- Rising costs of travel, and catching Covid-19 while on holiday are among the top concerns of travelers in Asia.
- Over 80% of travelers in Asia are intending to travel in 2023 and plan to spend the same if not more on travel as compared to 2022, despite the looming global recession.
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 Klook.
However, concerns about 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. From the study, 79% of Filipinos are worried about travel given economic uncertainties, but even so, almost all (87%) are still eager to travel, with 17% already booked for a holiday trip in 2023.
Which concerns travelers more: catching Covid-19 or the 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 (71%), Singapore (70%), and Japan (68%) travelers ranked the highest for cost as a concern. However, Filipinos are among the most excited to travel despite their worries, with 75% intending to spend the same if not more on travel in 2023. Beyond the rising cost of travel, concerns around Covid-19 still remain, with 39% Asians 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.
Michelle Ho, General Manager, Philippines at Klook adds, “The enthusiasm Filipinos have for travel empowers us to continue providing them unforgettable experiences and pushes us to further expand the variety of travel offerings available in our platform in order to cater to the traveler’s demands.”
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 – Philippines
- About 4 in 5 travelers in Asia are anxious about traveling internationally in 2023 given economic uncertainties.
- 79% of travelers in the Philippines are anxious about traveling internationally in 2023 given economic uncertainties.
- A large majority (83%) are eager to travel internationally again in 2023 (vs 17% who are not eager at all).
- 87% of eager travelers in the Philippines plan to go on at least one international holiday in 2023, and almost 44% plan for 2 to 4 holidays for 2023.
- 17% have already booked an international holiday in 2023 (vs 83% who have not booked).
- Most popular travel length for a break is 3-5 days (40%), 10 or more days (38%), 6-9 days (44%) and then 1-2 days (15%).
- 40% plan to spend more on travel, almost 40% travel budgets remain the same (35%), and only 25% are planning to spend less on travel.
- Top travel concerns from people in the Philippines are most worried about the cost of travel (63%), followed by having the right travel documentation (39%), flight delays and lost baggage (33%), catching COVID while traveling (31%), transportation (27%), and language barriers (26%).