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Rising costs of travel, catching Covid-19 while on holiday among the top concerns of travelers in Asia. Over 80% of travelers in Asia are intending to travel in 2023 plan to spend the same if not more on travel as compared to 2022, despite the looming global recession.
SINGAPORE – If the economic uncertainties are making you worried or anxious about your holiday plans for 2023, you’re not alone. Almost 4 in 5 travelers in Asia are anxious about traveling next year (2023), according to a new study by Klook1.
However, concerns around inflation and rising costs are not stopping travelers from packing their bags. An overwhelming majority (81%) are eager to travel internationally in the new year, with one third planning to take at least 2 to 4 trips. In Singapore, even though 80% are worried about travel given economic uncertainties, almost all (92%) are eager to travel, with 1 in 3 Singaporeans having already booked a holiday in 2023, the highest across Asia.
Which concerns travelers more: catching Covid-19 or rising costs of travel?
A whopping 63% of travelers in Asia are worried about the increasing price tags associated with travel. However, the desire to travel appears to be even stronger, with more than 80% planning to spend the same or more on travel. Among the respondents, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan travelers ranked the highest for cost as a concern. However, Singaporeans are among the most excited to travel despite their worries, with 40% intending to spend more on travel in 2023. Beyond the rising cost of travel, concerns around Covid-19 still remain, with 39% worried about catching the virus while on holiday.
Vacation all the way, no matter the obstacles
Despite feeling anxious about travel in the face of a looming global recession, travelers in Asia are not giving up on their travel plans just yet. 35% will opt for a nearer destination or travel during off-peak seasons, while 34% are willing to cut back on other expenses in order to save more for travel.
To allay concerns, half of travelers aim to plan their itinerary ahead of time to maximize the experiences during their trips. For those who are more conscious of health and safety, 43% will ensure that they purchase travel insurance, and 35% will look to explore less crowded places within their destinations to minimize risk and exposure.
Is 2023 the Year of ‘Travesillience’?
Marcus Yong, Vice President, Global Marketing at Klook, predicts that in 2023, travelers will remain resilient against all odds. He says, “After two years of being grounded, travel is now an experience that people treasure more than ever before, and this is clear from our survey data. Although travel behavior and attitudes have evolved in the past few years, we still see that travelers are ready to adapt and determined to travel no matter what it takes in search of the joys and rewards of travel.”
“2023 is the Year of Travelsilience (travel and resilience), where travelers pursue travel to create new memorable experiences, despite all struggles and any headwinds.”
With Klook, travelers have the world at their fingertips. From popular attractions to cozy lesser-known activities, there is a wide range of experiences for travelers to dive into and discover joy during their trips. In 2022, Klook delivered over 108 million hours of joy through experiences booked via its app and website.
Across Asia, a common thread of discovery and family-centric activities take center stage. Usual suspects such as Museums, Theme Parks and Zoos & Animal Parks lead the way for the top experiences in Asia. Additionally, there has also been strong demand for car rentals and outdoor experiences such as Walking Tours and Trekking – suggesting that travelers are going beyond metropolitan areas and exploring areas beyond the city.
Key Survey Highlights – Asia and Singapore
- About 4 in 5 travelers in Asia (77%) are anxious about traveling internationally in 2023 given economic uncertainties.
– In Singapore, 80% of travelers are anxious about 2023 travel in the face of economic uncertainties. - A large majority (81%) of travelers in Asia are eager to travel internationally again in 2023 (vs 19% who are not eager at all).
– 92% of Singapore travelers are looking forward to traveling compared to 8%who are not eager at all. - 79% of eager travelers in Asia plan to go on at least one international holiday in 2023, and almost 4 in 10 travelers plan for 2 to 4 holidays for 2023.
– 97% of eager travelers in Singapore plan to go on at least one international holiday in 2023, and more than half (54%) plan for 2 to 4 holidays for 2023. - Among travelers in Asia, the most popular travel length for a break is 3-5 days (45%), followed by 6-9 days (34%), then 10 or more days (25%).
– Among Singapore travelers, the most popular travel length for a break is 3-5 days (44%), followed by 6-9 days (38%), 10 or more days (29%), and then 1-2 days (18%). - 41% of travelers in Asia plan to spend more on travel, 40% of travel budgets remain the same, and only 19% are planning to spend less on travel.
– 40% of Singapore travelers plan to spend more on travel, almost half (48%) of travel budgets remain the same, and only 12% are planning to spend less on travel. - Top travel concerns from travelers in Asia are the cost of travel (63%), catching Covid-19 or falling ill while traveling (39%), language barriers (35%), having the right travel documentation (33%).
– Among Singapore travelers, the top concerns are the cost of travel (70%), followed by catching COVID while traveling (47%), flight delays and lost baggage (37%), transportation (37%), and availability of flights (35%).
1. The travelsilience survey was conducted in November 2022 through Stickybeak with a total of 902 respondents across 9 markets including Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, and Korea.
2. Based on Klook internal data
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
