Sam's Club retreats from group shopping and shifts focus to themed tours
After the customs clearance between Hong Kong and the mainland, supermarket shopping tours have become popular. Travel agencies have launched shopping tours to Shenzhen and Dongguan, with group fees as low as 299 yuan. During peak periods, there are 5,000 sign-ups per week, but demand decreased in July. As a result, travel agencies have shifted their focus to high-speed rail tours and themed tours. The number of Hong Kong members at Costco Shenzhen has reached 35,000, with higher consumption than the mainland. The daily number of Hong Kong visitors ranges from 150 to 200 people, reaching 400 people on holidays
After the customs clearance between Hong Kong and the mainland, the number of Hong Kong people traveling north for shopping has increased rather than decreased, with supermarket shopping tours becoming a new trend. According to statistics, at the beginning of this year, a total of 7 travel agencies in Hong Kong launched 2 to 3-day pure sightseeing tours to Shenzhen or Dongguan, with one of the attractions including a visit to Sam's Club, with some tour fees starting as low as 299 yuan. Eddie Wu, Deputy General Manager of Wing On Travel, stated that during the peak period earlier this year, there were one to two supermarket shopping tours heading north every day. As for EGL Tours (06882), the Sam's Club tour held at the beginning of the year has already attracted 5,000 participants within a week, exceeding expectations.
Peak Period: 5,000 Participants in One Week
Kwok Kuk Chuen, Executive Director of EGL Tours, pointed out that due to the lack of warehouse-style supermarkets in Hong Kong, coupled with media coverage, many Hong Kong people are interested in Sam's Club. In January and February of this year, the company launched 2-day tours to Shenzhen and Dongguan, incorporating Sam's Club as an attraction, with tour fees covering hotels, transportation, meals, and Sam's Club membership cards. Subsequently, when Costco supermarket opened in Shenzhen, the company also organized related tours, although such tours were not very profitable. By July, the demand for northbound supermarket tours began to decrease, prompting the company to suspend Sam's Club tours and focus on organizing mainland high-speed rail tours and themed tours.
On the other hand, Cao Guohua, the store manager of Costco Shenzhen, mentioned that the number of Hong Kong members at Costco Shenzhen has reached 35,000, accounting for approximately 14% of the total membership. Hong Kong customers spend an average of about 850 RMB per person at the store, which is 13.3% higher than the average spending of mainland customers. Since its opening, the number of Hong Kong customers has been maintained at a certain level, with about 150 to 200 Hong Kong visitors on weekdays and around 400 Hong Kong visitors on weekends, including supermarket shopping tours organized by travel agencies, with one to two tours visiting the supermarket for sightseeing and shopping each day
