Just 24% of respondents selected buying their first home or owning a dream home as one of their life goals, placing it seventh on the list, according to the Hong Kong Travel Value Report 2026 released Tuesday by Standard Chartered.
In-depth or immersive travel ranked second, chosen by 48% of wealthy Hongkongers, behind early retirement at 49% and ahead of holistic wellness at 47%.
The survey was conducted in June in the form of interviews with 1,058 affluent Hong Kong residents aged 30 or older with investible assets of at least HKD1 million (US$127,449).
For 72% of surveyed high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) with investible assets of HKD7.8 million or more, pursuing travel could “build intangible capital, broadening outlook and sustaining long-term well-being,” according to the report.
Among affluent parents, 92% identified overseas travel as “the most meaningful and valuable component” of their child’s educational investment, ahead of tutoring and extracurricular classes, the bank said.
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A couple takes a selfie with Fireworks exploding over Victoria Harbour during the China National Day Fireworks Display on October 1, 2023 in Hong Kong, China. Photo by NurPhoto via AFP |
Homes have long been a crucial asset for Hong Kong households in the world’s priciest market.
During the early 21st-century bull market, the real estate sector accounted for more than 30% of the city’s gross domestic product from 2000 to 2003, before declining to about 21% in 2021, according to a 2024 report by Shenzhen-based financial services company Great Wall Securities, as cited by South China Morning Post.
As priorities shift toward travel, HNWIs said they planned to spend an average of HKD345,000 on travel this year, compared with HKD153,000 among all respondents, the Standard Chartered report said.
That remained below the HKD870,000 recorded in the 2024 survey, when post-pandemic outbound tourism was particularly popular.
Additionally, two-thirds of HNWIs said they now spent more on travel than on daily living expenses such as dining, entertainment and lifestyle consumption.
