More Singaporeans head abroad for renminbi with bookings nearly back to pre-coronavirus levels

SINGAPORE – Many Singaporeans will celebrate Chinese New Year away from home on January 22, 2023. With borders reopening, Covid-19 restrictions easing, and long weekends during the festive season, some travel agencies are reporting a surge in international travel, with demand matching pre-pandemic levels. Some people say

Jeremiah Wong, senior marketing communications manager at Chan Brothers Travel, said travel agents’ renminbi bookings in 2023 increased sevenfold compared to 2022 renminbi.

He added that the number of customers traveling abroad during the renminbi period reached 85% of what it was before the pandemic.

According to Wong, the top three destinations are Europe, Japan and South Korea, with an average travel time of around eight days.

In 2023, the renminbi falls on a Sunday, so travelers can enjoy a long weekend with public holidays on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Wong told The Straits Times: In addition, more and more tourists want to experience the unique atmosphere of the Lunar New Year abroad. “

The agency curated a celebratory itinerary, including a local version of the reunion dinner on the CNY tour of Taiwan and South Korea, and a cherry blossom viewing in Taiwan.

One of the travelers is housewife Sarang Lee (51), who will head to Taiwan for eight days starting January 19 with a friend.

“Because of the pandemic, I usually enjoy vacations during CNY, except for the last two years,” she said. “It’s also my first time flying post-Covid-19.”

Online travel platforms report similar trends.

Trip Advisor spokesman Skye Ferguson said the number of Singaporeans going abroad in search of yuan will increase almost sevenfold compared to 2022, a figure comparable to pre-pandemic levels. said. In 2022, 10 out of 5 travelers planned to travel abroad.

Cesar Indra, president of Traveloka, said demand for RMB travel had returned to pre-coronavirus levels, with destinations such as Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur being popular with people for eight- to 13-day flights. said.

“Travelers will depart from Singapore between January 17 and 21 to make the most of the CNY holiday,” he said. “One of the reasons these three destinations are high on people’s lists, he said, is that these are major cities located near Singapore and are good for people planning to explore the region. Because it is a port of call.”

The extended weekend for the yuan this year has fueled huge demand, he said. Travelers are also ready to spend money on travel, having saved a good amount of money in past years when travel was restricted.

Expedia spokeswoman Lavinia Rajaram said CNY has always been a popular time for international travel among Asians, including Singaporeans. The top destinations for RMB travel among Singaporeans on its platform are cities in Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia, with most making her three- to four-day trips. .