With the recovery of China's outbound travel market well underway,
how best to woo and capture the returning market was a hot topic at
WiT's 'China Arising: Hello, New China' event, which took place 30 March
at Raffles Convention Centre in Singapore.
While Southeast Asia awaits the return of Chinese travellers in
bigger numbers, travel suppliers and marketers at the event discussed
the myriad ways they are undertaking to woo Chinese travellers and meet
their changing needs.
The panelists included Juliana Kua, assistant chief executive,
international group, Singapore Tourism Board (STB); Kerry Healy, chief
commercial officer, Middle East, Africa, Turkey & Asia-Pacific –
premium, midscale & economy, Accor; and Calvin Chan, chief
commercial officer, Scoot.
According to Juliana Kua, assistant chief executive, international
group, Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the recovery from China to
Singapore has been positive in recent months, with business travellers
and those visiting friends and family leading visitor arrivals. Air
capacity has been steadily increasing, indicating that airfares will
soon start to normalise, paving the way for the return of Chinese
visitors.
Kua remains optimistic about the future, believing that the tourism
receipts generated by the Chinese travellers will continue to rise as
STB has observed that Chinese tourists are staying longer and spending
more.
Scoot,
a key player in the Singapore-China air travel market, has resumed
flights to and from China and is aiming to restore over 80% of its
pre-pandemic capacity by the end of October, said the airline's chief
commercial officer Calvin Chan.
Demand is expected to surge once the remaining constraints and
hurdles are lifted, making it vital for businesses to remain prepared
and adaptable, he added.
The airline has been actively engaging with Chinese consumers through
WeChat and Weibo, and has even launched a mini-programme within WeChat
to cater to the consumption habits of Chinese consumers more
effectively.
Similarly, Accor has launched a WeChat mini app that allows users to
conveniently book hotels in China. The company is actively exploring
ways to expand this feature, as well as relaunch a loyalty programme
that is better suited to meet the needs of Chinese consumers, Kerry
Healy, chief commercial officer for Middle East, Africa, Turkey &
Asia-Pacific – premium, midscale & economy told the audience.
With China's mobile internet user penetration rate close to 70% today
and grow to over 80% by 2027, Accor is working on strategies to attract
Gen Z travellers, keeping up with the latest trends and evolving
consumer behaviour.
Healy also believes that word-of-mouth is a powerful motivator for
travel in China, and the way that the Chinese consumer is searching for
travel has also changed and moved away from normal verticals.
The panellists also suggested that businesses should curate their
content and experiences through social media platforms and gain more
traction, especially when people are looking for experiences or trying
to find their next destination.