One of the top online travel agencies in the world, Booking.com, has unveiled the APAC Travel Confidence Index (TCI) for 2023. The report offers a thorough analysis of travel mindsets throughout Asia-Pacific (APAC) in light of the current macroeconomic conditions. It reveals a startling paradox: astonishingly, 73% of APAC travellers remain unwaveringly optimistic about their future travel plans over the course of the next 12 months, despite the fact that financial worries are their top worry (42%).
Despite the intricate and interconnected crises pressing on the world economy, such as inflation, climate change, and supply chain disruptions, more than half (53%) of travellers surveyed have no intention of cancelling any of their travel plans. What’s more impressive is that 59% of these travellers not only stick to their original travel schedules, but also want to take more trips and spend more money on travel this year.
Over 8,000 travellers from 11 different APAC nations and territories, including Hong Kong, participated in the TCI 2023 research, which was commissioned by Booking.com and independently carried out by Milieu Insight between April and May 2023.
It provides a thorough analysis of traveller confidence and interest in sustainability across a range of APAC destinations. The report includes rankings that gauge the degree of consumer confidence in each market, with Hong Kong coming in at number one.
In addition, the report introduces four distinct traveller personas for the first time, offering insightful information about their primary driving forces, priorities, and travel habits:
Conscious Explorers actively pursue sustainable and eco-friendly travel (Hong Kong, India, Mainland China, Taiwan). They are committed to exploring while minimising their negative effects on the environment. To be consistent with their values, they participate in ecotourism, stay in eco-friendly hotels, and give to the community.
Comfort and convenience are prioritised by Comfort Seekers (Singapore, Australia). They look for luxurious getaways and lodgings that promote the utmost in relaxation. In their travel choices, they place a premium on comfort over sustainability and value individualised services and high-quality amenities.
Vietnam’s Mindful Voyagers take a deliberate and considerate approach to travel, motivated by a sense of duty to the environment and a desire to support local communities. However, they frequently feel anxious in strange settings and actively look for resources to get over their fears and build confidence.
Homebound Pragmatists (New Zealand, Korea, Japan, and Thailand) favour local travel and staying in close proximity to their places of residence. Convenience, effectiveness, and making the most of time and resources are given top priority. Making the most of their limited time and resources, they seek out efficient, organised, and seamless travel experiences.
Conscious Explorers from Hong Kong travel.
According to 49% of Hong Kong residents, leisure travel makes people happier, and 35% acknowledge that it provides much-needed relief from the pressures of daily life and urban living.
Source- Travel daily