Thais warming to idea of solo travel, survey suggests

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Thais warming to idea of solo travel, survey suggests
By   THE NATION

 

BANGKOK: -- SOCIAL egomania, going solo and road-trip adventures are the first-time travel intentions of Thais this year, according to Booking.com.

 

First-time travel can seem daunting, but a survey by the travel website found that 55 per cent agreed that any nerves felt before going on a trip were unnecessary. 

 

First-time travel moments create memories that stay forever and unlock new and exciting travel adventures, respondents indicated.

 

The first solo trip made 41 per cent of Thai respondents feel free. Among 68 per cent of Thais who have been on a solo trip, their first one was a road trip (19 per cent), followed closely by a city break (16 per cent).

 

While travelling for the first time can be a scary prospect, 79 per cent feel it is worth it to be able to see a new place.

 

Some 11 per cent had their first travel experience somewhere outside Thailand.

 

Most are planning to visit far-flung destinations such as the most iconic temple of Cambodia, nightlife in South Korea, beautiful Japan, busy night markets of Hong Kong and the “world’s cleanest city”, Singapore.

 

And it seems that the unforgettable experience of solo travelling is kicking off a new trend for 2017, as 42 per cent of Thai travellers are planning to go solo for the first time. 

 

From cobalt-blue seas to adventurous roof-down road trips and delicious cuisine – social-media feeds are full of the filtered fantasy of travel dreams. So it’s no wonder the research reveals that social media play a hugely important role in deciding where to go on a first-time travel experience, especially for those aged between 18 and 34. 

 

In fact, about half of millennials said they used social-media posts to help them remember their first-time travel experiences.

 

And it’s millennials who are most affected emotionally by what they see on social media. Some 45 per cent of respondents aged 18 to 34 confirmed that their social-media feed made them feel as if everyone was travelling but them, and 44 per cent admitted that it made them feel that they were missing out on new travel experiences. 

 

The competitive nature of this generation is also displayed in the findings, with 46 per cent saying they feel envious of the travel experiences they see on their social-media feed.

 

A third say they travel more and try more first-time travel experiences so they can post new pictures on social media.

 

It might be the popularity of social media and the fear of missing out that drive the perception held by two-thirds of respondents aged 18 to 34 that they are more adventurous than the generation before them.

 

Some 60 per cent of Thai respondents confirmed that their first-time travel experiences inspired them to try a new or different type of experience or accommodation the next time they take a trip. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/business/EconomyAndTourism/30309098

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-15

 

[Emster23]

" Most are planning to visit far-flung destinations such as the most iconic temple of Cambodia, nightlife in South Korea, beautiful Japan, busy night markets of Hong Kong and the “world’s cleanest city”, Singapore."

Flung not all that far. I would call them regional neighbors.

Try a trip to Argentina or maybe South Africa. That would be far flung

[fruitman]

17 minutes ago, Emster23 said:

" Most are planning to visit far-flung destinations such as the most iconic temple of Cambodia, nightlife in South Korea, beautiful Japan, busy night markets of Hong Kong and the “world’s cleanest city”, Singapore."

Flung not all that far. I would call them regional neighbors.

Try a trip to Argentina or maybe South Africa. That would be far flung

Nahhh, those people don't look like asians and that's very scary for a Thai. They also don't eat lice and are so big...

[chrissables]

I am always alone on my travels. I found when talking to groups of Thai people i have met, they are really surprised and can't understand traveling alone.

 

Each to their own.

[payttayasquirt]

Traveling alone is perfect. If you have even the slightest charisma, meeting people on the way is good fun