The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s tour of South East Asia may have come to an end, but it looks the region could be feeling the benefits for months to come.
Countries in this part of the world have seen a surge in popularity as a result of the Royal visit, with holiday bookings to Malaysia and Singapore rising by a third.
William and Kate’s nine-day Asian adventure was part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and saw them visit attractions and meet local people.
The couple spent two nights in Singapore’s famed Raffles hotel before visiting key attractions in Singapore, such as the Botanic Gardens, the Kranji Memorial Cemetery and the Gardens by the Bay.
The royal couple then travelled on to Malaysia, visiting the country’s bustling capital of Kuala Lumpur, before heading for a stay at the exclusive Borneo Rainforest Lodge in the jungles of Sabah.
Here they had a chance to fully unwind, and the couple held hands as they were hoisted up into the canopy and took a romantic stroll across a rope bridge in the trees.
Despite the fact that Will and Kate’s visit has come to an end, the trip has clearly left a firm impression on travellers’ minds.
Lastminute.com has reported that sales of flights and hotels in Singapore have soared by 51 per cent, while bookings to Malaysia are up by 34 per cent in a year-on-year comparison.
The Duke and Duchess went on to visit the Solomon Islands where they were greeted by tens of thousands of well wishers as they negotiated the streets of Honiara on a vehicle shaped like a traditional canoe.
The final leg of their tour saw them take a trip to the island of Tavanipupu, where the royal couple seemed in high spirits and they danced the traditional “Fatele” dressed in grass skirts.
(Images: chensiyuan, Antoine Hubert, United Nations Photo)
