Broadening the industry’s understanding of an increasingly important travel population, MMGY Travel Intelligence announced today the key findings of its 2023 Portrait of Asian International Travelers™ research report. The inaugural study found that the Asian international traveler intends to take an average of 2.3 international trips over the next two years, with an anticipated average spend of $3,223 per trip.
“The health and recovery of the Asian travel segment is paramount to the overall vitality of the global tourism marketplace, so the world is undoubtedly keeping a close eye on this audience’s intent to travel,” said MMGY Travel Intelligence Europe Managing Director Cees Bosselaar. “As travel marketers increasingly compete for share of voice and spending, this study adds depth and cultural nuances to the how and why behind Asian traveler decisions at a very critical time.”
Additional key findings from the study include:
- The choice of travel destinations among Asian international travelers is deeply personal and often reflects their own personality and the needs and interests of their family (78%). Europe, the South Pacific, the United States, Canada and Southeast Asia were the top five wish-list destinations shared.
- When considering plans to travel internationally for a leisure trip, the most significant factors impacting travelers across almost all segments, including age, education and nationality, were concerns about personal safety (79%), followed closely by the cost of airfare/accommodations (72%) and travel disruptions at airports such as canceled flights (71%).
- As a whole, the Asian travel audience shows an overwhelming preference to invest more in distinct and new experiences during their travels (77%), indicating that experiential travel holds more allure for them than material items.
- In line with what has been a historically affluent market, 7 in 10 Asian travelers (69%) said that they are willing to spend more for a luxurious experience when traveling internationally. This sentiment is especially strong among travelers from India (79%) and China (76%).
- Finally, in terms of itinerary format, the survey found that there is a growing interest in multiday organized group tours among Asian international travelers. In the past three years, 42% of Asian international travelers participated in multiday organized group tours, whereas 56% expressed a likelihood to participate in such tours in the next two years.
Social media usage, interregional and seasonal travel patterns, sustainability and other topics are also examined in the Portrait of Asian International Travelers™ study. MMGY Global thanks its sponsors, Tripadvisor, Meet Boston, Visit California and the State of Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, for their contributions to this study. For more insights or to purchase a copy of the in-depth findings, visit mmgyintel.com.
Portrait of Asian International Travelers™
About MMGY Global
MMGY Global is the world’s leading integrated marketing firm specializing in the travel, hospitality and entertainment industries. With operating brands across the world, the award-winning organization maintains a global communications practice in all marketing channels, serving many of the world’s premier travel and tourism brands. As a company dedicated to the travel industry, MMGY Global strives to create a connected, inclusive and peaceful world by promoting travel as a cultural bridge of understanding. For more information, visit mmgyglobal.com.
About MMGY Travel Intelligence Europe
MMGY Travel Intelligence Europe is MMGY Global’s industry research and insights brand in Europe, offering proprietary data and research designed to power travel industry decision-makers through consumer insights, travel performance data, and audience modeling and segmentation. With offerings including the inaugural Portrait of European TravellersTM study, MMGY Travel Intelligence Europe features top consumer insights exclusively for the travel and tourism industry. To learn more about the extensive collection of research, analytics and strategy services, visit mmgyintel.com/europe or email us at research@mmgyglobal.com.
About the 2023 Portrait of Asian International Travelers™
In its inaugural fielding, MMGY Travel Intelligence’s survey of Asian international travelers examines the travel behaviors, spending habits, preferences and motivators of 8,204 respondents surveyed in July 2023. In order to qualify for the survey, respondents had to reside in China, India, Japan or South Korea; be of the age 18 or older; and be likely to travel internationally for leisure (within or outside Asia) within the next two years. Respondents were selected randomly, and the sample was weighted based on age, gender, ethnicity, household income, geography and education to ensure the data is representative of the broader population of the respective countries. Information on noninternational travelers was also collected to account for incidence rate.