The editors here at Going Global love to track international travel trends as we see this as the best way to predict how the industry will change and evolve. And for all of us who spend our lives on airplanes and living out of hotels this matters.
So we were particularly interested in a new study on the travel habits of Asia Pacific travelers. Since the Chinese now spend more on international travel than anyone else, this segment is going to redefine travel and tourism. So understanding what they like and dislike is a good starting point in order to predict how the world of travel will change in the months and years ahead.
Travelzoo Asia Pacific announced that its annual subscriber survey findings showed that the Asian travel appetite in 2014 will get stronger, with a forecasted increase of 17 percent in travel budgets over last year’s. The results also highlighted transformations in the vacation spending patterns of Mainland Chinese travelers, with the majority willing to spend more for upgrading their holiday experiences and high-end accommodations.
The study revealed that Mainland Chinese travelers will continue to lead the region in travel frequency, taking an average of 6.5 leisure trips and spending an estimated $8,200 USD on travel in 2014. This is followed by the Japanese with 5 leisure trips and an average spend of $4,800; the Taiwanese with 4.4 leisure trips and an average spend of $6,170; and Hong Kong travelers with 4.3 leisure trips and an average spend of $6,900. By contrast, Australians will travel the least, with an average of 3.5 leisure trips in 2014. However, they will fork out the most for their vacations, at an average spend of $9,340.This shows how different culture view travel.
The study also pointed to Asian travelers’ growing preference for independent travel and high-quality holiday experiences. When respondents were asked what best describes their attitude towards leisure travel, 62 percent aide they prefer to explore at their own pace and 54 percent view rest and relax as key to their holiday experiences. Almost half of the respondents surveyed will focus on improving the quality of their vacation, spending more on hotels, food and entertainment, and less on shopping. The figures for Mainland Chinese travelers were reflected strongly in these trends, with 75 percent wanting to rest and relax during their vacations, 62 percent spending more for upgrading their holiday experiences, and 56 percent preferring to explore at their own pace.
“The study confirms that Asia Pacific remains an important growth engine for global tourism,” said Jason Yap, CEO, Travelzoo Asia Pacific. “Asian travelers will lead in driving global tourism in years to come. Through our subscribers and workings with travel suppliers, we see trends ahead of the curve. Some companies are already capitalizing on this by offering higher levels of personalized and quality vacation products. Those that set standards and create higher value will certainly benefit from the golden period of Asia’s tourism development.”
