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Asia/Singapore Saturday, 20th December 2025
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Travellers look to make up for lost time in 2023: American Express

By TTG Asia
0

American Express’s latest survey revealed that nearly a third of respondents (30%) have four or more vacations planned this year, in an effort to make up for time lost to the pandemic.

More people are planning to take three to four vacations this year to make up for time lost to the pandemic

According to its 2023 Global Travel Trends Report, travellers are being influenced in their choice of destination by four key trends:

  • The Rise of “Set-Jetting”: popular movies, TV shows and social media are inspiring people to travel to places they see on-screen, like Italy, Paris, and London
  • Delicious Destinations: from top restaurants to local favourites, to cooking classes, people are choosing their next destination based on what they will eat
  • A Wellness Wave: restorative vacations are becoming more popular as travellers prioritise self-care and mental and physical health
  • Travelling Off the Beaten Path: travellers want to discover hidden gems and support the local communities they are visiting

More than half of travellers (52%) from places like the US, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India, and the UK say they plan to take more trips this year than they did in 2022, with another 50% saying they plan to spend more money on travel in 2023.

When asked about their travel priorities, 84% of Gen Z and millennials would rather take a dream vacation than purchase a new luxury item, and 79% agree they prioritise travel when setting their budgets. Nearly one-third (29%) of respondents acknowledge that one of their motivating reasons to travel in 2023 is to make up for lost time.

Hong Kong remains a drawcard
Asia is a “preferred continent” for 24% of global travellers, particularly with Gen Z and millennial travellers. Among respondents who want to travel to Asia, 20% said Hong Kong is on their list for 2023. The city is a popular destination for people travelling solo or with their friends. Bleisure travel, a trend combining a work trip with an extended vacation, still plays an important role for Hong Kong. Surveyed respondents said that Hong Kong remains one of their selected destinations in Asia for travel, alongside Singapore, India, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia.

Walter Liu, head of the Asia region for American Express remarked: “We are seeing travellers prioritising personalised itineraries built around their passions – from planning an entire vacation for a single dinner reservation to getting the perfect video for their social media.”

Pop culture and social media influence
For young travellers, 75% say they have been inspired to travel to a specific destination because of social media. 70% of Gen Z and millennials agree that they have been inspired to visit a destination after seeing it featured in a TV show, news source, or movie, while 46% of the same group say they have been inspired to travel to a destination because of Instagram.

All for the food
Food is also a draw for many respondents – from visiting top restaurants and local favourites, to taking a cooking class, food greatly impacts where people travel. 81% of respondents agree that trying local cuisines is the part of travelling they look forward to the most. For Gen Z and millennials, 66% agree that they get most of their eating-while-travelling inspiration from social media, while another 47% say that they have planned an entire trip around visiting a specific restaurant.

Caring for own well-being
In addition, prioritising self-care is leading to a rise in restorative vacations. 73% of respondents agree that they are planning vacations to better their mental, physical, and emotional health this year. Gen Z and millennials (60%) shared that they go out of their way to book hotels that offer spa and wellness services.

Mingling with the locals
Finally, travellers want to discover hidden gems and support the local communities they visit, with 85% of respondents hoping to visit a place where they can truly experience the local culture, and another 78% interested in going on vacations that support local communities in 2023.

The full American Express Travel 2023 Global Travel Trends Report can be viewed here.

United Airlines expands services to Australia and New Zealand

By TTG Asia
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United Airlines (United) has extended its services to the South Pacific with the first non-stop flight between San Francisco and Christchurch set to commence December 1.

It will be the only carrier to directly connect the US and the South Island of New Zealand.

United Airlines will add a new service between San Francisco and Christchurch from December 1

Currently operating 66 flights between the US and Australia/New Zealand every week, United will increase this to nearly 40 per cent more flights by next northern winter.

The carrier will be adding new direct flights from Los Angeles to Brisbane and Auckland, as well as increase services to the region from its San Francisco hub with daily flights to Brisbane, twice daily flights to Sydney and flying larger aircraft to Melbourne.

In addition, United’s relationships with Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia will enable travellers to make connections from these cities to more than 50 destinations in the region.

Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of global network planning and alliances, United Airlines, said: “Our strong partnerships with Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia provide unparalleled connectivity, and with our historic expansion across five destinations in New Zealand and Australia, United is the clear choice for customers’ travel to the region.”

