Cheap flights drive travel, new study reveals
Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly
The availability of cheap flights is a key factor in driving travellers to destinations they may not have otherwise visited, a new report has revealed.
In its 2016 TripBarometer study, TripAdvisor found that while a destination’s culture is the most important pull factor for travellers, half of global travellers – and a quarter of Asian respondents – said they have visited a destination due to a special offer.
With its multitude of low-cost carrier options, 25% of Asian survey respondents said they have chosen to visit a destination because of a cheap flight, with Malaysian (39%), Indonesian (36%) and Chinese (23%) travellers the most likely to do so.
But finding a cheap hotel could be more problematic for bargain-seeking Asian holidaymakers in 2016. The study also revealed that 47% of global hoteliers are planning to raise their room rates next year, although that figure falls to 39% among Asian hoteliers.
The survey also found that one-in-three Asian travellers plan to spend more on their trips in 2016, while 38% are planning longer trips next year. Travellers from Japan will have the highest average travel budgets in 2016 (US$5,600), followed by China (US$3,600), India (US$3,100), Thailand (US$2,200), Malaysia (US$2,100) and Indonesia (US$1,400).
“Value is key for global travellers in 2016, as they look to get the most out of their trips,” said Helena Egan, TripAdvisor’s director of global industry relations. “While a third plan to increase their travel budgets for next year, the majority of global travellers expect essential amenities to be included in the price of their hotel and more than half say special offers can play a big part in their choice of destination.”
The availability of free Wi-Fi continues to be a deal-breaker to many travellers. Globally, nearly half (46%) of travellers will not consider a hotel that does not have free Wi-Fi, but that figure jumps to 60% among Chinese travellers. Other Asian staples include air conditioning, breakfast and an in-room kettle.
The TripBarometer gathered the views of more than 44,000 travellers from 32 countries.
Comments are closed.