Many Asian tourist including those from Vietnam want to travel internationally despite inflation. (Photo courtesy of Klook Vietnam)
HCM City – Almost four in five travelers in
Asia are eager to travel internationally in 2023 as concerns around inflation
and rising costs will likely not stop travelers from packing their bags,
reported a new study conducted by Klook in November 2022 in nine markets,
including Vietnam.
An overwhelming majority, about 81%, are eager to travel
internationally in the new year, with one third planning to take at least two
to four trips.
In Vietnam, even though 75% are worried about travel given
economic uncertainties, 79% plan to have more than one international trip in
2023, and 45% plan to stay abroad for 10 days.
According to the study, 63% of travelers in Asia are worried about
the increasing cost 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 than in 2022.
Among the respondents, travelers from Malaysia, Singapore and
Japan ranked the highest for cost as a concern. However, Vietnamese are among
the most excited to travel despite their worries, with 51% 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.
Despite feeling anxious about travel in the face of a looming
global recession, travelers in Asia have not given up on their travel plans
yet. 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 for
travel.
To allay concerns, half of travelers aim to plan their itinerary
ahead of time to maximize their experiences during their trips. For those who
are more conscious of health and safety, 43% will purchase travel insurance,
and 35% will look to explore less crowded places in their destinations to
minimize risk and exposure.
“In 2022, Asian travelers, particularly Vietnamese travelers,
have reacted and adapted positively to travel changes. We have seen waves of
Vietnamese traveling outbound as soon as travel restrictions were lifted,
giving rise to a strong recovery of outbound travel since March 2022. Among the
top three destinations visited from Vietnam, there were months when demand for
Singapore, South Korea and Thailand surpassed pre-COVID levels,” said Michello
Ho, 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 to
traveling in 2023. They plan to go abroad more. They expect to spend more. And
we are here to serve all of their current and new travel needs, both domestic
and outbound levels,” Ho said.
In Asia, a common thread of discovery and family-centric
activities take center stage. Usual suspects such as museums, theme parks, and
zoos and animal parks lead the way for 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 exploring areas
beyond the city./.
