Research group GfK, in its Consumer Travel Tracker online survey conducted in Hong Kong, revealed an interesting insight – offline touch points are still heavily used in this developed country by nine in 10 (90%) travellers while 84% used online,
However, when it comes to actual transactions online dominates with two-thirds of all travellers completing their booking process online.
GfK’s latest study was conducted among 520 Hong Kong consumers who had booked an outbound leisure holiday with at least one overnight stay in the past three months.
Some key takeaways from the survey:
- Online travel agents are the most popular touch points used by nearly half (48%) of all travellers in Hong Kong.
Taiwan favourite among non-married singles. (Image credit: ronniechua/iStock)
- Articles on travel related publications are the second most accessed platforms, used by 43% of travellers.
- Third are travel agency website/app, visited by over one in three (36%).
- Only one in five (22%) turn to social media, with Facebook having the highest reach of all the social networking platforms.
- Trips lasting four to seven nights are the most common, taken by two in three travellers.
- Japan, Australia and Taiwan are the three top destinations among Hong Kongers; Japan and Taiwan for gourmet and shopping, popular among non-married singles; Australia preferred by half (49%) of married travellers (with or without kids) for family gathering and classic tours.
- Over 60% of Hong Kong travellers tend to buy air ticket and accommodation separately, while a little less than half (48%) will go for bundled packages that include ticket (19%) and accommodation (17%)
Laurens Van Den Oever, global travel director at GfK, said the travel sector had evolved from being just a brick-and-mortar dominated trade. “Local travel agents, recognising the popularity of the internet and online booking platforms, have also started investing in the development of instant-booking mobile apps that cover flight, accommodation and travel packages.”
• Featured image credit (Hong Kong performers): LewisTsePuiLung/iStock
