Booking.com survey finds that disruptions, cost and safety still holding back travellers, but not in India, China and Vietnam
IT’S called separation from travel anxiety. The desperate urge to get away after two years of Covid-enforced lockdown. Anywhere. Anytime.
A staycation. A short-haul trip to Bali. A Phuket weekender. Nothing long-haul just yet.
These are some of the findings of the latest Booking.com APAC Travel Confidence Index which reveals the diversity in terms of consumer travel sentiment and confidence across Asia Pacific has become more pronounced.
The fear of travel disruptions, public health and safety and the cost of travel lead the concerns of Asia Pacific consumers, although some are more worried than others about the new challenges of travel.
While most travellers are ready to accept that disruptions are now part and parcel of travel, nearly half of Japanese (47%) and Korean (32%) respondents disagreed – the only two markets to do so.
Indian, Vietnamese and Chinese respondents to the Booking.com survey were most willing to put up with and/or overlook key travel deterrents in order to travel; as well as confidence with their home countries/territories in receiving inbound travellers.
Less confident were Japanese respondents, three quarters of whom expressed uncertainty with border reopenings, as well as their country’s preparedness to safely receive international travellers (82%).
And Singaporeans? They’re more than ready for a getaway – often to recharge mentally – but there is a strong resistance to possible travel disruptions and reluctance to share personal information for public health and safety.
Singaporeans want to take small steps before taking a long-haul trip. Most survey respondents are eyeing popular holiday destinations in Thailand and Indonesia, while many others are happy to stick around the city for a while yet, enjoying staycations with family and friends.
“Our APAC Travel Confidence Index reflects how, while travel intent remains strong, travel confidence remains nuanced across Asia – for a variety of reasons,” said Laura Houldsworth, managing director of Asia Pacific at Booking.com.
Interestingly, across the region, only 13% indicated that work was a reason for them to book a trip, despite many employees having returned to the office across Asia Pacific, signalling a slower revitalisation in corporate vs leisure travel. For Australia, work was the least common reason for travel at 6%.
Finally, sustainable travel. Everyone from India to New Zealand is onboard with this. For the Singaporean traveller, the Travel Confidence Index revealed a combination of having a variety of sustainable options conveniently accessible at a good price point, together with sustainability measures undertaken by properties transparently displayed would go far in empowering them to make sustainable travel decisions.
“The Index is a promising indication of the opportunities available for the industry to adapt and collaborate now to bolster the overall confidence of travellers, so we can truly make it easier for everyone to travel and experience the world again in a sustainable way,” Houldsworth added.
Featured image: Vineyards of Bordeaux, France – APAC travellers want to take small steps before taking a longhaul trip, the survey shows.
