Agoda survey shows top three reasons for travel this year
KUALA LUMPUR, 12 January 2023 – For most of us, reuniting with friends and family is the main reason to travel in 2023. Agoda’s Travel Trends survey asked travelers to share their top travel goals for the new year, with reuniting with loved ones, wellness and food, arts & culture making the top three, and adventure and celebrating a milestone rounding out the top five.
Taiwan (33%), Australia (31%) and the United States (25%) are where travelers will most likely plan a holiday reunion with family or friends, but for travelers from several other countries there are other key motivations to embark on a trip. In South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore for example, it is recharging mentally and physically that tops the list, contributing to the number two spot for wellness in the ‘reasons to travel’ ranking of Agoda’s Travel Trend survey.
Among people from Japan (44%), Taiwan (24%) and Vietnam (23%), the biggest travel appetite is for (re)discovering food, arts & culture. In fact, a staggering 44 percent of Japanese travelers listed this as their main travel goal, the highest number for any travel objective in a single country. Four times more than Philippines, where only 11 percent are looking to travel for food, arts & culture and seeking adventure is the main reason to leave home (30%). Adventure travel also ranks highest among travelers from Indonesia (23%).
For Malaysia, reuniting with family and friends (21%) is the main driver for travel. This is closely followed by an appetite for adventure (20%), a desire for an indulgent break to refresh the senses (19%) and the lure of food, arts and culture (18%).
