TripAdvisor Survey: Travel bug bites more

BANGKOK A worldwide trend indicates people want to take more international trips than ever this year and they are twice as likely to increase their travel budget, according to the latest TripAdvisor survey.
TripAdvisor announced the results of its study, Wednesday, claiming it is now the world’s largest accommodation and traveller survey.
Conducted on behalf of TripAdvisor by independent research firm Ipsos, the TripBarometer study is the analysis of more than 44,000 global travellers and members of the hotel sector who chose to take part, with 568 respondents from Thailand.
The TripBarometer: Global Travel Economy report reveals worldwide travel trends at country, regional and global levels, highlighting year-on-year changes in consumer spending plans, trip planning and hotelier confidence.
inside no 7“The TripBarometer report paints a positive picture for travel this year, with travellers twice as likely to be increasing their vacation budgets than cutting spend,” said TripAdvisor chief marketing officer, Barbara Messing.
“Across the board, people want to take more international trips and Australia, Italy and the US continue to be the destinations topping travellers’ wish lists.”
Globally, two in five travellers are planning to spend more on travel in 2015 than they did last year, with travellers twice as likely to increase rather than decrease their travel budgets. The survey showed that 41% of travellers globally plan to up their travel budgets in 2015, while 23% say they will decrease their spend.
The average number of international leisure trips is set to increase by 15% in 2015. Travellers in Turkey, India, and New Zealand are showing the highest increase in the average number of international trips they are planning this year.
Russians, Thais and Austrians are decreasing the average number of international trips they will take in 2015.
However, domestic travel still outpaces international travel, as nearly 60% of all trips planned in 2015 will be taken in travellers’ home country. Domestic tourism set to be the biggest beneficiary of travel spending surge
The 2015 TripBarometer looked at the correlation between the type of trips travellers plan to take in 2015 and how they will spend their travel budgets. The study reveals the estimated portion of each nationality’s travel budget that will be spent in their country of residence.
The results showed a growing confidence in the hotel sector. In 2013, two in three businesses globally (67%) felt optimistic about their profitability for the year ahead. This year, that proportion rises to nearly three in four (73%), and is driven largely by more hoteliers feeling ‘very optimistic’ about their profitability for 2015.
In Thailand, hotel sector confidence remains steady with the same proportion of hoteliers (70%) feeling optimistic about their profitability in 2015 as they did the previous year.
inside no 7.1Half of all businesses both globally (50%) and in Thailand (49%) intend to increase their room rates in 2015 – often a strong sign of health in the sector. South Africa (72%), Austria (68%) and Brazil (68%) are the most likely to raise rates, with over two-thirds of businesses planning increases. Accommodations in China will see the biggest reductions in 2015, with 18% of hoteliers planning to decrease room rates, but not by more than 10%.
Investment plans differ by market but online reputation is top priority for majority.
The report shows that investment is set to increase across many aspects of the hotel sector in 2015, however the planned increase in investment for online reputation management is most notable worldwide.
In line with global trend, nearly seven in 10 (67%) Thai hoteliers will spend more on online reputation management in 2015 and almost a third (32%) plan to spend ‘much more’. When asked which elements they feel are most important to the future of their business, online reputation is cited as important by 89% of Thai hoteliers.
A new feature of this year’s TripBarometer is the Hotelier Confidence Index, which measures confidence levels across the global hotel sector in 27 major tourism markets. The index looks at hoteliers’ profitability expectations, year on year shifts in room rates and investment plans for 2015.
Each country is given a score on a five-point scale (five being the highest) and ranked, to show how they compare to other key tourism markets.
Globally, investment in staff has increased significantly since 2014 – planned investment in staff training in Thailand is up by 5% and increased investment in hiring is up by 7%.
Looking at the overall Hotelier Confidence Index rankings, Thailand is ranked 10th place out of 27.
“This year’s TripBarometer reveals a rising confidence in the global hotel sector, with one in two hoteliers raising room rates and a significant growth in optimism worldwide,” said Marc Charron, president, TripAdvisor for Business. “Increasing repeat business, driving more direct bookings, and encouraging online traveller reviews will be key themes for the hotel sector this year.”

sourced:ttrweekly.com