International travellers are returning
With international tourism returning, Grab saw traveller bases outside the region in December coming from countries including South Korea, the United States, Canada, Australia, India and Hong Kong, among others.
By March, as lockdowns eased, tourists from China outpaced that of Australia, India and Hong Kong, though still behind South Korea, the United States and Canada.
Return of Chinese tourists
Chinese tourists returning after a multi-year lockdown have already sent the country up Grab’s tourist chart in March.
Pre-pandemic, Chinese travellers have been estimated to make up some 40 per cent of tourist numbers in the region.
Southeast Asia can expect to continue to see a rise in Chinese tourist numbers, according to a recent Grab survey on the travel patterns of mainland China tourists.
About 53 per cent of those between 20 and 39 years old surveyed in February expressed a higher intent to travel to Southeast Asia with Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore topping the list.
To support travellers from China, Grab has a Mini Program within WeChat’s app that will open Grab’s ride-hailing services to WeChat users. Through the program, users will be able to book rides across more than 500 cities in eight Southeast Asian countries.