Are you ready to capture your slice of the 3 billion Asians who will embark on global trips in the next twenty years? Amadeus has released a white paper, Shaping the future of travel in Asia Pacific: The big FOUR travel effects, to help inform how four major trends are changing the face of the Asian Pacific traveler.
The 'Me' Effect
As Asian travelers become more experienced and sophisticated, they are increasingly moving away from large tours and traveling in smaller groups or independently. This is facilitated by the growth of niche travel from Asia, including elderly travelers and those seeking to meet up with family and friends. These consumers will be seeking greater individual control over their itineraries and options, and will be approaching travel purchasing with a more Do-It-Yourself attitude than before.
The 'Red Tape' Effect
As travel barriers such as visa restrictions are simplified and even eliminated, a significant population of Asian travelers are more free than ever before to hit the road. Amadeus predicts China, India and Indonesia will dominate the outbound market. Their travel hotspots? Look to Mongolia, Papua New Guinea and Myanmar.
The 'Leapfrog' Effect
While Western markets have been comparatively slow to adopt mobile technology for planning, purchasing and complementing their travel in real time, Asian travelers will leapfrog traditional behaviors by surpassing desktop computer usage and going straight to mobile. This means anyone targeting this group needs to be immediately prepared to serve this "on-demand and on-the-go" society, as well as be adept at handling the appropriate social media and online communities.
The 'Barbell' Effect
While the influx of Asian travelers has been from the upper-middle and luxury classes until now, growth in the next twenty years will be taking place on both ends of the economic spectrum. Expect to see increased demand for budget options from the Asian traveler, who will still flock to brands that cater to their cultural, language and dietary needs. High-end luxury will also get a boost.
Learn more about these trends from this three minute video by Amadeus: