For the most part, Asia Pacific residents can travel again.
But some are safer packing than others.
Travel confidence is “diverse and nuanced” in the region, according to new research commissioned by travel website Booking.com.
About 11,000 people in the region were surveyed about their level of comfort and concern, as well as their willingness to tolerate the kinds of disruptions that have become common since the pandemic began.
The rankings
The results of the survey were published in Booking.com’s inaugural “Travel Confidence Index”, which ranked places from most to least confident.
Key findings from the study include: See the article : ‘Keep Breathing’: Melissa Barrera stars in Netflix’s survival thriller (PHOTOS).
No. 1: India
According to the research, it has been found that Indians have the highest confidence in travel. Some 86% of respondents said they plan to travel within 12 months – surpassed only by those in China – although travel to both countries is expected to be mostly domestic.
Moreover, 70% of respondents indicated that they would accept expected travel disruptions, the highest number in the survey. See the article : Nintendo also reports a drop in sales as the Switch hits 111 million.
Indians also have confidence in their country – 85% said India can safely receive international travelers back, higher than the regional average of 51%.
No. 2: Vietnam
Vietnamese are also certain to travel again, according to the survey, driven by their comfort with reopening regional borders (82%) and confidence in Vietnam’s ability to welcome travelers again (75%). See the article : Facebook’s inept advertising business lies at the heart of its weekly tech earnings.
However, rising prices can take a toll. Of all those surveyed, the Vietnamese were most concerned about costs (53%).
No. 3: China
Nearly 90% of Chinese respondents said they plan to travel in the next year, the highest of any territory surveyed.
Moreover, 62% said they plan to travel abroad “immediately” after China lifts its quarantine policy. Of those, 43% plan to go to Japan or South Korea, according to the survey.
Of all those surveyed, the Chinese are the least worried about costs (20%), but the most about administrative problems related to travel planning this year (46%).
No. 4: New Zealand
Almost 80% of Kiwis say they are likely to travel in the next year, with the biggest motive being to visit family (53%), according to the survey.
However, only 49% of Kiwi respondents said they felt leisure travel was important during the pandemic – 5 percentage points lower than the regional average.
No. 5. Australia
Compared to the regional average, Australians are slightly less likely than others to travel to the Asia-Pacific region (72% vs. 76%). Australians, like Kiwis, are also much less willing to share their personal data for travel purposes, compared to the rest of the region.
Just over half of Australians expressed satisfaction with the idea of resuming travel (55%) and Australia’s ability to safely welcome international travelers again (53%), according to the survey.
No. 6: Singapore
About 75% of Singaporeans said they were likely to travel in the next year, slightly lower than the regional average of 76%, according to the survey.
Singapore’s 6th place ranking was largely influenced by respondents’ reluctance to accept travel interruptions. Among those in Singapore – a nation known for organization and efficiency, especially at top-rated Changi Airport – only 35% said they would accept travel delays and related problems, compared with 47% across the region, according to the survey.
No. 7: Hong Kong
Compared to the rest of Asia Pacific, Hong Kongers are not as satisfied with repeat travel, nor with their ability to accommodate international travelers, according to the survey. However, 71% said they were likely to travel in the next year.
Their biggest motivator? Avoiding being “stuck at home” — some 70 percent said so, the most of all territories surveyed, including Taiwan (60 percent) and Singapore (57 percent), according to the results.
Quarantine periods for entry into Hong Kong have been reduced this week. However, many residents may be staying put this year. Almost half (47%) said they were likely to book a stay even after international travel is possible again, according to the survey.
No. 8: Thailand
Thailand receives the most tourists of any country in the region, which may be why respondents there indicated they were a little nervous about restarting travel.
According to the survey, only 39% said they were comfortable with the reopening of regional borders (versus 53% of regional ones). Even fewer (29%) said they were confident in Thailand’s ability to safely reopen to international travelers (versus 51% in the region).
No. 9: South Korea
South Koreans scored lower than regional averages in every self-confidence category except one — likelihood of traveling in the next year.
About 80% said they were likely to travel in the next 12 months, according to the survey, but only 31% said they were willing to accept travel interruptions along the way.
No. 10: Taiwan
Only 27% of respondents in Taiwan said they were comfortable with the reopening of borders in the region. And if a Covid-19 outbreak were to occur in their destination, only 8% said they would stick to their travel plans, compared to 17% in the region.
According to the survey, Taiwanese were also the most worried about the disease. Nearly 60% cited travel as a concern, compared to just 22% in China.
No. 11: Japan
Japanese travelers have been found to be the least confident travelers to the Asia-Pacific region this year, according to a survey.
Only 18% expressed confidence in Japan’s ability to welcome international travelers again, and 26% were satisfied with the reopening of regional borders.
According to the survey, the Japanese are also far less tolerant of travel disruption. Only 24% said they would accept them – the lowest of all territories surveyed.
