Sitting Up, Taking Notice

With the rise of the economies of Asia and the associated boom in international travel, the travel and tourism community is sitting up and taking notice. Clearly, the way that young consumers plan, book and experience travel today offers destinations and businesses a valuable insight into how families, business travellers and seniors will travel in the future.

As a result, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is carrying out a major new study on the travel habits of young Asian consumers. All data collected will appear in a new report called “The Rise of the Young Asian Traveller,” due to be launched by the association in April. The report will aim to give destinations and travel businesses across the globe a better understanding of how and why they should reach out to young Asian consumers.

The survey will be open to young people aged 16-35 from the following countries and territories: Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea (ROK), Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam. And it will be available in English, Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean and Thai.

A pre-presentation of the report’s findings will be made at a special session on March 5 at ITB Berlin. That session will feature a panel of experts who will discuss their impressions of how young Asian travel tastes are shaping destination development.

Go to http://www.PATA.org for more.