Expedia launches campaign to push travel confidence

Online travel platform Expedia has launched its regional campaign ‘#TravelForReal’ to help build traveller confidence under the pandemic, kicking off with a four-market traveller study. The campaign aims to boost travellers' confidence, address post-pandemic travel concerns and inspire travellers to fully maximise their trips, through understanding travellers’ worries in a survey and social media engagements in the coming months.

In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a spokesperson from Expedia said that despite many Asian regions have further lifted their travel restrictions, many individuals are still hesitant and concerned about travelling overseas. Therefore, the platform hopes to increase traveller confidence via the launch of the campaign. The campaign will be promoted via social media channels and celebrity engagement. 

As the first phase of the campaign, “#TravelForReal” study was conducted in June this year by independent research company OnePoll, and surveyed a total of 1,000 Hong Kong respondents aged between 18 to 45 and who had travelled abroad for leisure at least once in the last three years. The survey was conducted across four markets in Asia - Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Japan.

The study revealed that an overwhelming 79% of HongKongers had plans to travel overseas during June to September this year, with more than half of respondents (51%) saying they had already made a booking.

A further 28% said they planned to travel during this period but were still in the process of making their travel plans. Overall, 89% of Hong Kongers’ surveyed said they are either very interested or somewhat interested in overseas travel in the coming months, according to the results.

Close to half surveyed (48%) said they now felt safer and much more confident to travel overseas, with vaccinations, increasingly stable supply of flights and accommodation, easing of destination entry requirements and travel industry support cited as easing travel concerns.Travellers between the age of 36 to 45 seem the most travel hungry this summer with 62% of those surveyed saying they have a trip booked versus just 26% amongst the 18 to 25 age group.

The survey also revealed other key drivers for those willing to resume international leisure travel including the desire to explore further after being cooped up for so long (44%), and the desire for a longer break and vacation (39%).  Another 32% cited the desire to quickly travel now to popular overseas destinations before the travelling crowds return in improving travel times.

Despite the current limitation of group travel, Japan featured prominently among the most favoured foreign travel destination for Hong Kongers’ this summer, with Tokyo, Osaka and Hokkaido all featuring in the survey’s top five most desired destinations and Tokyo the clear favourite ‘go-to’ city, both for this summer and when all travel restrictions are fully lifted post-pandemic.

Some 86% of those surveyed also intended to enjoy a Hong Kong staycation with  majority of 61% of all surveyed saying they have already booked a stay between June and September. Almost a third of respondents (30%) said they intended to take as many as three staycations during this summer period. Expedia search data shows that Hong Kong accommodation searches on Expedia.com.hk have jumped over 30% in June in comparison with May’s search figures.

Lavinia Rajaram, Asia head of public relations for Expedia Group, said: “It is clear from the Hong Kong survey findings, that there is a strong desire for international travel, with many respondents expressing interest to go big this summer. Our Expedia Vacation Deprivation study conducted back in December 2021 indicated that desire for travel among Hong Kong travellers remained unabated and our latest findings show that desire has now moved on to travel action.”

“Expedia has both anticipated and responded to this resurgence in travel by launching our #TravelForReal campaign to help build traveller confidence, address post-pandemic travel concerns and inspire our travellers to fully maximise their trips.  With expertise from a network of those who know travel best, Expedia will help travellers get the best of travel this summer with flexible and refundable booking, Expedia Reward members offers and VIP perks,” Rajaram added.

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