As pent-up travel demand continues to be unleashed across the region, a recent study by Hilton reveals that Asia Pacific consumers are quickly embracing travel once more with renewed motivations: to rebuild family bonds, and to revive the body and soul.
Periods of social distancing, isolation, and quarantine restrictions over the last two years have kept loved ones from gathering. Or in other cases, families have been longing to catch up on celebrations with extended family and missed summer vacations. This year, travel is the way to make up for lost time among family members as they reunite and rejuvenate the senses through new experiences.
Whether it’s the immediate family that’s stayed together for the past few years through multiple lockdowns, or the long-distance family that longs to see loved ones again – travelers from Asia Pacific are prioritizing trips with their nearest and dearest, choosing spouses and significant others as their top travel companion (43%), followed by their children of all ages (38%), parents (25%) and extended family members (23%).
Renewed priorities
While health, safety, and cleanliness remain a top priority, family travelers across all six markets are ever more motivated to be together. Besides traveling as a group, family travelers are also looking for ways to spend more time together while on holiday. This new emphasis on togetherness is not only reflected in choosing pastimes but also in preferred room arrangements — highlighting the importance for travelers to consider where they stay.
● Singaporeans (60%), Malaysians (57%) and Australians (51%) now place a lot more thought in planning family-friendly activities during trips, as respondents from these markets list finding activities that everyone in the family will enjoy among their top travel concerns.
● When it comes to deciding which hotel or resort to book, family-friendly facilities and activity offerings within the property are also a top priority, especially for family travelers from Indonesia (60%) and Malaysia (59%), followed by Singapore (49%), India (47%) Thailand (45%) and Australia (40%).
Maximizing each stay
While the pent-up travel demand is real, additional market insights by Hilton show that the increasing price of travel is also a growing concern and potential barrier in this recovery climate, further putting a spotlight on where customers choose to stay.
● Cost of travel was ranked as the top travel obstacle for travelers from Malaysia (57%), Indonesia (49%), and Australia (41%), which ranks higher than their concern over health risks (Malaysia 51%, Indonesia 40%, Australia 34%).
● Travelers from Thailand, Singapore, and India reported that concern over travel costs (44%, 43%, 40%) are at similar levels as health risks (47%, 44%, 41%), respectively.
Bonding over food
Survey findings also show that family travelers are looking forward to sitting down together with good food that everyone will enjoy, reflecting how the simple act of sharing a family meal together after years of restrictions carries deeper significance.
Across all markets, having a variety of food and beverage offerings on property is a top-of-mind consideration (#1) when booking hotels and resorts. This translates to an array of selections to satisfy everyone – from mom with the strongest palate for flavours, to the pickiest eater who refuses to eat vegetables!
Food lovers unite: Hilton knows that the family that eats together, stays together and continues to introduce culinary flavours from around the world to provide a wide range of options that suit the palate of every traveller. Across the region, Hilton boasts family-friendly restaurants that offer curated à la carte options perfect for kids – with nutritious and tasty dishes made using high-quality ingredients – as well as immersive food experiences designed with family moments in mind.
