Blogger recommendations are highly influential for 1-in-6 Hong Kong & Singaporean travellers, but barely make a ripple among Australians, who are more likely to seek out advice from a travel agent. 1-in-3 Hong Kong travelers are seduced and inspired by travel programs.
When it comes to making the final decision on travel destination, while online blogs are a key influence for 1-in-6 in Hong Kong and Singapore (particularly among the under 35’s, where 1-in-4 are highly influenced), they have a minimal part to play among Australians, where a human recommendation from a travel agent/website and communication from their airline loyalty programme carry far greater weight.
Travel programs also have a significant influence among 1-in-3 Hong Kong travellers, suggesting that brands could feasibly predict up and coming holiday destinations based on popular current travel programs being aired and viewed.
Rest and relaxation are certainly not on the trendsetter’s bucketlist for the perfect trip. Rather they seek out wow factors, a journey of discovery that will ‘qualify’ for social media bragging rights and highlights their quest for once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
When it comes to what trendsetters want to get out of their ideal trip, it is certainly not about escaping from the world, nor is it about rest and relaxation. Instead they are seeking out the wow factor, a journey of discovery that goes beyond the local cuisine on offer. Their experiences need to be unique, experiential and exclusive, in part motivated by their desire for enviable ‘bragging rights’ via their Social Media feeds.
But it goes much deeper than simply a desire to ‘show off’. It’s about these trendsetters using their Social Media as a way of cherishing and re-living those intrepid travel moments, as well as their desire to give back through sharing helpful tips.
Iconic sight-seeing (especially among the over 35’s) and tasting the local cuisine (under 35’s) are the 2 ideal activities that travelers actively seek out, particularly among Hong Kong and Singaporean travellers. Shopping for many Hong Kong and Singaporean travellers (especially among females) is also a must during any holiday, while for Australian travellers, the ability to re-charge their batteries and relax (and even better if it’s in luxury) are relatively more important must-haves for any holiday.
Singaporeans are the most likely group to be seeking to impress on Social Media (especially among the under 35’s), while Australians are the least likely to share their adventures online.
Conversely, the idea of a resort style holiday does not resonate strongly with most travellers, particularly Hong Kong (4%) and Singapore (10%) travellers.
Different motivations across different segments, age groups, life stage, and markets, reinforces the need for brands to ensure that messages are tailored and localized, in order to resonate strongly and drive maximum buzz with their target traveller. To do this, brands will need to look at how they can connect with today’s and tomorrow’s travellers. Once these insights are collected, brands can then create these more personalized and targeted messages that will drive the travellers’ attention.
Engine uncovers and connects the beliefs and behaviour of your most valuable prospects, to enable business outcomes via Engine Connect.