Starting December 1, United will offer direct flights between the US and New Zealand’s South Island, which will operate three times weekly. Come next winter, it will add four weekly flights from Los Angeles to Auckland as well as offer daily direct flights between Brisbane and San Francisco.

United will also fly twice daily between San Francisco and Sydney, and three times weekly between Los Angeles and Brisbane from November 29.

Meanwhile, the airline will ramp up its services from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Melbourne, increasing from ten to fourteen weekly roundtrip flights.

Switzerland Tourism, Trafalgar to create first fully Swisstainable itinerary

By TTG Asia
0

Switzerland Tourism and Trafalgar have teamed up to develop the first-ever Swisstainable travel itinerary that will support Switzerland’s natural and social resources while achieving Trafalgar’s net zero commitment.

This new three-year partnership aims to introduce a range of Swisstainable products within the Switzerland programme of Trafalgar as well as its sister brands, Costsaver, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold.

Trafalgar will offer an eight-day itinerary that support Switzerland’s natural and social resources; Lucerne in Switzerland, pictured

Trafalgar’s eight-day journey, Contrasts of Switzerland, will take travellers through Zürich, St Moritz, Zermatt, Geneva and Lucerne, and includes Swisstainable accommodations, experiences, meals, a new Make Travel Matter Experience, and greener transportation considerations such as replacing vans with train travel on the Glacier Express and Golden Pass Train Line.

The Make Travel Matter Experience comprises immersive impact experiences that align with the ethos of Swisstainable. For this itinerary, it supports small, women-owned local businesses in Zurich – travellers join a walking tour led by a local guide through old-town Zurich to learn about the medieval history of the city and current topics of social solidarity as well as learn about the ethical production and conscious consumption of chocolate.

Guests will also be introduced to the work done by those at Essen für Alle (Food for All), which distributes food to immigrants and refugees living below the poverty line in Zurich.

The first Swisstainable itinerary from Trafalgar will depart on April 30.

“Travellers today are very mindful about responsible tourism. Our partnership with Switzerland Tourism is a perfect example of how we are working towards net zero by striking a balance between the realities of our environment with the needs of local communities,” said Mae Cheah, managing director, Trafalgar, Asia.

“Switzerland Tourism is proud to turn sustainable philosophies into action thanks to the partnership with The Travel Corporation (TTC). This partnership will further help us to position Switzerland as one of the most sustainable travel destinations in the world,” explained Pascal Prinz, director global accounts & emerging markets, Switzerland Tourism.

Marriott International signs seven new properties with Vinpearl

By TTG Asia
0

Marriott International has signed seven additional hotels and resorts with Vinpearl, making the latter Marriott’s largest owner in Vietnam with 15 hotels and resorts.

The seven hotels, comprising more than 2,500 keys, add to the eight hotels announced last year when Marriott first partnered with Vietnam’s largest hospitality and leisure chain.

The partnership will see three hotel conversions and four new-builds; Renaissance Hoi An Resort & Spa, pictured

Of these, three are conversions that are expected to join the Marriott system later this year – Nha Trang Marriott Resort & Spa, Hon Tre Island, Renaissance Hoi An Resort & Spa, and Danang Marriott Resort & Spa, Non Nuoc Beach Villas.

The rest are new-builds expected to open by 2028, including the brand’s debut in Bac Ninh, Bac Ninh Marriott Hotel, come 2026.

Rajeev Menon, president, Asia Pacific excluding China, Marriott International, said: “With new locations earmarked in important tourism hubs such as Danang and Nha Trang, our anticipated inaugural resort in the popular cultural town of Hoi An, and the anticipated first internationally branded five-star hotel in Bac Ninh, we are well-positioned to meet Vietnam’s diverse hospitality needs in primary, secondary and tertiary destinations.”

“The pioneering values that are shared by our respective organisations fit well together, and the international power and scale of the Marriott brand provides a great platform to drive international awareness to some of our key destinations across Vietnam,” added Vinpearl’s CEO Juergen Doerr.

Japan Rail plans price hike for tourist train pass

By TTG Asia
0

JR Group, a dominant player in Japan’s train service network, is looking to raise the price of its JR Pass, a product aimed at overseas visitors to the country, from this October.

It is not yet determined when the price hike will be implemented.

