‘Cold weather’ the No 1 barrier to skiing holidays for Hong Kong people, survey finds; those who do go spend big and see it as status boost

A survey conducted by resort operator Club Med has revealed that 'cold weather' is the primary deterrent for Hong Kong residents when considering snow holidays. Despite this, 46% of the respondents were willing to endure the cold, viewing ice and snow sports as a means to enhance their personal image and serve as a status symbol. Furthermore, when Hong Kong residents, along with Malaysians, decide to go skiing, they are prepared to spend more than travellers from other major Asian markets.

The survey also found that Japan is the preferred destination for skiing trips among Hong Kong residents. The survey, conducted in September 2023, interviewed 511 Hong Kong residents aged between 24 and 64 who had either been on a snow holiday in the past five years or were planning to go on one in the next two years. 39% of them chose Japan as their favourite destination, followed by Switzerland (30%) and Canada (29%). They anticipated spending HK$4,800 (US$615) per day on travel, which is the same as those interviewed from Malaysia, but more than the anticipated spending of respondents from South Korea, Singapore, Japan, mainland China and Taiwan.

Stuart de Bourgogne, the general manager of Club Med Hong Kong and Taiwan, stated that Hong Kong residents have shown increased interest in travelling to Japan since the yen dropped last year. He added that they have higher travel budgets than people from other parts of Asia-Pacific, and they have a preference for all-inclusive resorts. The survey also found that mainland Chinese travellers are less enthusiastic about snow holidays. They face more obstacles in reaching ski resorts and have aversions to cold-weather wear, potential injuries on the slopes, and the perceived monotony of 'nothing to do except ski or snowboard'.