched, travel consultants can access the latest news on Hong Kong and HKTB’s various statistical reports to keep up-to-date, he added.
Macau is targeting new segments such as seniors and office ladies to improve arrivals, said Charles Leong, general manager, MGTO representative in Singapore.
Grace Tong, marketing manager, MGTO representative in Singapore, added plans were afoot to offer Hong Kong-Macau twinning programmes in the second- or third-quarter of 2014.
