{"slug": "hong-kong-parents-turn-to-summer-school-options-in-asia-amid-soaring-airfares", "title": "Hong Kong parents turn to summer school options in Asia amid soaring airfares", "summary": "Hong Kong families are shifting from traditional summer school programs in Britain and North America to cheaper Asia-based alternatives due to soaring airfares, with applications to UK summer schools dropping 35% this year. Education consultant Samuel Chan Sze-ming of Britannia StudyLink attributes the decline to rising travel costs fueled by the war in Iran, as round-trip economy fares to London have increased 39% to HK$8,500 in August.", "body_md": "# Hong Kong parents turn to summer school options in Asia amid soaring airfares\n\nApplications to UK summer schools drop 35 per cent as travel costs surge, driving demand for cheaper Asia-based programmes, education consultants say\n\nHong Kong families are turning away from long-standing summer school favourites in Britain and North America amid soaring airfares, with education consultants reporting a sharp surge in demand for alternatives in Asia.\n\nApplications for British summer schools fell 35 per cent this year as Hong Kong parents balk at soaring airfares, fuelled by the war in Iran, according to Samuel Chan Sze-ming, founder of education consultancy Britannia StudyLink.\n\nThe firm acts as an agent for programmes in the United Kingdom, with public listings showing a two-week residential camp costing HK$34,800 (US$4,440) in fees alone from June to August – around HK$1,960 more than last year.\n\nThe camp combines English tuition with sports and cultural excursions. Chan said a typical group comprises 15 students, targeting those aged six to 18.\n\nFlight booking data shows that round-trip economy fares to London have climbed to HK$8,500 in August, marking a 39 per cent increase from the HK$6,100 average in May.\n\nChan said more parents were turning their attention to Asia.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/hong-kong-parents-turn-to-summer-school-options-in-asia-amid-soaring-airfares", "canonical_source": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3357803/hong-kong-parents-turn-summer-school-options-asia-amid-soaring-airfares?utm_source=rss_feed", "published_at": "2026-06-21 04:00:20+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-21 04:11:40.136864+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy"], "entities": ["Britannia StudyLink", "Samuel Chan Sze-ming", "Hong Kong", "United Kingdom", "Asia", "London", "Iran"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/hong-kong-parents-turn-to-summer-school-options-in-asia-amid-soaring-airfares", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/hong-kong-parents-turn-to-summer-school-options-in-asia-amid-soaring-airfares.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/hong-kong-parents-turn-to-summer-school-options-in-asia-amid-soaring-airfares.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/hong-kong-parents-turn-to-summer-school-options-in-asia-amid-soaring-airfares.jsonld"}}