Japanese fans (from left) Noa Maruo, Tomoko Arijiki and Kuniko Maruo wore kimonos during the Olympics opening ceremony. — AP
Sports fans from China and Japan are propelling their countries to the top of the list of travellers from Asia cheering the Summer Olympics in Paris.
The number of travellers from China and Japan showed some of the biggest increases globally to Paris during the July 24 to Aug 11 period covering the Olympics, according to data from travel analytics firm ForwardKeys.
Visitors from China, Japan and South Korea also topped the list of trips originating from Asia Pacific countries bound for Paris in the period, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analysis of ForwardKeys data.
So far, they’ve had plenty to celebrate, with China winning 19 gold medals, Japan 9 and South Korea ten (at press time).
Asian travellers headed to the Olympics are also doing it in style. China and Japan are among the countries showing the biggest gains for premium travel bookings – demand doubled among travellers from both countries compared to the same period last year, according to ForwardKeys.
Chinese tourists are showing the highest booking volume for suites and king-sized hotel rooms among travellers on Trip.com’s platform during the Olympics period, and the average spending per Chinese tourist has risen by 65% from last year, with an increase in five-star hotel bookings, the travel agency said.
Online travel platforms specializing in China travel – Trip.com and Fliggy, a subsidiary of Alibaba Group – also show surges from mainland tourists to France. Trip.com has witnessed a doubling in orders to Paris during the Olympics weeks, including flight, hotel and tours, it said.
Meanwhile, hotel and French visa service transactions since July through Fliggy’s platform have more than doubled compared to the same period last year, it reported.
Despite the travel surges from Asia, international visitors to Paris during the Olympics has been disappointing for many hotels, airlines and travel agencies that anticipated a much bigger overseas turnout. Paris, which showcased the opening ceremony on the Seine, is expecting 11.3 million visitors during the Olympics weeks – of which only 1.5 million will be international, according to data from the city’s tourism board.
And travel to Paris from China and Japan has been even higher at other points this year, with surges as great as 250% compared to 2023. Outbound travel from China in 2023 saw tepid demand as the country was among the last big markets to reopen its borders after the pandemic.
“Economic considerations, such as the depreciation of the Japanese yen and high travel costs for transportation and accommodation, play a significant role” in curbing more travel to the Summer Olympics, said Nan Dai, ForwardKeys’ China market analyst.
Still, Asian travellers headed to sporting events are showing distinct differences compared to European counterparts, according to Trip.com. Asian visitors prefer to combine their sports viewing with broader travel plans and on average book longer hotel stays than Europeans, the online agency said.
The average length of stay for travellers from Asia in Paris increased 20% in July and August compared to the same period last year, with mainland Chinese, South Koreans and Hong Kong tourists staying the longest.
June Xu and her husband from the eastern Chinese province of Anhui planned their 16-day trip to Europe around the Olympics. The couple watched the opening ceremony after attending Bastille Day celebrations earlier in the month. They’ve also toured Cannes, Nice and Monaco. The couple say it’s the most expensive trip they’ve taken, with a budget of around CNY300,000 (RM191,082).
“Paris is more enchanting than other European cities,” she said. “Everything’s exquisite, from dining to the hotels and transportation. It’s luxurious.” – Bloomberg
