ILTM Asia Pacific 2024 kicked off yesterday evening with informative market insights at its inaugural forum held at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, where keynote speakers described economic performance in the coming years and the rising trend of solo Chinese female travelers.
Sumana Rajarethnam, Director, Southeast Asia, Economist Intelligence Corporate Network, took the audience through global economic projections and the opportunities and threats facing various regions.
He noted that Asian economies are one to watch as rising average household incomes in countries such as Malaysia, China, Thailand, Indonesia, India and Vietnam are fueling consumption.
Later, Jenny Lo, managing director of Fin Partners, revealed key findings from her firm’s latest study on China’s female travelers. Chinese women’s growing financial independence and self-confidence are driving luxury solo travel, with the majority making travel choices based on their own preferences and seeking travel to „nurture their souls and enrich their lives.”
About 90 percent of high-end Chinese female travelers are drawn to niche destinations that have yet to attract the attention of the mass market, leading Lo to describe this important customer segment as „travel pioneers.”
Fin Partners’ full report is available for download Here.
ILTM Asia Pacific 2024 continues today with business matching sessions at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre.