Survey shows Thais are the most mobile-savvy travellers in Asia

By The Nation

 

FILE photo

 

Brand Expedia today released the findings of its 2018 Global Flight and Hotel Etiquette study, an annual survey that looks at the flight and hotel etiquette habits of more than 18,000 adults around the world.

 

The study, which featured insights from more than 600 adult travellers in Thailand, found that Thais are the most frequent travellers in the region, with an average of 10.1 flights per year, followed by Japanese and Indians.

 

Conducted on behalf of Brand Expedia by Northstar, the study also revealed that while travel is generally enjoyable, annoying behaviour and unpleasant encounters can quickly ruin good vibes.

 

The survey was conducted online from February 22 to March 19, 2018 across North America, Europe, South America and Asia Pacific using an amalgamated group of best-in-class panels from across 23 countries.

 

On average, Thais take five one-way flights per year, with personal flights accounting for two-thirds of these flights and another third flying for business. Business travel is particularly high in Thailand, Japan and India. Economy class travel predominates, especially for personal trips, though US and Thai business travellers are the most likely to travel in premium economy or above.

 

Most travellers still prefer a printed boarding pass, with 47 per cent using print only, and 32 per cent using a combination of both print and mobile boarding passes, while 21 per cent use a mobile device. Thailand leads the way in choosing mobile-only boarding passes.

 

When it comes to passing a sleeping passenger, 42 per cent say they would wake them and ask them to move, 20 per cent would climb over with their back to them and facing them 23 per cent would just wait.

 

Travellers in Asian markets tend to be more likely to wake them and here again Thailand scored high with 59 per cent. 

 

Nearly 30 per cent of passengers take off their shoes but not their socks and just seven per cent go barefoot on airplanes. The Japanese were the most likely to go barefoot, the Swiss and British topped the list in taking off their shoes but keeping on their socks while Mexicans, Thais, Italians and Spaniards were most likely to say that shoes should remain on.

 

Thais’ pet peeve when it comes to most annoying in-flight habits did not differ much from other travellers from other parts of the world. 

 

Annoying passengers are the seat kicker/bumper/grabber, followed by the “Aromatic Passenger”, the Inattentive Parent, Personal Space Violator and the Audio Insensitive. 

 

When checking into their hotel rooms, guests are mostly annoyed to find bed bugs, a used condom or cigarette smoke/foul smell.

The most annoying guests include Inattentive Parents, Hallway Hellraisers and the In-Room Revellers.

 

Travellers are closely divided between booking a flight first and then a hotel compared to a travel package with a flight and hotel while relatively few would book a hotel first. Thirty-seven per cent of Thais said they would book a flight first. 

 

Likewise, choosing to stay at big chain hotels dominated in most markets as a first or second choice (Thailand scoring 52 per cent), with boutique hotels (Thais 44 per cent) and vacation/holiday rentals (Thais 33 per cent) as the next most popular option.

 

Wi-fi connection is by far the most important hotel amenity for global travellers and is the top hotel amenity for Thai travellers at 71 per cent, followed by complimentary toiletries (46 per cent), an in-room fridge (45 per cent), along with freebies such as spa credits and food/beverage credits (47 per cent).

 

“Thai travellers are no doubt frequent travellers who love to stay connected to their friends and families back home. It thus comes at no surprise that Wi-Fi emerged as the most important hotel amenity among Thais, ahead of even price and location”, said Lavinia Rajaram, Regional Head of Communications for Brand Expedia in Asia.

 

Despite being a price-sensitive group of travellers, it was surprising to see that only 38 per cent of Thais book their flights and hotels together as a package.

 

“Package bookings remain the single easiest way for travellers to make considerable savings, both domestically and internationally. By booking their flights and hotels together, Thai travellers enjoy up to 18 per cent off their travel costs,” Rajaram noted.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30344527

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-03

"On average, Thais take five one-way flights per year, with personal flights accounting for two-thirds of these flights and another third flying for business."

 

Sounds like the typical "accurate" survey which Thais love to quote. Considering how many Thais never leave their village, town, region, etc., the rest of the Thais would have to take thousands of flights each in order to bring the average to 5 flights per year per individual Thai. Just another attempt to make Thais seem to be more worldly than they actually are.  

why then do they disrespect their home country so much with litter and lawlessness

1 hour ago, webfact said:

By booking their flights and hotels together, Thai travellers enjoy up to 18 per cent off their travel costs,” Rajaram noted.

 

Absolute rubbish. I find booking separately is much cheaper.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand leads the way in choosing mobile-only boarding passes

Except they're not permitted on international flights.

 

This survey data and findings is the biggest bundle of cr@p I've ever read.

What a load of Tosh this survey is

3 hours ago, mok199 said:

why then do they disrespect their home country so much with litter and lawlessness

So all thais disrespect their home country.

Amazing.

Do you have the courage to leave your gated community or do you hire bodyguards.

I read the most outrageous behavioural statements on here attributed to thais based on little more than expat ennui or general unhappiness ( depression ?) of the individual making the comment.

Edited May 3, 20188 yr by Expatthailover

4 hours ago, Expatthailover said:

So all thais disrespect their home country.

Amazing.

Do you have the courage to leave your gated community or do you hire bodyguards.

I read the most outrageous behavioural statements on here attributed to thais based on little more than expat ennui or general unhappiness ( depression ?) of the individual making the comment.

6 plstic bags/person ..#1 in the world for lawless road carnage,top 4 in over fishing.top 5 in air pollution.shall I continue .. start speaking out and mabey it will be a great kingdom again,or say nothing ,or in your case... complain about the ones that do speak up..ps I live pattaya soi 1 and beach rd  ..''ground zero''  and no one wants Thailand to succeed more than I do.but its getting harder and harder to pick up after them..have a good day

Edited May 3, 20188 yr by mok199
speliings

23 minutes ago, mok199 said:

6 plstic bags/person ..#1 in the world for lawless road carnage,top 4 in over fishing.top 5 in air pollution.shall I continue .. start speaking out and mabey it will be a great kingdom again,or say nothing ,or in your case... complain about the ones that do speak up..ps I live pattaya soi 1 and beach rd  ..''ground zero''  and no one wants Thailand to succeed more than I do.but its getting harder and harder to pick up after them..have a good day

but at least they are way happier and less miserable than the average British drunk <deleted>.

lies,

dammed lies

and

statistics.

 

i couldnt read thru all that bs, conducted by thais for thai CONsumption?

8 hours ago, bapoboy said:

but at least they are way happier and less miserable than the average British drunk <deleted>.

555....they do call it the ''Land of smiles''...if earning 350 bt day working 12 hours 6 days a week with a BA degree with no English skills ,watching all the corrupt and connected people get all  the cherry jobs, and you have absolutely no hope to advance,breathing disgusting air with no warning from the govt ,seeing the beaches filled with garbage ,having friends killed in the road carnage ..etc etc etc puts a smile on your face,......then ..''let the good times roll''...but it aint ok for me and my family sir

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Thais take five one-way flights per year, with personal flights accounting for two-thirds of these flights

All by escaping politicians or crooks under 'investigation' or out on bail.  Matched by a corresponding transfer of funds abroad.

The survey if by Expedia, a travel company. They're only targeting people who travel. Makes some of the Thai surveys look accurate!