Asian flashpackers emerge as a force to reckon with

ASIAN flashpackers – backpackers with bigger budgets – are muscling up as an emerging segment for Lub d Hostels, a high-end hostel chain in Bangkok.

Lub d Hostels’ marketing and sales strategies manager, Nalin Kalayanamitr, remarked that Asian flashpackers were increasingly making up a greater proportion of its guests.

Speaking at No Vacancy Southeast Asia 2013 in Bangkok, she said: “Since the second half of last year, we’ve noticed a significant increase in Asians, especially the Chinese. The UK used to be among the top source markets for our Siam Square property, but have now been replaced by South Korea and China, while Singapore is within the top five.

“Indonesia and the Philippines are also emerging markets for us, especially Indonesia, which is now among our top 10 source markets,” she added.

Of Lub d Hostels’ two Bangkok properties in Bangkok at Silom and Siam Square, the latter is seeing a spike in Asian flashpackers due to its proximity to shopping centres. With rates starting at 400 baht (US$13) for dormitory rooms, the hostels attract Asian guests of about 27-28 years old on average with university-level education.

On the differences between the Asian and Western clients, she said: “Asian guests like shopping more than the Europeans and are generally less outgoing, but our yaa dong (Thai fermented whiskey) parties held every Wednesday nights are also well-received among our Asians. Asians tend to come in groups of four to five people and the social media plays a big part for them – they love to tag themselves.”

In the pipeline is a third Lub d Hostel, which is most likely to be “near the border” in Thailand, but Nalin declined to reveal the exact city.

Sourced: ttgaisa