Information provided by Wego.com, a popular travel booking site in Asia Pacific, revealed costs of travel for the Chinese New Year were up in Asia this year. Average costs for both airfare and hotel stays were significantly higher compared to 2015.

In response, Asian travelers were forced to increase their holiday travel budgets. The amount spent on hotel stays during the Chinese New Year increased by approximately 20 per cent, with a smaller but still significant increase in spending for airfare. Travelers originating from Hong Kong increased their travel budgets the most (about 10 per cent), followed by travelers from Taiwan (8 per cent), Malaysia (8 per cent), Singapore and Indonesia.

Wego.com asked Chinese travelers about their spending choices during this holiday period as well. Those surveyed revealed, when choosing an airline, affordable airfare was most important for 70 per cent, availability of direct flights was most important for 20 per cent and specific airline brand was most important for 10 per cent. When choosing accommodations, 78 per cent said the most important aspect of a hotel was its location. They also admitted fast and stable Internet connection was a more important hotel factor than price.

An increase in spontaneous booking was also seen across the data compiled, with Indonesian travelers booking the shortest amount of time before their departure date, an average of 40 days. This was attributed to the range of low-cost carriers available to Indonesian travelers. In addition, more than 50 per cent of Chinese New Year travel was planned or booked using a mobile device.

“These insights tell us that Chinese travelers are expecting more from hotels in terms of service and have the spending power to support their selections. While airfare costs remain a key consideration, incorporating special offers that highlight unique experiences would benefit a carrier’s popularity,” said James Huang, market development manager, North Asia, Wego.com.