With the Easter holiday approaching, local travel agencies are witnessing a surge in demand for mainland high-speed rail and Greater Bay Area tours. The spike comes as ongoing Middle East tensions and soaring fuel surcharges prompt many Hongkongers to reconsider long-haul travel, shifting their focus to destinations closer to home.
WWPKG executive director Yuen Chun-ning said the Middle East conflict has led to a noticeable decline in demand for long-haul trips. Instead, tours to the mainland have seen significant growth, with bookings for South Korea and Japan also rising by 10 to 20 percent compared to last year.
He noted that mainland routes, which do not carry fuel surcharges and coincide with the popular flower season, are attracting travelers to destinations such as East China, Beijing, Wuhan, Guilin, and Changsha.
Meanwhile, overseas long-haul air tours are facing major setbacks. Yuen said the company has canceled all Middle East tours and any Europe tours requiring transit through the region, leaving only direct flights to Europe as an option.
He said that bookings for tours to Europe have dropped by over 50 percent compared to last year. Since the start of the Middle East conflict, direct flight airfares to Europe have approximately doubled. While most Easter tour seats were reserved in advance, limiting price fluctuations for the current period, Yuen expects direct-flight Europe tour prices to climb by 10 to 20 percent for the summer holiday.
Prince Traveller director Andy Lam Ping-sing noted that a 20 percent increase in business for mainland high-speed rail tours compared with the same period last year, with routes to Guizhou proving particularly popular.
“All high-speed rail tours are fully booked, and train tickets are extremely hard to obtain. We are not launching any more tours for the time being,” Lam added. He added that high-speed rail tour prices have increased by about 5 percent, and did not rule out a further increase of up to 10 percent if additional train tickets become available.
Lam also reported a 20 percent rise in coach tours to the Greater Bay Area, driven by residents who shifted from overseas trips to destinations like Jiangmen and Foshan. With coach tours remaining a niche option, the company has opted to keep fares unchanged to draw more customers.
He noted that overall demand for air tours has dropped by about 20 percent, with rising fuel surcharges and regional instability to blame. South Korea and Australia have emerged as the main overseas destinations, while demand for Japan tours remains steady.
Ying Ho Travel Services deputy director Chan Kar-keung reported that overall Easter business is up by more than 20 percent compared to last year, attributing the boost to the longer five-day holiday and the appeal of the spring flower season on the mainland.
Besides short trips within Guangdong, neighboring provinces such as Hubei, Jiangxi, and Guangxi have also become popular. Related tour prices have remained similar to last year, given stable rail fares, Chan said.
He noted that many customers have reluctantly canceled trips to Europe because of safety concerns and flight disruptions. Visitor numbers for Japan and South Korea remain steady, but air tour prices have generally risen by 10 to 20 percent and are expected to go up further depending on fuel costs.
