Chinese tourists 'avoid' Japan, Singapore benefits

Tourists take photos with the Merlion statue in Singapore. Many Chinese tourists commented that this island nation is an “easy and pleasant” destination. Photo: Reuters .

After Chinese authorities advised people to limit travel to Japan, the flow of tourists began to shift strongly to more accessible destinations in the region, with Singapore emerging as a clear winner.

SCMP reported that Chinese airlines were offering free refunds and exchanges for planned trips to Japan, causing a sharp shift in tourist flows to Southeast Asia. In fact, Singapore’s famous tourist areas such as Gardens by the Bay and Sentosa have seen many groups of Chinese tourists visiting the island for the first time.

Echo He, 36, an accountant from Hunan, said she chose Singapore for her year-end holiday with her husband and colleagues because it was “comfortable and easy to get around.” She said the widespread use of Mandarin made Singapore an easy-to-adapt destination, especially for travelers who wanted a relaxed experience without worrying about language barriers. After Singapore, Echo continued on to Malaysia, completing her Southeast Asian itinerary in a few days.

Chinese tourists pose for photos at Marina Bay, Singapore. The image of a clean, safe city where Mandarin is widely spoken makes the place more familiar and attractive to them. Photo: Reuters.

Data from the Qunar platform shows that during the mid-November weekend, the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists were all in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia: South Korea led the way, followed by Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia. The majority of tourists surveyed in Singapore admitted that they would “prioritize Southeast Asia” for their upcoming trips.

She Tianze, 20, a communications student, said many of his friends now prefer destinations that are more familiar in terms of culture and cuisine . “Singapore is easy to get to, safe and stable. From here, it is very convenient to fly to Malaysia, Thailand or Vietnam,” she said during her trip through many Southeast Asian countries.

Travel companies are also seeing a clear uptick. China Trading Desk said bookings from China to Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam are up 15-20% compared to the previous average. Singapore alone is up 20-25% compared to the same period last year.

She Tianze, a Chinese communications student, went on vacation in Singapore in early November. Photo: She Tianze/RedNote.

CEO Subramania Bhatt, founder of China Trading Desk, said this trend is not a temporary boom but a natural shift based on the need for Chinese tourists to find friendly, close and accessible destinations.

Dynasty Travel recorded a 20% increase in Chinese tourists requesting Singapore tours in November compared to last year. Patrick Teo, a company representative, said many customers described Singapore as a “safe option” that is easy to incorporate into long-term itineraries.

“We have Chinese customers who say that in a normal year, Japan would be their first choice, but this year they want to ‘avoid trouble’ and choose a neutral, low-risk destination. Singapore is benefiting as a natural Plan B for these travelers,” Teo said.

The travel agency director noted the growing trend is spreading beyond Singapore and other countries in the region as Chinese tourists often combine their trip to the city-state with a neighboring country.

Trip.com also reported a rise in bookings across Southeast Asia in November compared to a year ago. While the increase is in line with the overall recovery in international travel, experts say the “shift away from Japan” has added to the region’s momentum.

Source: https://znews.vn/khach-trung-ne-nhat-ban-singapore-huong-loi-post1607089.html