Agoda reveals travel expectations in 2020s
Single apps for all travel needs, passport-free travel, and mobile app check-in are the top 3 “new travel norms” expected by travelers in the next decade, according to new research by Agoda, the world’s fastest-growing digital travel platform.
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With the continued advancement of technology, revolutionary travel apps, and better connectivity, people expect a lot more from their travel experience in the next decade.
Forty-three per cent of travelers from Vietnam expect checking into their hotel using just their mobile phone to be the norm, while 47 per cent - the highest in the world - want to see passport-free travel become a reality.Thirty-six per cent of Vietnamese travelers would like to make more eco-friendlier choices when traveling. Interestingly, Ho Chi Minh City tops the wish-list of travelers in Vietnam, followed by Kyoto and Bangkok. Forty-nine per cent would like to explore their own country more in the coming decade, while 41 per cent would like to travel internationally more.
Singapore (50 per cent), Vietnam (47 per cent), the Philippines (45 per cent), China (44 per cent), and Australia (41 per cent) are the top 5 countries with people most likely to envision a future with passport-free travel.
Technology has already made such a positive impact on how and where people travel, as innovative technologies, like those developed at Agoda, give travelers instant access to millions of hotels and home properties around the world with real time pricing and availability.
“It is a technology golden age for travelers, as technology is developed to simplify the way anyone, anywhere can search, book, and pay for flights, hotels, or holiday accommodation,” said Mr. Timothy Hughes, Vice President of Corporate Development at Agoda. “The 2000s were defined by the mouse and the computer, putting online travel booking just a click away. The 2010s were defined by the smartphone and app, and put a travel agent in the pocket of every phone owner, and the 2020s will be defined by the power of data, machine learning, and AI.”
“This will enable companies like Agoda to provide personalized, more relevant recommendations to make booking travel even easier. Asian travelers in particular are enthused by and expectant of technological developments that enhance and simplify their travel experience.”
Asian-based companies are now leading the world in technology adoption and development to achieve this. “I expect to see Asia press ahead with that lead in the 2020s - especially in areas such as video and augmented reality, improved mobile services with more chat and voice solutions, and payments to help bring the ‘unbanked’ online,” he added.
Travelers in the 35-44 and 55+ age groups are most likely to want to explore their own countries and territories more (40 per cent and 42 per cent, respectively), with those from China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan (China), Thailand, the US, and Vietnam choosing domestic destinations in their top 3 wish-list destinations for the coming decade.
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