From 9.9 to 11.11: How double-digit sales are changing the way Singaporeans book trips 

SINGAPORE – When Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba launched its first 11.11 shopping festival in 2009, just 27 merchants took part, generating US$7.8 million in sales.

Fast-forward to 2025, and the shopping event has become a retail juggernaut. 

By midnight on Nov 14, 2025, nearly 600 brands had surpassed 100 million yuan (S$18.9 million) in sales, while brands such as sportswear retailer Nike, consumer technology giant Apple and home appliance and electronics maker Haier recorded sales of more than one billion yuan each.

The success of the event was replicated by other e-commerce platforms and businesses, turning 11.11 into a fixture of the global shopping calendar. Consumers, increasingly accustomed to waiting for these dates to snap up deals, proved receptive.

Today, major e-commerce platforms such as Shopee and Lazada, and travel booking platforms like Klook, Traveloka and Trip.com, run double-digit campaigns throughout the year, curating seasonal deals to keep consumers coming back.

“Because of this frequent month-to-month recall, some sellers and brands have been shaping their product and deal launches around these campaigns,” says Geraldine Ho, head of marketing at Shopee Singapore. 

In 2025, Shopee’s travel-related sales – such as eSIMs and suitcases – on 9.9 were 3.5 times higher than those of an average day. On 11.11, travel-related sales were nearly eight times higher than the daily average in both 2024 and 2025. 

Travel booking platforms that spoke with The Straits Times say the deals not only sell flights, hotels and attractions, but also help them understand when and how travellers book their trips.

How are Singaporeans shopping for travel deals?

Traveloka Singapore launched its first double-digit sales campaign on Nov 11, 2021. It now runs double-digit sales from March to December and says it has observed a shift in how customers shop.

“What we noticed early on was that these double-digit dates were already driving higher traveller interest and bookings than a typical day, even when we weren’t running any campaign on them,” says Alex Jung, head of marketing at Traveloka.

Monthly double-digit days generate up to 32 per cent higher transaction numbers and 37 per cent higher daily spending than the platform’s monthly averages. 

For Jung, the figures point to a shift from purely price-driven behaviour to something more habitual, where travellers are primed to expect better value on these dates.

It has changed the way some travellers plan their purchases, says Jung. Rather than booking a single attraction or hotel room, they may bundle larger travel purchases around campaign dates, anticipating discounts or other incentives.

Klook, which ran its first 11.11 sale in 2024, has observed a similar pattern.

In 2026, the platform has run four double-digit campaigns so far, between May and August, with each campaign day recording sales that were more than 15 per cent higher, compared with the preceding week’s average, says Jeanette Ong, its associate director of marketing.

Singapore travellers’ focus on value has influenced how Klook approaches these campaigns.

In its Travel Pulse 2026 survey, these travellers emerged as the most cost-conscious market in the Asia-Pacific region, ahead of those in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Thus, the company increased the frequency of double-digit sales campaigns to offer value-conscious travellers more discounted deals throughout the year.

In 2024, it ran only two double-digit sales, on 11.11 and 12.12. In 2025, it ran sales monthly from June’s 6.6 campaign and, in 2026, it is looking to run them monthly from May’s 5.5 campaign.

Ong says Klook’s increase in double-digit sales campaigns over the years is partly driven by Singapore travellers’ longer booking windows, with more willing to plan and book trips months in advance to secure better savings.

Timing the right deals

Unlike consumer goods, which can be promoted year-round, travel demand is heavily shaped by seasonality and emerging travel trends. As a result, deals can look very different in the first and second halves of the year.  

“The key method is to look at seasonality. We will curate deals based on how travellers are planning and booking travel, and also look at popular travel seasons like cherry blossom season, ski season and autumn,” says Klook’s Ong.

Historical booking data helps platforms anticipate which destinations are likely to resonate with travellers at different times.

For example, during Trip.com’s 3.3 campaign, destinations in South-east Asia such as Thailand and Vietnam tend to be popular with Singapore travellers as they plan ahead for long-weekend trips or getaways during the June school holidays.

In the second half of the year, demand for winter destinations in Asia, including South Korea and Japan, picks up, while more travellers consider long-haul trips to Europe towards the end of the year or the start of the following year, says Edmund Ong, general manager of Trip.com Singapore.

Jung identifies China, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong as destinations that continue to see strong demand from Singapore travellers. Even within these destinations, traveller preferences shift quickly.

“Within China, we’re seeing significant growth in the secondary cities. A year ago, it was skewed towards better-known destinations like Beijing and Shanghai. But we’re seeing growth in secondary cities like Chengdu and Chongqing, both from a demand and supply point of view,” he says.

This is where forecasting becomes trickier.

Platforms can use historical data to anticipate broad patterns – such as when certain regions or countries are likely to be popular – but it is harder to predict which less-established destinations may suddenly take off.

Social media can offer an early hint. Platforms monitor emerging travel trends and spikes in searches and bookings to identify destinations gaining traction, particularly when they fall outside established seasonal patterns.

Shoppers, however, are attracted by the deals themselves. Popular ones include one-for-one deals, cash discounts and stackable coupons. 

“We can tell how popular a deal is by how fast it runs out. Among Singapore travellers, it is the one-for-one deals – those are typically the most value-for-money, but also come in limited quantity,” says Klook’s Ong.

“Still, as with any strategy, there is no one-size-fits-all. When running any campaign, we want to make sure that the right experiences reach the right travellers at the right moment, which is why we look at booking data, curate products and activities, and make sure we pair them with the best deals.”