Kuala Lumpur: Travel with immediate family emerged as the number one reason for domestic travel among Malaysians as the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Movement Control Order (MCO) has strengthened the ties among family members.
According to the Airbnb’s Meaningful Travel Trends Survey 2021 with global data analytics firm YouGov, 82% of the respondents felt more connected with their families during the pandemic and almost 60% plan to connect with their immediate family for their first trip followed by friends.
Airbnb and YouGov had surveyed a total of 1,140 Malaysians on the 4th till 8th February 2021.
The survey also shows that affordability (72%) and safety protocols (44%) of the respondents emerged as top considerations when selecting travel destinations and accomodation followed by adequate space to accommodate a group of friends or family (33%).
The report also found that travellers are pulling their purse strings tight this year as over half the respondents expect to spend RM2, 000 and less in travel expenditures.
The family-friendly destinations continue to top Malaysians’ bucket list for 2021 travel with Penang becoming the most popular among respondents. The other states include Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, Terengganu and Johor.
Responsible travel is also important to Malaysians, with over 60% respondents saying they often consider the environment and sustainability when choosing travel accommodations and destinations.
Meanwhile nature getaways are likely to gain traction this year with respondents indicating that being close to nature was their first criteria for deciding where to go. When asked if they anticipated any significant change in travel preferences post-pandemic, over half of the respondents said they desired slower-paced holidays in smaller groups, and travel to less crowded and off-the-beaten-path destinations.
“We believe that travel is resilient and will bounce back once restrictions have been lifted. Travel will look different than before the pandemic, as Malaysians begin seeking more personal and meaningful vacations to reconnect with their loved ones.
“The COVID-19 pandemic and Movement Control Order (MCO) have meant that Malaysians have spent a significant amount of time apart from family and friends. Once travel reopens, we believe Malaysians’ desire to spend time together with those closest to them in familiar, calming destinations that are close to nature will serve as the driving force for domestic tourism recovery,” said Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan at Airbnb.
Airbnb has long been committed to supporting efforts to drive tourism recovery in Malaysia and to being a good partner to local communities and stakeholders, as a platform which offers unique and affordable Stays and Experiences. It also remains focused on supporting the local community, empowering them to earn additional income through hosting on the platform. –Malaysia World News
