As Hong Kong couples want their weddings held overseas, travel destinations invite celebrities such as Yao Chen, popular in China and Hong Kong, to hold destination weddings to attract Chinese tourists. (Queenstown New Zealand)
Hong Kong couples are choosing to forego elaborate traditional Chinese weddings, comprising tea ceremonies, dinner banquets, and more, in favor of something more memorable. A recent survey by Expedia Hong Kong finds that 80 percent of couples would rather host their dream wedding overseas than in Hong Kong.
According to Expedia’s survey, over half of the 300 participants said that destination weddings offer a unique experience that cannot be found in Hong Kong. They felt that Hong Kong just can’t offer the stunning views that other countries can. The Maldives, Japan, and France make up the top three destinations. Seventy-seven percent of the participants indicated that having beautiful sights is the most important reason to hold weddings overseas, followed by the price (43 percent), and being married in a “beautiful church” (31 percent).
Eschewing the traditional wedding seems to be more popular with the young. Eighty-five percent of those surveyed in the 18-24 age group want to get married abroad, the highest percentage of all age groups that took part. Fourteen percent of those surveyed go as far as to say that traditional Chinese ceremonies are boring and predictable, and they would rather have something unique and memorable.
With the average cost of weddings in Hong Kong being $32,000-$36,000, according to China Daily Asia, it is little wonder that more couples are looking toward foreign shores. Expedia’s survey shows that 20 percent of the participants would choose to have an overseas wedding for cost reasons, where they would gladly pay upwards of $25,000 for a better experience.
The $80 billion wedding industry has caught the attention of many tourist destinations, and many cities and countries have taken to inviting Chinese celebrities to their shores in hopes that the crowds will follow. New Zealand, for example, teamed up with Chinese superstar Yao Chen for her to have her wedding there, and has been promoting itself on Chinese social media as a luxury destination for honeymoons and weddings.
With the Chinese wedding industry growing, and more couples wanting something different from the usual tea-and-banquet fanfare, travel destinations will certainly try their best to sell to couples looking for something unique for their marital bliss.