ER
THE GLOBAL Travel Intentions 2021 study from digital payment company Visa shows that Indonesian tourists are now prioritizing travel flexibility and convenience.
This study highlights how most people want hassle-free travel, as a primary need at 21%, beyond the need for self-managed, basic, reconnection-based, nostalgia-based travel.
“This finding shows the longing of the Indonesian people to return to travel without various restrictions and strict quarantine procedures,” said President Director of PT Visa Worldwide Indonesia Riko Abdurrahman, quoted from a press statement, Friday (4/08).
In line with this, Riko continued, domestic travel is experiencing growth while international travel has not recovered, due to travel restrictions imposed by the government and quarantine rules in destination countries, at the time this study was conducted.
“As many countries have begun to relax their travel regulations, we hope that domestic and international travel will soon develop again,” he added.
Based on this study, peace of mind (48%) and health & safety (25% are the main considerations for Indonesian tourists when preparing for a trip. To ensure that, they look for flights that offer refund processes, travel insurance, and planned travel packages.
Meanwhile, to ensure health and safety, consumers in Indonesia regularly check travel conditions and ensure vaccinations before traveling. When traveling abroad, they also opt for contactless payments and card payments, for safer transactions.
The most popular international destinations that Indonesians want to visit, based on the study, are Japan, Malaysia, the United States, Singapore, Thailand and South Korea. The main motivation for traveling abroad is to experience the local culture and escape from busyness and relaxation.
As for domestic travel, some of the most popular destinations are Banyuwangi, Makassar, and Padang, with the main motivation being seeking local cultural experiences and outdoor adventures.
Luxury travel is also attractive to the affluent/upscale segment as it offers a mix of relaxing and exclusive activities, with the most searched keywords being luxury hotels (54%), fine dining restaurants (16%), and luxury resorts & villas (10%).
“We hope this study provides valuable insights for business actors in the tourism industry ecosystem,” said Riko.
He concluded that as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decline and the government’s decision to start opening borders and relaxing travel restrictions, we share optimism with the Indonesian people that the recovery of the tourism industry looks increasingly promising. [antaranews/photo special]
