SG relaxes on trips; Malaysians seek adventure abroad

• Southeast Asia is the top travel destination especially among Singapore travellers
• Majority of Singaporeans intend to travel to relax, while Malaysians prefer to explore as much as they can
• Sightseeing and shopping are the top travel activities
• Discounts and promotions; convenience are the top motivators for travellers to use travel booking platforms

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18 APRIL 2023, SINGAPORE — More than half of Singaporeans and Malaysians (55%) who have travelled since the start of the year will be travelling again in the next three months, a study finds.

Conducted jointly by Yahoo and Southeast Asia consumer research company, Milieu Insight, the study surveyed N=1,000 respondents each from Singapore and Malaysia to unveil their travel plans and patterns for the second quarter of the year. 

Since the start of 2023, 61% of respondents who have travelled overseas for leisure have been to Southeast Asia, the top travel destination especially among Singapore travellers (70%). However, travellers’ appetite for new experiences have not waned - 46% will be travelling again to Southeast Asia, followed by East Asia (38%) and Australia/New Zealand (20%) in the next 3 months.

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The study reflected intriguing differences in travel preferences between the two neighbouring countries: while 61% of Singaporeans prefer to relax and take things slow for their next travel trip, Malaysians are quite the opposite - 65% of them prefer to explore as much as they can. The latter also tend to be more budget conscious, with 83% (compared to 68% in Singapore) saying that they have a travel budget to stick to.

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Sightseeing (70%) and shopping (46%) are the top travel activities in both countries, but skews towards Singaporean travellers. Malaysian travellers, on the other hand, showed more interest in other activities such as arts, history and cultural immersion (33% vs 17% in Singapore), and notably a rising travel trend - environment, climate and wildlife conservation (29% vs 11% in Singapore). They also showed much higher intention to join local activities (80% vs 58% in Singapore), such as culinary workshops and cultural immersion with locals.

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“The demand for travel is taking flight. Brands seeking to tap into the growing wanderlust must stay informed and understand how travel preferences have evolved. Our latest study, conducted with Milieu, unveils interesting insights into consumer travel patterns - from their top travel destinations to their favourite activities and top purchase motivators on travel booking platforms,” shared Kenneth Koh, Head of DSP SEA, Yahoo

74% of respondents who book travel arrangements themselves would do so via travel booking platforms, especially popular among 25-34 year olds in Singapore (83%) and Malaysia (64%). As travellers now seek more diverse and immersive experiences, travel booking platforms are keeping pace by offering one-stop solutions to make multiple bookings across accommodations, flights and activities. In fact, coming after discounts and promotions (57%), the convenience of making multiple bookings on one platform (46%) is one of the top motivators for using these platforms.

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Methodology

This quantitative study was conducted in March-April 2023 via Milieu’s proprietary survey community with N=1,000 respondents each from Singapore and Malaysia who intend to travel in Q2 2023.

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About Milieu Insight

Milieu Insight is Southeast Asia's leading consumer research and data analytics company, renowned for its expertise in providing brands and businesses with valuable insights and market research data. Operating in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam, Milieu Insight’s industry-transforming solutions were awarded several prestigious awards, including Campaign Asia’s Market Research Agency of the Year (Gold) and Tech MVP 2022. Its one-stop insights platform, Canvas, offers tools for analysing and visualising consumer opinion data across a multitude of lifestyle topics and sectors, powering businesses to make better, more impactful decisions and strategies. 

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Milieu Insight is one of the leading reputable survey software and market survey companies in Singapore, aiding businesses in leveraging data for strategic growth.