SINGAPORE - Singapore emerges as the best-selling
destination in the region - according to Hotelbeds, the
global accommodation wholesaler. Sales for room nights
across the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Pacific Islands
(MEAPAC), has gone up by 31 per cent for the year 2012.
As the region becomes more accessible internationally,
it has not lost pace in the domestic scene. The growth is
also attributed to the accelerated investments on
infrastructure, more particularly in airports and hotels
with airlines increasing their capacity and diversifying
their routes.
More than half of the room night sales from the
international market had been done via an online booking
platform; 48 per cent came from inter-regional travel.
For 2012 the top selling destinations in MEAPAC are:
Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok,
Shanghai, Guangzhou (China), Phuket, Koh Samui (Thailand)
and Bali. The top outbound destinations for Hotelbeds Asian
markets are Paris, London, Bangkok, Singapore, Bali,
Barcelona, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Phuket and Dubai.
Pablo Aycart, managing director, MEAPAC at Hotelbeds
comments: "The growth we have achieved so far in the region
is due to the excellent relations our local teams have
built with client and suppliers and the investments we have
made in our people, technology and distribution. Our focus
for 2013 is to continue to increase the hotel portfolio,
develop the distribution coverage and continue with our
source market and destination expansion across the region
particularly in Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Saudi
Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China &
Philippines."
Hotelbeds is active in over 100 source markets selling
into the region with the highest percentage of customers
coming from Asia and Europe.