The price of the tourist JR Pass will increase from October; the Tokaido Shinkansen passing by Mt Fuji, pictured

A standard seven-day ordinary car pass that currently costs 29,650 yen (US$221) will be adjusted to 50,000 yen, while a 14-day pass will increase from 47,250 yen to 80,000 yen. The 21-day pass will increase from 60,450 yen to 100,000 yen.

Green car tickets will also cost more, from 39,600 yen to 70,000 yen for the seven-day pass; from 64,120 yen to 110,000 yen for the 14-day pass; from 83,390 yen to 140,000 yen for the 21-day pass.

TikTok for Business to host travel trade dialogue on branding

By TTG Asia
0

The B2B division of social media platform, TikTok will host TikTok Travel Unboxed 2023 on May 11, bringing together marketing, branding and content leadership from across its company as well as the travel industry to discuss branding best practices.

The hour-long event on Zoom, starting 15.00 SGT, will feature speakers such as Marcus Yong, vice president, global marketing, Klook; Georgina Koh, director, marketing activation, Singapore Tourism Board; and Ng Chew Wee, head of business marketing, APAC, TikTok.

TikTok will host TikTok Travel Unboxed 2023 on May 11

Registration is now open for TikTok Travel Unboxed 2023.

Family Traveller ventures into Asia, partners with Sentosa

By TTG Asia
0

Family Traveller, a platform that provides families with inspiration, practical advice and planning tools for travel, is expanding into Asia with the launch of its new website, Family Traveller Asia, and has chosen Singapore’s Sentosa island as its official launch partner.

The brand’s foray into Asia is also in celebration of its 10th anniversary of establishment in the UK.

Family Traveller is expanding to Asia with the launch of Family Traveller Asia

Andrew Dent, founder and CEO of parent company Akaroa Tech, said: “As we come out of the most challenging of times, we have seen leisure travel, especially family-centric travel, leading this recovery.

“The rules have now changed – families prioritise a more flexible work-life balance while also having the ability to travel more often and for longer. There is a resilience among families that recognise, even in challenging economic times, family holidays are an important pillar of family life.”

Recognised globally as one of the top family destinations in the world, Sentosa as Family Traveller’s official launch partner in Asia will offer travellers a multitude of joint content initiative, including a selection of family activities, events, and hotel stays.

“We expect Asia to be our fastest-growing region globally and look forward to working closely with local and regional travel and tourism partners, amplifying their family offering to our affluent family audience,” commented Dent.

Jazz it up at Koh Samui this summer

By TTG Asia
0

A gathering of some of the world’s finest jazz musicians will descend on the island for the 2023 Samui Summer Jazz Festival, happening from May 2 to 7.

Featuring six nightly concerts, the festival will showcase vocalists like Anna Serierse and Bas Toscani, Lucas Santana and his band, Sven Rozier Quintet, Koh Mr. Saxman and the Takeshi Band, Rolf Delfos, Susanne Alt and young talent, Sebastiaan van Bavel, and more, who will be joined on stage by Thailand’s top jazz musicians.

The 2023 Samui Summer Jazz Festival will feature six nights of concerts by the world’s finest jazz musicians

In addition, festival director Alexander Beets will lead his musicians in a sensational afternoon of jazz with special guest, jazz vocalist Zosja El Rhazi, who infuses soulful, bluesy melodies with her own powerful delivery.

Participants can also indulge at Centara Reserve Koh Samui’s Weekend Sunday Brunch while enjoying jazz entertainment.

Tickets are priced from 1,000 baht (US$29) for ticket entry and a welcome drink, and 2,590 baht for brunch.

For more information, visit Samui Summer Jazz 2023.

Switzerland invites Chinese travellers to stay longer in the destination

By Prudence Lui
0

The three-day-long annual Switzerland Travel Experience (STE) China 2023 held in Hong Kong last week drew 110 buyers and travel agents from Greater China, as well as 30 Swiss partners and suppliers.

Aside from Swiss suppliers conducting 15-minute sessions to introduce their latest products, the programme also included a gala dinner, and farewell dinner with games and teambuilding activities.

Switzerland is hoping to get visitors to stay longer and explore the country’s hidden gems; Lungern in Switzerland, pictured

Each day also focused on different markets. The first day was dedicated to Northern China and business events, the second to the Eastern and Southern China markets, and the last day focused on Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Switzerland Tourism’s CEO, Martin Nydegger, remarked that it was “symbolic” to be back in Hong Kong to reconnect with existing players and create new contacts. This was despite Switzerland Tourism keeping its tourism offices open during the pandemic.

