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South China Morning Post
21 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Group tour prices from Hong Kong drop 10% as tourists opt for alternatives to Japan
Hong Kong travel agencies have launched cheaper outbound group tours this summer, driven by increased flight capacity amid a shift in tourists' preference away from Japan due to increased earthquake concerns. Several tour operators have reported that prices for their summer group tours are either lower or have remained stable, adding that popular destinations include South Korea, Vietnam and cities in western mainland China. 'Compared to last year, we see more than a 10 per cent drop in prices of group tours this summer holiday,' Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, said. 'It is due to the increased flight availability and transport capacity.' He added that the popularity of tours to Vietnam had increased by 30 to 40 per cent compared with previous years, while tours to Xinjiang and the Silk Road on the mainland had maintained strong popularity over the past six months. On the EGL Tours website, a five-day group trip to Nha Trang, Vietnam, including five-star hotel stays, was priced at about HK$2,900 (US$369) in June. The price for a similar itinerary in July and August increased by HK$200 to HK$800, ranging from HK$3,100 to HK$3,700. However, Huen noted that this year's price for the Vietnam trip was about 10 per cent less than last summer, when it ranged from HK$3,500 to HK$4,100.
South China Morning Post
13-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Quake fears drive some Hong Kong tourists away from Asian cities: industry leader
Concerns over earthquakes have contributed to a decline in the number of Hong Kong residents joining tour groups to some popular Asian destinations this Easter, despite prices falling by as much as 15 per cent over last year's level, one of the city's largest travel agents has said. Advertisement Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, also told a radio programme on Sunday that tour group prices were falling due to the stronger Hong Kong dollar and cheaper flights as the cost of jet fuel fell and airline passenger capacity increased. 'For a six-day trip to Japan, prices range from about HK$10,000 [US$1,290] to HK$13,000 this year, down from HK$10,000 to HK$16,000 last year, which is quite a marked decline,' he said. When asked about the effects of recent earthquakes on tour group bookings, Huen said: 'If we compare Easter this year with last year, there is a slight single percentage point contraction, which may be due to factors that are uncertain to everyone. 'Everyone will think about [the quakes], but the impact is not too big.' Advertisement A 5.6-magnitude quake struck near Meiktila, a small city in central Myanmar, on Sunday morning, although there were no immediate reports of major damage or casualties. On March 28, the country was rocked by a 7.7-magnitude quake that killed more than 3,500 people and was felt as far away as Bangkok, where a skyscraper under construction near the popular Chatuchak Weekend Market collapsed.
