{"id":7736,"date":"2026-05-03T23:28:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T23:28:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/global-travel-news\/polyu-shtm-and-think-china-joint-study-offers-strategic-insights\/"},"modified":"2026-05-03T23:28:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T23:28:21","slug":"polyu-shtm-and-think-china-joint-study-offers-strategic-insights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/global-travel-news\/polyu-shtm-and-think-china-joint-study-offers-strategic-insights\/","title":{"rendered":"PolyU SHTM and THINK CHINA Joint Study Offers Strategic Insights"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"PolyU<\/a>Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, May 4, 2026 \/ TRAVELINDEX \/ As cross\u2011border travel between Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao continues to normalise, the challenge for both cities has moved beyond simply restoring visitor volumes to monetising evolving travel patterns characterised by shorter stays, increased price sensitivity and more deliberate spending behaviour. The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), in collaboration with THINK CHINA, today released the findings of a joint research study examining the spending habits, mobility patterns and value created by Chinese Mainland tourists in Hong Kong and Macao.<\/p>\n

Led by Prof. Kam HUNG, Principal Investigator and SHTM Professor<\/strong>; Prof. Tony TSE<\/strong>, Co\u2011Investigator and SHTM Professor of Practice<\/strong>; and Mr Benjamin SUN<\/strong>, Co\u2011Investigator and Managing Director of THINK CHINA<\/strong>, the study addresses a critical shift in the post\u2011pandemic recovery tourism landscape and translates empirical findings into strategic, forward\u2011looking recommendations for destination managers, tourism operators and policymakers.<\/p>\n

The study draws on a rigorous mixed\u2011method research design, combining enhanced survey instrumentation with strict data\u2011quality controls. A total of 3,209 valid responses were analysed, from 1,928 Chinese Mainland visitors to Hong Kong and 1,281 to Macao, enabling a detailed, segmented analysis of the spending, shopping behaviour, mobility and decision\u2011making of Chinese Mainland tourists.<\/p>\n

Key findings from the study include the following.<\/p>\n

1. Chinese Mainland visitors should not be treated as a single demand pool<\/strong><\/p>\n

Proximity drives visit frequency but not necessarily value. Same\u2011day visitors, predominantly from the Greater Bay Area, show significantly higher repeat visit rates, while overnight visitors remain the primary drivers of immediate per\u2011trip value due to their broader participation in shopping, dining, accommodation and experiential activities. The research advocates a shift from traffic\u2011based thinking to conversion\u2011based thinking: same-day visitors should be seen as a repeat-customer base with lifetime-value potential, whereas overnight visitors should be targeted for deeper cross-category spend.<\/p>\n

2. Accommodation choice emerges as a powerful commercial signal<\/strong><\/p>\n

Travellers who combine star\u2011rated and non\u2011star\u2011rated stays show longer stays and stronger spending performance, indicating a trend of selective premiumisation rather than simple budget constraints.<\/p>\n

3. Luxury shoppers remain the clearest high\u2011value segment, though value creation differs across destinations<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Hong Kong, luxury spending produces a step\u2011change in total expenditure, driven by fashion\u2011led baskets and large\u2011ticket purchases concentrated in established luxury districts such as Central, Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay. In Macao, premium demand is most evident on the Macao Peninsula and, in particular, the Cotai Strip, where integrated resort environments amplify luxury intensity.<\/p>\n

4. Beauty and family shoppers represent scalable value pools<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beauty shoppers sit within an affordable\u2011premium band and are responsive to trust\u2011building, curated content and digital touchpoints. Family travellers, while not always the highest spenders on a per\u2011capita basis, generate economic impact through larger baskets and wider category participation across attractions, dining, accommodation and household\u2011related purchases. They offer a wider commercial reach than luxury shoppers while supporting conversion levers.<\/p>\n

The study underscores that shopping demand is not fixed, but can be shaped through better\u2011designed visitor journeys, improved information accessibility, reduced transaction friction and stronger ecosystem integration among tourism, retail, hospitality, attractions, events and transport.<\/p>\n

