SINGAPORE, 19 July 2021: With 50% of Singaporeans fully vaccinated by the end of July, authorities are suggesting that a return to international travel starting with countries that have high vaccination rates could be viable before the year-end.
It has sparked growing anticipation for international travel, shown by the 60% increase in searches1 for international travel on Expedia.com.sg for international travel from November 2021 to January 2022 as monitored during the second quarter of 2021.
Reporting on the trends, Expedia, in its latest analysis, notes that it is “critical for travel providers to offer the necessary tools and facilitate the end-to-end experience when planning for internal leisure travel for Singaporeans.
Planning travel stresses Singaporeans
While vacation-deprived Singaporeans are keenly anticipating a return to international travel, Expedia’s recent Travel Companions Report found that half (50%) of Singaporean travellers are stressed at the thought of booking an overseas trip in the next 12 months, with 71% feeling overwhelmed.
The new reality of international travel can seem like an onerous process for travellers who are used to the simplicity of travel planning. Not only do they now have to meet additional requirements set in place by the authorities of origin and arrival destinations – including applying for travel passes, taking Covid-19 tests, booking government-approved hotels, buying travel insurance and more – they also have to spend additional money and time on ensuring that these are in place before they can travel with peace of mind. As such, it came as no surprise that close to half (43%) of Singaporeans polled in Expedia’s Travel Companions Reportagreed that they need more of a helping hand when booking a trip, compared to pre-pandemic times.
Expedia Brand APAC head of communications Lavinia Rajaram said, “Our data tells us that our travellers are clearly excited about the return to travel, with search volume in recent weeks increasing week on week compared to pre-Covid period. At the same time, the need to adhere to additional requirements across their journey, coupled with the unfamiliarity of booking travel in the new normal, has made many travellers nervous about international travel.”
“We hear and understand our customers need to have all their travel planning needs in one place, with support from start to finish throughout their journey. Expedia’s fresh new platform and recently introduced tools to support our travellers’ need aligns closely to our brand vision of being the ultimate travel companion,” she added.
Navigating a new normal
Expedia’s Travel Companions Report provided insights into the pain points that travellers face when planning and booking travel, as well as their expectations of travel providers when journeys resume.
Standout conclusions,
- When thinking about travel, 57% of adults said that their ultimate helping hand would be phone/travel app; followed by the tour guide (39%) and the hotel staff (38%).
- 63% of respondents agree it’s important for them to know everything about the COVID-19 related travel procedures, tests and clearances all in one place.
- 54% prefer if all the costs of booking a trip are shown upfront, rather than during checkout.
Based on these insights, Expedia has come up with a comprehensive travel checklist comprising of processes and items that travellers will need to help them plan for their next trip easily.
Travellers can also refer to Expedia’s COVID-19 Travel Advisory tool to search for travel advisories around the world, including regulations for destinations and safety and health guidelines.
To start planning your next trip, download the Expedia app or visit http://www.expedia.com.sg.
