With the emergence of low-cost airlines, travel has become much more affordable for the masses. This has led to a boom in the tourism industry as the middle-class are increasingly viewing holidays as an integral aspect of their spending. Tourist arrivals for the period January to June 2019 increased 6% year-on-year for Asia, driven by Chinese outbound tourism.
Though the trade tensions between the US and China threaten to dampen demand for goods and services (as a result of the tariffs imposed by both sides on goods and services), the Chinese should still drive growth in the tourism industry through both outbound and domestic travel.
This is a multi-year growth phenomenon and investors who wish to participate in this growth should consider investing in companies that provide exposure to this secular growth trend. Here are two companies that provide investors with exposure to the booming tourism industry in China, as well as broader Asia.
1. Samsonite International S.A.
Samsonite International S.A. (SEHK: 1910) is the world’s largest travel luggage company. The group designs, manufactures, sources and distributes luggage, business and computer bags, travel accessories and protective cases for electronic devices. Samsonite has a portfolio of well-known brands such as Tumi, American Tourister, Speck, Hartmann, and Lipault, to name a few.
The boom in tourism is expected to benefit Samsonite’s luggage business, as an increasing number of people will purchase luggage for travel. Over the years, Samsonite has also acquired other luggage brands to increase its breadth of product offerings and to target different consumer segments.
In August 2012, Samsonite acquired luxury travel goods maker Hartmann for US$35 million in order to target the higher-end segment of the market. In March 2016, Tumi Holdings Inc was acquired by Samsonite for US$1.8 billion in order to expand the group’s presence in the premium segment of the travel luggage and business bags sector.
Armed with a wide array of brands, Samsonite can ride the wave of growth in tourism by catering to different customer segments.
2. Beijing Capital International Airport Co Ltd
Beijing Capital International Airport Co Ltd (SEHK: 694) is a company that operates and manages aeronautical and non-aeronautical businesses at Beijing Capital Airport. The aeronautical business deals with the provision of aircraft landings and take-offs and passenger service facilities.
As at the end of 2018, the group had 105 airlines operating fixed commercial flights at the airport. The non-aeronautical segment includes ground handling agent services, in-flight catering services and duty-free and other retail shops.
Beijing International Airport provides an essential gateway for passengers travelling to and from Beijing, China, and is set to benefit from increased outbound tourism by Mainland Chinese as well as inbound flights from business travelers to China.
However, Beijing’s new Daxing International Airport has just officially opened in September 2019, therefore some airlines were shifted from Beijing Capital International Airport to Daxing, resulting in a one-off decline in revenues.
However, with tourism numbers still growing and healthy, the group should be able to continue to enjoy growing revenues and profits over time, as the new airport was built primarily to ease the growing congestion in Beijing.
Investors should keep faith with the group as its long-term prospects are sanguine as Beijing in the capital of China and should continue to attract growing visitor numbers over the long-term.
By Motley Fool Staff
