Singaporeans are eager to explore new destinations and activities when travelling abroad
SINGAPORE, 24 January 2019 – Skyscanner, the world’s travel search engine, has found that one in two (45 percent) Singaporeans are adventurous travellers, eager to explore new destinations and try out new activities while travelling abroad. This is despite often being typecast as “creatures of habit” when it comes to their travel choices, as identified by Skyscanner’s recently released 2018 APAC Travel Trends report where the top destinations for Singaporeans have remained constant for a few years running.
When asked for their travel plans in 2019, 82 percent said they were planning to visit a new destination for the first time, citing off-the-beaten-track destinations like Ethiopia, Guatemala, Iran and Yemen to name a few. Even those who planned to revisit a destination (18%) said they would experience it differently, including doing a road trip to explore parts of the country unknown to them.
It seems Singaporeans are increasingly shying away from the usual capitals and instead exploring lesser-known cities, made possible by the introduction of various low-cost carrier options to non-capital cities such as Scoot to Berlin and Silk Air to Hokkaido, to name a few.
What does adventure mean to Singaporeans?
Adventurous travel is often misconstrued to mean travel with a certain level of risk involved, like skydiving or trekking through the jungle, but Skyscanner found that adventure comes in various forms to Singaporeans, ranging from general travel experiences, to more risky activities. The study found that Singaporeans would like to or have travelled like a local on public transportation without private car hires (24%), travel solo (18%), ride a hot-air balloon (17%) or hike a mountain (14%) among other activities. (Please refer to appendix below for full list.)
It pays to be adventurous!
More than half (58%) said they were willing to spend up to S$500 on an adventurous element on their travels, while a quarter (21%) would even spend S$1,000 or more. The willingness to splurge on a luxury element while going on a budget on other aspects during a holiday was coined as “splurget travel” from another recent Skyscanner study.
While it is easy for Singaporeans to frequent nearby destinations such as Bangkok and Bali, more destinations further afield are increasingly becoming accessible, and so does our desire to experience something new and adventurous. Skyscanner works directly with over 1,200 airlines and online travel agents to bring unparalleled coverage, helping Singapore travellers conveniently find the best route, the best available flight deals, and the most affordable ways to embark on their adventures both big and small.
– Robyn Lee, Senior Growth Manager for Skyscanner
Planning your next adventure? Why not surprise yourself with these?
Click on image below to see 12 travel goals to make your year an adventure.
