Monday, June 18, 2012

Be aware: Asian travellers want to go it alone

Tuesday 19th June 2012

Be aware: Asian travelers want to go it alone

Asia Pacific travel meta-search site Wego.com. has revealed - not altogether unsurprisingly - that South East Asian travelers are dumping group travel and prefer to go it alone.

A We go-commissioned poll has found that traditional group travel is in decline and Singaporean, Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese and Filipino travelers now have a preference for traveling on a more individual basis.

Craig Hewett, Wego co-founder and chief commercial officer, said only one in five prefer a package holiday - with an equivalent number entirely spontaneous in their decision-making: "I look out for special offers and will take one of those and go."

Only 14% indicated a preference to travel as part of an organized group."

Respondents were a representative mix in terms of age and status, Wego noted.

A quarter gave Bahasa Indonesia as their preferred language, "reflecting the relative size of that market. They know what they want and for the vast majority it is not a group tour," said Hewett.

Almost half of South East Asian travelers use online travel sites, women accounting for 57%. More then 60% of respondents said they also look to advice from family and friends.

Only a quarter use a travel agency.

Hewitt urged the Australian inbound tourism industry to prioritise Indonesia "which had recorded 100% year on year growth in the volume of (Wego.com) searches for Australian destinations".

He said a "disproportionately high number" of these searches were by users profiled as "early adopters" and "free spenders" - the new growth segment.

by Ian Jarrett

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.