Summer tour prices rise across the board, except in New Zealand and India

Written/Compiled and reported by Li Xinyi, MOOK Travel Life Network

As summer vacation approaches, July and August are peak travel seasons for family trips and parent-child tours. The Consumer Protection Association has released reference prices for group tours from July to September this year. Nearly all tour prices have increased compared to the previous quarter, and compared to the same period last year (July to September), due to rising fuel prices, airfares, and transportation costs, travel expenses in most regions have also mostly gone up. Southeast Asia tours are about NT$2,000 more expensive, Japan tours about NT$5,000 more, Korea tours about NT$1,000 to NT$3,000 more, while increases are even higher outside Asia—with North America and Canada seeing hikes of over NT$10,000, and Europe increasing by NT$6,000 to NT$20,000. However, New Zealand, which enters winter in July, has seen tour prices drop by NT$7,000 to NT$15,000, as airlines did not raise their fares during the vacation period, and hotels and local operators offered discounts to boost sales.

Last year, mainland China received over 2.8 million visitors from Taiwan. Compared to the same period this year or to tour prices from April to June, prices have increased by NT$1,000 to NT$5,000. With the number of mainland Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan continuing to grow, the demand for flights during the summer exceeds supply, keeping group flight ticket prices high and difficult to lower. Those planning to travel there are advised to sign up early. In Japan, apart from the Kurobe Tateyama area where prices have dropped following the end of the snow wall season, other regions have seen prices increase by over NT$5,000 due to the summer vacation period and the upcoming flower season in Hokkaido starting at the end of June. In Korea, the Yeosu Expo has begun and will run until August 12, with tour prices about NT$1,000 to NT$2,000 higher than the same period last year. The Americas and Europe have seen the largest increases, rising by NT$3,000 to NT$8,000 compared to last year, mainly due to higher airfares and fuel costs. It’s worth noting that London will host the Olympics from late July to late August, and accommodations may be in very short supply, so early planning is essential.

Among the regions where tour prices have decreased, Egypt and India are in the midst of scorching summer heat. Egypt shows no significant price increase, while India has seen a drop in tour prices—about NT$2,000 to NT$3,000 less for 6–7 day tours, and about NT$3,000 to NT$5,000 less for 9-day tours. Starting in July, New Zealand and Australia enter winter, making them ideal destinations for travelers seeking snow and hot springs to escape the heat in the northern hemisphere. In New Zealand, local hotel promotional pricing has made rates cheaper than the previous quarter, and there is also ample flight capacity from China Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Singapore Airlines, leading to an overall tour price drop of NT$7,000 to NT$15,000. In Australia, Cairns has a tropical climate, while South Australia and Western Australia have Mediterranean climates, making the weather pleasant at this time. Notably, Uluru in the Northern Territory, benefiting from comfortable winter temperatures, has entered its peak tourism season, so tour prices there have actually risen, ranging between NT$5,000 and NT$12,000.

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