Chinese tourists prefer Australia and Singapore over Hong Kong: survey

The survey notes that the SAR does not have sufficient travel and outdoor activities.

Mainland Chinese tourists prefer visiting Australia, Singapore and Japan over Hong Kong thanks to the availability of outdoor and nature activities, according to a survey by Kantar cited by the South China Morning Post.

“Hong Kong outperforms Singapore on most factors, but when it comes to perceptions of safety and cleanliness, Singapore dominates all Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets, though it is held back by its lack of nature and outdoor activities,” Kantar said in its report.

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The survey which polled 300 people from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen found that a mere 35% were interested in Hong Kong as a holiday destination, compared to the 52% and 40% who were eager to visit Australia and Japan, respectively. A little over a half (22%) added they were interested in vacationing in Taiwan, whilst 21% favoured South Korea.

“Urban Chinese holidaymakers are looking for a diversity of experiences with nearly nine in ten saying that having lots to do is either important or very important to them,” the report stated. “The dominance of nature in the minds of urban Chinese leisure travellers may, at face value, present a challenge for retailers, malls, theme parks and other places.”

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On preferences for nature and outdoor activities, only 22% were found to have an interest in what Hong Kong has to offer, compared to 62% for Australia, 42% for Japan and 32% for Indonesia.

The Tourism Board has said that 2019 could be a bumpy and unpredictable year with Chinese tourists continue to regard the city as a short-term destination compared to countries in Southeast Asia and Europe.

Although Hong Kong is not included amongst the top tourist destination for Chinese tourists, visitor arrivals in the city climbed to a record 65.1 million tourists in 2018 with Mainland tourists driving the growth.