Crucially, Hong Kong and Macao should not follow identical strategic playbooks. Hong Kong\u2019s strength lies in its citywide retail connectivity, long-standing brand trust and the efficient conversion of short, multi\u2011stop trips into shopping and dining spend. Macao\u2019s competitive advantage lies in ecosystem integration, where gaming, entertainment, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions), concerts, resort stays and retail can be orchestrated into unified total\u2011spend pathways.<\/p>\n

Prof. Kam Hung<\/strong> remarked, \u201cDestinations that succeed in the next phase of competition will be those that shift away from treating visitors as mere footfall and instead manage them as distinct, monetisable customer segments.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Benjamin Sun<\/strong> added, \u201cIt\u2019s time to rethink Hong Kong and Macao beyond geographic borders. A decade ago, our consumer markets were clearly defined; today, seamless movement across the Greater Bay Area has blurred those lines. Locals remain the foundation, but GBA visitors should be seen as a natural extension of our core audience. The real opportunity lies in understanding the distinct segments within this expanded market\u2014and activating them with precision and frequency. Those who act decisively will unlock the next wave of growth across tourism and retail.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prof. Kaye CHON, SHTM Dean, Chair Professor and Walter and Wendy Kwok Family Foundation Professor in International Hospitality Management<\/strong>, said, \u201cThis research underscores the importance of moving beyond volume\u2011driven thinking towards value\u2011oriented destination management. By bridging academic research and industry practice, we aim to help the industry and policymakers navigate shifting visitor behaviours and strengthen long\u2011term competitiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n

To view the full report, please download it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

About PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management
\n<\/u><\/strong>For more than four decades, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM)<\/a> of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has refined a distinctive vision of hospitality and tourism education and become a world-leading hotel and tourism school. Ranked No. 1 in the world in the \u201cHospitality and Tourism Management\u201d category in ShanghaiRanking\u2019s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2025 for the ninth consecutive year; placed No. 1 globally in the \u201cCommerce, Management, Tourism and Services\u201d category in the University Ranking by Academic Performance in 2024\/2024 for eight years in a row; and ranked No. 2 globally in the \u201cHospitality and Leisure Management\u201d subject area among comprehensive universities in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, SHTM is a symbol of excellence in the field, exemplifying its motto of Leading Hospitality and Tourism<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The School is driven by the need to serve its industry and academic communities through the advancement of education and dissemination of knowledge. With a strong international team of nearly 100 faculty members from 21 countries and regions around the world, SHTM offers programmes at levels ranging from undergraduate to doctoral degrees. Through Hotel ICON, the School\u2019s groundbreaking teaching and research hotel and a vital aspect of its paradigm-shifting approach to hospitality and tourism education, SHTM is advancing teaching, learning and research, and inspiring a new generation of passionate, pioneering professionals to take their positions as leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry.<\/p>\n

About THINK CHINA
\n<\/u><\/strong>THINK CHINA was born from a simple question: \u201cWhy can\u2019t it be easier to do business in China?\u201d. Today, it is an award-winning digital consultancy with offices in Hong Kong, Australia, and Chinese Mainland, backed by 15 years of experience in Chinese tourism marketing and thought leadership.<\/p>\n

The firm delivers integrated services spanning SEO, SEM, creative design, social media marketing, eCommerce strategy, and web development, alongside in-depth research covering competitor analysis, market share insights, and evolving Chinese consumer behaviour across regions and demographics\u2014all designed to equip clients and the wider industry with the tools, expertise, and insights to succeed in the Chinese consumer market.<\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, May 4, 2026 \/ TRAVELINDEX \/ As cross\u2011border travel between Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao continues to normalise, the challenge for both cities has moved beyond simply restoring visitor volumes to monetising evolving travel patterns characterised by shorter stays, increased price sensitivity and more deliberate spending behaviour. The School …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7737,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[105],"tags":[2592,116,110,118],"class_list":["post-7736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-global-travel-news","tag-global-golf-news","tag-global-travel-news","tag-news","tag-travelindex"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7736"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7736\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}