Mauritius and Seychelles high on Chinese travellers’ holiday lists

CONSTANCE Hotels and Resorts in 1H2015 has recorded double-digit growth from the Chinese outbound market to its properties in Mauritius and the Seychelles, driven by good air accessibility and visa-free access for Chinese travellers.

The business forecast for its two properties in Mauritius and the Seychelles remains rosy for 2016, said Tsang, especially as Britain’s Prince William and Princess Catherine had spent their honeymoon in the Seychelles in 2011, raking up great interest from the Chinese market to visit the destination.

On the other hand, its two properties in the Maldives, Constance Halaveli and Constance Moofushi, saw a single-digit drop in Chinese guests in 1H2015.

Carol Tsang, regional marketing director for Constance Hotels and Resorts Hong Kong Office, explained: “The ‘heat’ to visit the Maldives had cooled since mid-2015 and with the current political instability, I foresee a slowdown of Chinese traffic to the Maldives in 2016.”

As suspended chartered flights from China may not resume once stability returns to the Maldives, Tsang expects the numbers of Chinese guests to drop on a bigger scale compared with the past three years. Marketing focus will hence be placed on attracting repeat travellers and families from China instead of first-timers and honeymooners, she added.

In spring 2015, Constance Hotels and Resorts had established an office in Beijing to market its overseas properties in China, in addition to hosting fam trips for the trade and media as well as active participation in roadshows organised by Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and Seychelles Tourism Board across different Chinese cities.

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