He added that Switzerland is trying to “build a new form of tourism” post-lockdown, and aims to “drive more immersive experiences”, and get visitors to stay longer and explore the country’s hidden gems, beyond just visiting the main highlights.

Nydegger acknowledged that certain issues will also have to be tackled, such as the capacity for air seats, availability of hotels, and available visas for the Chinese market.

He pointed out: “We don’t want a thousand visitors staying for one night in our country. (We would prefer) 100 visitors for 10 nights, as it’ll be less hectic, and visitors will be able to enjoy Switzerland fully. It is also more cost-effective to stay longer in one country, and is better for the environment.”

On the sustainable front, Switzerland’s Swisstainable programme has already certified 1,800 local hotels, restaurants, excursions, railways, and others, into three levels. As such, Nydegger encouraged visitors to Switzerland to opt for train transfers and stay in hotels with the Swisstainable certification label to minimise their travel impact.

Currently, Hong Kong-based Miramar Travel is the only operator to offer a Swisstainable tour, available from now to October 31. The 10-day tour includes experiences like a bike tour in the old town of Bellinzona, health walking and picnic at Bachalpee, and accommodation in accredited environmentally-friendly hotels.

Alex Lee, general manager, Miramar Travel, said: “Based on our estimation, a tour group of 30 travellers generates 300 plastic water bottles (two bottles per hotel room per day) for a 10-night journey.”

To encourage visitors to make sustainable choices, he shared that the agency is offering a HK$200 (US$25.50) cash voucher to guests who bring their own water bottle for the trip, which can be redeemed at the group’s restaurants.

Overall, the Hong Kong market is expected to rebound to 50 or 60 per cent of 2019 levels, with China’s recovery pegged at 40 per cent in 2023 due to visa issues.

Aside from STE, the Switzerland Travel Mart will be happening this September, and the tourism board is planning to invite more than 500 stakeholders from around the world to meet with 500 local providers in Geneva. Buyers from Greater China would be able to return this time.

Interest in travel to Chinese mainland bounces back: TripTrends

By TTG Asia
0

Since Mainland China resumed issuing all types of visas for foreign nationals on March 15, there has been an influx of bookings as travellers seek to rediscover China once again.

Analysis of Trip.com’s data showed that international travellers’ interest in Mainland China has increased significantly in the last few weeks compared to the same period in 2019.

Cities in China are seeing encouraging inbound growth, such as Xiamen, pictured

Looking at the travel period between March 15 and April 14, 2023, international users searching for hotels in Mainland China on Trip.com was up 126% compared to the same period in 2019, and a seven-fold increase on 2022 levels.

Hotel bookings by international travellers also followed the same trend, rising by a third (32%) compared to pre-pandemic levels.

However, bookings to the destination are still recovering at 26% below 2019 levels due to the constrained supply of flights.

Meanwhile, travellers from Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, the UK, the US, Japan and Singapore made the most flight bookings to the country last month, confirming the pent-up demand for travel to the region. Countries like Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and Australia were those making the most flight bookings in 2019, and have since evolved from the pandemic.

While the UK and the US did not feature in the top list for flight bookings to Mainland China before the pandemic, the last month has shown significant growth for inbound travel to the region from these two countries.

Data shows that Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou remain the most popular flight destinations, while the cities of Xiamen, the south-east beach city, and Chengdu, home of the Giant Panda, have also seen encouraging inbound growth as the industry continues to see growth in the premium leisure sector.

During the pandemic, travellers turned to last-minute bookings due to ever-changing travel restrictions, however, the latest data shows this has now reverted beyond pre-pandemic levels.

Back in 2019, Trip.com users booked their hotel stays around four days in advance of their stay. In 2023, customers are gaining confidence in the market with last month’s data revealing that the booking window has increased to six days.

The same trend can be seen for those booking air travel, with Trip.com travellers now booking flights 15 days in advance, up from 14 days pre-pandemic.

These encouraging figures are echoed across the Asia-Pacific region, with bookings to Japan and South Korea also recording strong year-on-year growth.

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TTG Asia TTGmice TTG India TTGssociations TTG Asia Luxury
TTG Asia | Cross Hotels to develop Bali Uluwatu Resort
TTG Asia | Hilton teams up with Explora Journeys to expand loyalty programme to luxury ocean voyages
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