For anyone with a social media account, the annual flood of stories about feminist role models is almost unavoidable on March 8. This day marks International Women’s Day, a global date that celebrates the achievements of women while drawing attention to the gender parity that still exists, over 100 years since this day was first observed.
While women in positions of power and influence are rightly celebrated, International Women’s Day is also an opportunity to take stock of how far (and how much further) ordinary women’s lives have come in the past year. And in the world of travel, it looks at though we’re increasingly calling the shots.
A TripAdvisor survey has found that four out of five (or 83%) of Asian women contribute financially to their trips now. Half of them make all the travel decisions, compared to 46% who include their significant other in the planning process.
TripAdvisor’s survey is based on 2,800 female travellers across Asia, including Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, India and Japan. While the majority of Asian women contributed to the cost of their holidays, 27% funded the entire holiday – footing the bill for themselves as well as for those they travelled with. Only a minority (13%) relied on their significant other to pay for their holiday.
Despite their relative financial independence, Asian female travellers are recognised as savvy deal hunters, with the majority (78%) likely to be swayed by great deals or low prices, followed by those who crowd source travel wisdom via review sites like TripAdvisor.
Within this group, half of all Malaysian women surveyed were influenced by promotional travel packages, while 42% of Japanese women find frequent flyer miles and loyalty programmes enticing.
The survey also covers how women across Asia plan their holidays, what factors guide them and the influence they have over decision-making.
Japan, Thailand and Australia top the list of short-haul destinations for Asian female travellers, though for those looking to travel long-haul, the United States was their preferred destination.
68% of female travellers say travel has had a positive impact on their lives, helping them “learn about the world,” while 33% say travel has changed the way they think and the way they live their lives.
Nature (65%), good food and restaurants (61%) and arts, history and cultural attractions (56%) dictate where women choose to travel to. Thanks to TripAdvisor, the gender stereotype of women only interested in shopping is now officially debunked: only 30% of female travellers surveyed considered ‘good shopping’ a vital element in any trip.
Historically, money and public standing has developed in tandem with each other. As Asian women gain financial independence, so do the gravity of their needs exert a stronger pull. We are a growing voice, and it’s time we were listened to more intently.
