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While the industry has not yet experienced profitability at pre-recessionary levels, China and Asia-focused tour operator, Pacific Delight, is reporting a 30% increase in bookings for the first three months of 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009. Additionally, the multiple award-winning company has noted a growing demand for vacations to India and Southeast Asia in addition to the China packages which traditionally comprised the majority of its business.
“We have seen a vast improvement in bookings for our luxury packages to China in 2010, as well as a shift in consumer interest for other exotic destinations – most notably India and Southeast Asia,” said Larry Kwan, President of Pacific Delight Tours.
“The largest growth in performance for the first quarter of 2010, however, has been our Gold Experience Distinctive Collection, thanks in part to our enhanced value-added amenities at FiveStarPlus® luxury hotels and the exclusive Executive Suite program on our lavish Yangtze River sailings with Victoria Cruises,” he added.
Pacific Delight Tours credits its Gold Experience Distinctive Collection for 75% of its increase in bookings for 2010 – an astounding figure with promising implications of an imminent large-scale recovery for the upscale travel market. “Americans are starting to place more confidence in the economy and that has had a major impact on sales for our ultra-luxury packages,” noted Kwan.
Pacific Delight’s biggest performers in China have been the Yangtze River with Victoria Cruises’ new Executive Suite program, as well as Hong Kong, which has been stronger than the luxury operator had anticipated. Pacific Delight has also seen renewed interest in Shanghai, which Kwan attributes to the 2010 World Expo being held in China’s most modern and fastest-growing city from May through October.
While China has traditionally comprised the majority of Pacific Delight’s bookings, the Asia specialist has observed a shift in interest to some of its other destinations, including India and Southeast Asia.
“India is slowly picking up but will likely take another year before it sees a full recovery,” said Kwan, “however, Southeast Asia is quickly gaining momentum and may reach pre-2009 sales levels by the end of this year.”
Kwan has credited Pacific Delight Tours’ success throughout the recession and its recent growth in 2010 to its unparalleled relationships with five-star hotels and cruise providers in China and Asia, as well as the loyal travel agent community which continues to recognize the tour operator’s well established reputation for delivering nothing short of excellence.
TravelDailyNews Asia-Pacific editorial team has an experience of over 35 years in B2B travel journalism as well as in tourism & hospitality marketing and communications.
