Consumer-led travel trends courtesy of Trip.com and Google
Online travel booking platform Trip.com Group has partnered with Google to launch the Trip.com Group x Google Travel Trends Report
The survey, which was carried out in the Asia-Pacific region, draws on analysis of search query statistics from Google Trends, as well as business insights from Trip.com. According to the two organisations’ findings, interest in short-haul travel is on the rise, with short-haul holidays accounting for over 70 per cent of searches made by customers in the region.
The report also identifies that the top 20 short-haul destinations for upcoming trips in the region are Bangkok, Seoul, Shanghai, Jeju-do, Tokyo, Bali, Manila, Busan, Xi'an, Kuala Lumpur, Osaka, Penang, Da Nang, Bintan, Taipei, Singapore, Pattaya, Hong Kong, Phuket and Macau. The organisations note that this is likely to change as travel restrictions ease further, with Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong and the US looking to become some of the top-20 destinations in the next phase.
In addition, the report identifies ways in which the travel industry is able to recover, by taking advantage of those travel trends identified by the findings, and details how companies can adapt to meet the needs of travellers.
“With the onset of the pandemic, the entire world is facing an unprecedented level of uncertainty. The normal dynamics of the travel business have been completely up-ended, and this is definitely not an easy time for many of us,” said Google China Head of Industry Wilson Wu. “But even in the middle of this global crisis, there are opportunities to bounce back and innovate towards the new normal.”
Wu cites the increased consumer demand for flexible travel booking as just one of the drivers the industry can incorporate to move forward – according to the survey, 57 per cent of customers said that penalty-free cancellation policies were the most attractive feature when booking travel, 27 per cent identified advance booking promotions as their key motivator for booking travel, and 25 per cent asserted that insurance coverage was most important.
“Now is the time to capture recovery demand,” said Wu. “Travel providers must respond with products and services that allow flexibility.”
In response to these needs and trends, and as part of ‘Travel On’ initiative, Trip.com Group has introduced flexible booking options, significant discounts for advance bookings and standardised safety guarantees. “We can't wait to start travelling again, and exploring the wonders of the world, and what the world needs most right now is the freedom to travel on safely,” said Trip.com Group CEO Jane Sun.