Travel activities and services booking platform Klook has uncovered five emerging tour and activity trends that it predicts will continue to drive the travel industry globally in 2019.
Solo travel
One of the hottest topics in 2018 was solo travel. Klook saw the number of solo travellers increase on its platform from 31% to 38% in 2018. Interestingly, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the UK all saw 10% growth in the number of solo travellers.
China is bucking the stereotype of its all-inclusive group trips and saw close to 60% of its millennials abroad travelling alone in 2018.
In-destination activities
Klook saw a huge rise in activities being the motivational driver for choosing travel destinations. From those surveyed, 63% of travellers said they planned to attend an event or activity specific to the destination prior to booking flights and accommodations.
What’s more, 54% of travellers planned trips around seasonal activities or one-off events (concerts and sports events).
The pop culture influence
The film Crazy Rich Asians took the world by storm and put Singapore and South-east Asian hot spots back on the must-visit map. After the movie’s debut, page views for Singapore destination activities grew 10%. In 2019, Klook is exploring the possibility of bringing Pokemon Detective Pikachu experiences to its platform.
Mobile booking
Klook data found 70% of millennial users booked activities on mobile devices in 2018. Additionally, research from Google Consumer Insights finds that more than half of South Korean and Japanese smartphone users research, book and plan for their trips on their mobile devices. The number is even higher among Indian smartphone users, at 87%.
Instant adventures
Despite the increase in activity-driven travel, many Klook users will not plan full itineraries until they’ve arrived at their destination. Modern travellers now look for more flexibility to cater to their spontaneity while travelling, accounting for weather or even their mood of the day.
Klook’s 2019 travel trends report was collected via surveys conducted between January 1, 2018 – December 31, 2018. Markets surveyed include Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam. It surveyed 2400 respondents who had travelled abroad within the last 12 months.
Read the full article at Travel Weekly Asia: http://www.travelweekly-asia.com/Travel-News/Travel-Trends/From-solo-travel-to-sports-events-here-s-what-2019-has-in-store?fbclid=IwAR38boEIq8SUWNiGcff_S4Wx-lvLoUqW2JcIugEsX3ALUmfCgBYQbbedm18
