Our latest figures show the popularity of hotel stays in key European destinations, and underline the appetite for travel to key holiday destinations and cultural hotspots across the APAC region
Following our recent blog on this summer’s global travel rebound, Trip.com data has also revealed a boom in luxury hotel bookings across Europe and the APAC region, further emphasising consumers’ desires to treat themselves and make up for lost time in 2022.
After more than two years of restrictions, many travellers have amassed additional disposable income and want to invest it wisely. European hotels have reported a 187% increase in gross operating profit per available room (or GOPPAR) when comparing March 2022 with the same month in 2021, and hotel chains such as Marriott and Wyndham are expanding further in the APAC region, so it’s clear that this appetite for the ultimate in comfort and amazing experiences continues to grow in these two crucial markets.
In this article, we analyse Trip.com data across popular markets across the APAC region, as well as a series of key European destinations, with some eye-opening insights.
Asia’s vacation hotspots see huge bookings surge, with an increased appetite for luxury hotels
With reports that more than 50 new luxury hotels are set to open in Jakarta and Bangkok over the next five years, the trend for lavish hotel stays in the APAC region is gaining momentum.
Trip.com data has shown a superb surge in bookings in Indonesia, with a July YOY increase of 595%. Average booking value has also seen a vast increase of 184% YOY for the same period. As a popular vacation destination, it’s no surprise that places such as Bali, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and Central and South Jakarta appeal to travellers from Singapore, South Korea, mainland China and Australia, as well as native Indonesian tourists.
5-star hotel bookings in the country have also seen a 5.4% increase between the second half of 2021 and the first half of 2022, jumping to almost 18% this year. Additionally, we can see 453% YOY growth of 4- and 5-star hotel bookings in Jakarta in August 2022, with Bali’s 4- and 5-star hotel bookings seeing a massive 1515% YOY increase in the same month.
Thailand is another popular holiday destination, and has seen similar spikes in hotel bookings, with a YOY growth of 624% as of July 2022. The average booking value has not swelled relatively high as that of Indonesia, but this is still an incredibly impressive statistic at 139% YOY order growth for the same period. According to Trip.com data, getaway destinations such as Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya have proven incredibly popular among travellers from Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong SAR and Malaysia, as well as with domestic Thai travellers, during the first half of 2022. 5-star hotel bookings have also seen an upswing of almost 6% between the second half of 2021 and the first half of 2022.
To further appeal to travellers considering a break in Thailand, Trip.com also launched its new Trip.Best feature exclusively curates a vast range of hotels to provide our users with the best options available. With 24 lists of hotels under eight different themes, including luxury, Trip.Best helps users to enjoy a little indulgence on their next trip to Thailand.
In Japan – a country known for its eclectic culture, stunning historical sites and enticing food scene – hotel bookings for July are up 108% YOY, despite a slight decline of 7.9% on average booking value. What is fascinating to note is that Japan saw the highest jump in 5-star hotel bookings across the destinations we analysed, with a 7% increase between bookings made in the latter half of 2021 and the first half of 2022. With travellers from various markets, including the USA, mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, and South Korea making the majority of hotel bookings in the country, along with Japanese travellers themselves, cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Sapporo and Nagoya are expecting a large influx of luxury travellers.
Business travel destinations start to make a comeback
Trip.Best is also being adopted in markets for Hong Kong SAR, a traditionally business travel-oriented destination, with the aim to ensure business travellers can also choose the most appropriate hotel for their needs. In terms of our hotel booking data for Hong Kong SAR, as corporate travel is yet to rebound in quite the same way as leisure travel, there has been a 25% decline in YOY bookings in July, but this is tempered by a 93% average booking value increase for the same period.
Interestingly, Hong Kong SAR sees an international spread of travellers which reflects its position as a business travel destination, with users from several markets, including mainland China, the UK, Taiwan and the USA, booking most of the hotels in the region during the first half of 2022, along with domestic Hong Kong SAR customers. 5-star hotel bookings in Hong Kong SAR also saw a 1% increase in the first half of 2022, compared to the latter half of 2021, so corporate travellers may also be keen to maximise their enjoyment on business trips.
Singapore is another typically business-focused destination and, like Hong Kong SAR, has seen a decline in YOY hotel bookings from July 2022. However, much like Hong Kong SAR, the average booking value has again increased by 93% YOY for the same period. This data should be considered in line with the fact that, from 1st December 2020 - 31st December 2021, Trip.com was a key authorised booking partner for the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers scheme, which saw $320m in credits set aside to encourage Singaporean locals to rediscover their city and support local businesses in the tourism space. This may go some way to explain why our data shows that Singapore’s 5-star hotel bookings dropped from 42.42% in the latter half of 2021, to 27% during the first half of 2022 – which is still the highest percentage of 5-star hotel bookings across the destinations we analysed for this period.
London is booming, while Spain and Germany see encouraging gains
In the UK, it’s been reported that London is experiencing a luxury hotel boom, with almost half of the 10,000 new hotel rooms in the city commanding a premium price point. In line with this trend, Trip.com data reveals that UK hotel bookings for July are up 173% YOY, with a 24% YOY increase in average booking value for the same period. Customers are increasingly willing to spend more to get incredible service and a comfortable stay, with UK hotel bookings for the first half of 2022 made mainly by travellers from markets, including the USA, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore and mainland China, as well as the UK itself.
London and Manchester are the most popular cities for hotel bookings for this period, thanks to their enticing mix of things to do and luxurious hotels to stay at. In addition, the return of affluent Chinese travellers to the UK is hotly anticipated, with the hopes that luxury UK hotels will improve bookings further once mainland China’s borders reopen.
Across Europe, we are also seeing bookings surge and customers paying more to get the best hotel experience possible. In Germany, hotel bookings for July are also up 173% YOY, with a 12.5% increase in the average booking value. Travellers from the Netherlands, the UK, South Korea and America, and domestic German tourists, are the most prominent groups booking German hotels, with cities including Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Frankfurt tempting visitors.
Spain has seen the largest average booking increase, with a 52% YOY increase in July. Hotel bookings were also up 52% YOY in July, with domestic travellers and those from France, Germany, the UK and America booking Spanish hotels in the highest quantities in cities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Valencia and Malaga.
As travel continues to rebound, we can be encouraged by customers' willingness to invest more in hotels for their upcoming trips to Europe and Asia, with many seeking out luxury experiences, especially in the APAC region. Boon Sian Chai, Trip.com’s Overseas General Manager of Hotels, asserted, ‘We are excited to see time-honoured holiday destinations in Asia attracting visitors in vast numbers, and even more pleased to see luxury hotels across the region proving more popular than ever. We look forward to monitoring this trend further to see how it develops.’