Many Asian tourist including those from Vietnam want to travel internationally despite inflation. (Photo courtesy of Klook Vietnam) An overwhelming majority, about 81%, are eager to travelinternationally in the new year, with one third planning to take at least twoto four trips.
In Vietnam, even though 75% are worried about travel giveneconomic uncertainties, 79% plan to have more than one international trip in2023, and 45% plan to stay abroad for 10 days.
According to the study, 63% of travelers in Asia are worried aboutthe increasing cost associated with travel. However, the desire to travelappears to be even stronger, with more than 80% planning to spend the same ormore on travel than in 2022.
Among the respondents, travelers from Malaysia, Singapore andJapan ranked the highest for cost as a concern. However, Vietnamese are amongthe most excited to travel despite their worries, with 51% intending to spendmore on travel in 2023. Beyond the rising cost of travel, concerns aroundCOVID-19 still remain, with 39% worried about catching the virus while onholiday.
Despite feeling anxious about travel in the face of a loomingglobal recession, travelers in Asia have not given up on their travel plansyet. 35% will opt for a closer destination or travel during off-peak seasons,while 34% are willing to cut back on other expenses in order to save more fortravel.
To allay concerns, half of travelers aim to plan their itineraryahead of time to maximize their experiences during their trips. For those whoare more conscious of health and safety, 43% will purchase travel insurance,and 35% will look to explore less crowded places in their destinations tominimize risk and exposure.
"In 2022, Asian travelers, particularly Vietnamese travelers,have reacted and adapted positively to travel changes. We have seen waves ofVietnamese traveling outbound as soon as travel restrictions were lifted,giving rise to a strong recovery of outbound travel since March 2022. Among thetop three destinations visited from Vietnam, there were months when demand forSingapore, South Korea and Thailand surpassed pre-COVID levels,” said MichelloHo, general manager of Klook in Vietnam.
“For the year 2023 and beyond, we have ambitious growth plans for Vietnam.As revealed in our data and survey, Vietnamese people are looking forward totraveling in 2023. They plan to go abroad more. They expect to spend more. Andwe are here to serve all of their current and new travel needs, both domesticand outbound levels," Ho said.
In Asia, a common thread of discovery and family-centricactivities take center stage. Usual suspects such as museums, theme parks, andzoos and animal parks lead the way for top experiences in Asia. Additionally,there has also been strong demand for car rentals and outdoor experiences suchas walking tours and trekking - suggesting that travelers are exploring areasbeyond the city./.
VNA
