Chinese New Year is nearly here and it looks like there’s nothing stopping Singaporean travellers from heading overseas. Genting Highlands, Jakarta and London are the highest destinations this 12 months.
Genting Highlands within the Malaysian state of Pahang was the fastest-growing searched location between January 27 and February 1 this 12 months, in response to hotel booking site Hotels.com.
Searches for this resort have increased by 256 percent 12 months over 12 months.
In second place was the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, with a rise of 142% year-on-year, followed by London with 113%.
London’s growing popularity as a travel destination isn’t any surprise given the favourable exchange rate following Brexit, Jessica Chuang, regional director for Greater China, Southeast Asia and India at Hotels.com, told The Straits Times on Friday (Jan 20).
She added: “Having said that, it’s interesting that Singaporeans are selecting to travel to a long-haul destination through the short holiday period.”
When it involves Genting Highlands’ popularity, she said proximity plays a major role.
Ms Chuang noted: “With greater emphasis this 12 months on enhancing the Highland offerings and attractions – including the launch of the world’s first twentieth Century Fox World theme park – it isn’t surprising that it’s gaining in popularity.
“As Genting Highlands continues to modernise in the coming months, we are confident that more and more Singaporean travellers will head to Causeway to experience all that Genting has to offer.”
But overall, in response to search numbers, the highest three destinations for travelers to Singapore over the identical period were now closer to home – Bangkok, Batam and Kuala Lumpur.
This in comparison with last 12 months’s top three: Hong Kong, Bangkok and Taipei.
The Straits Times newspaper reported last month that not all is rosy within the tourism industry either.
Some travel agencies reported a drop in holiday bookings of as much as 15 percent, amid weak consumer sentiment and an earlier-than-usual Chinese New Year just after the year-end holidays.
Chinese New Year falls on January 28.
Still, regional travel appears to be contributing to overall tourism trends, with Dynasty Travel and travel search engine Kayak reporting increased demand for regional destinations.
Source : Times of the Strait
