The availability of a COVID vaccine, proven and successful management of COVID-19 cases in destination markets and no quarantine requirement in home country or destination are the three top most important influencing factors for Singaporeans to travel confidently, according to new research from Agoda, a global digital travel platform.
While many are dreaming of the next chance for an international getaway to find unique places and culture or to visit friends and family overseas, Singaporeans’ travel confidence remains cautious, with more than a third of Singaporeans citing that the most important thing for them to travel with confidence is when a vaccine is readily available to masses, rising to 44% for Gen Zs. One fifth of Singaporeans claim that the most important thing for them to travel confidently is when there is proven and successful management of COVID-19 cases in destination market, or there is no quarantine required here in their home market or at their destination. Singaporeans over 55 are most likely to consider no quarantine as important (23%), compared to only 13% of 18 to 24 year olds. These are deemed more important compared to other factors such as setting up of travel bubbles and governments blanket lifting the travel ban.
TRAVEL PRIORITIES ARE CHANGING
Against the backdrop of this year’s economic uncertainty brought on by COVID, almost half of Singaporeans (48%) are concerned about job security and financial security so they are likely to spend less on travel, and 47% state they would now reconsider how and where to travel. In light of this, staycations are on the up, with one in ten Singaporeans planning to take more staycations than they normally would and a quarter of will stick to regional destinations as things improve. Singaporeans aged 25 to 44 are most likely to take extra staycations over this period.
STAYCATIONS AS THE ALTERNATIVE GETAWAY
Taking advantage of the deals and discounts available for local stays (34%) tops the reasons for booking staycations, followed by factors that bring about positive mental health benefits – such as decompressing from daily life stressors (21%), as well as the opportunities of indulging in the luxury of hotels with amenities and to have private time away (both 16%).
Interestingly, males are slightly more likely to book a staycation for private time and take advantage of discounts available for local stays, while females are more likely to book a staycation to indulge in the luxury of hotels’ amenities, as well as decompress from the daily stressors in life.
“It has been a challenging year and people are booking staycations to unwind. Hotels offer a nice change of scenery from the day-to-day life, whether you are looking to rediscover different neighbourhoods across Singapore or just indulge in private time away, with that decadent little bit of luxury that hotels provide. There are some great deals as people look to “GoLocal”. Whether they enjoy dipping their toes in the surf along Sentosa’s beaches, or checking out the vibe of different neighbourhoods or immersing themselves in nature at some of Singapore’s amazing outdoor spots, Agoda has got you covered.” says Giuliana Riitano, Country Director of Singapore, Agoda.
The Agoda GoLocal Survey is part was commissioned as part of Agoda’s GoLocal campaign to support local tourism while enabling Singaporeans to stretch their dollar through great savings and deals up to 25% off.
