HOSPITALITY and leisure distributor GTA has reported a surge in bookings for Singapore for 1H2014, resulting in the city-state overtaking Bangkok as Asia’s most popular destination. This is despite the 2.8 per cent fall in international arrivals to Singapore during that period.
Hotel reservations for Singapore made via GTA’s XML solution by high street and online travel consultants and tour operators around the world grew 35 per cent in room nights in the first half of the year.
Specifically, bookings by Chinese travellers rose 45 per cent even though arrivals from China slowed this year.
Top source markets were Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the UAE and the UK.
A new partnership with Meritus Hotels & Resorts also saw bookings at the Mandarin Orchard soar by 78 per cent. “Our strategic alliance with GTA has led to a 78 per cent increase in the number of room nights booked at the Mandarin Orchard, helping us buck the general trend in Singapore right now,” said Maria Gail Taylor, regional vice president of revenue for Meritus.
GTA’s performance in 1H2014 follows growth in 2013 when Singapore bookings increased 50 per cent. South Korea was the most significant Asian source market for Singapore bookings through GTA, followed by Indonesia.
