post-tsunami global travel intentions research - visa ap

Post-Tsunam

Global Travel Intentions

Conducted by Visa International AsiWorld Tourism Organization Emerge

March 2005

This research was prepared by AC Nielsen fo

i Research

a Pacific for the ncy Task Force

r Visa International Asia Pacific

Table of Contents

Foreword 3

Background

Definition of Terms

4

5

Executive Summary 6

Global Overview 8

Country Reports 18

USA Travelers 19

Japanese Travelers 24

Canadian Travelers 29

Korean Travelers 34

Chinese Travelers 39

UK Travelers 44

German Travelers 49

French Travelers 54

Swedish Travelers 59

Australian Travelers 64

2.

Foreword When the tsunami struck on 26 December 2004, the world was shocked by the devastation to both human life and infrastructure. Since then, there has been a significant drop in international travel to affected tourist destinations such as Phuket in Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, severely damaging the livelihood of many local communities dependent on tourism revenues. This has happened in spite of the significant efforts the various countries have been making to restore facilities and infrastructure. Given the scale of the tsunami and the extensive media coverage of its aftermath, international travelers are understandably concerned about the state of destinations in Asia. Tourism industries and authorities across South and Southeast Asia are therefore faced not only with the task of reconstruction, but also the formidable challenge of restoring tourist confidence around the world. These problems of perception are an issue not only for those locations directly affected by the tsunami, but for many others in the region. Visa has long-standing links with tourism authorities and private sector operators throughout the region and is working with various sectors of the tourism industry to help markets recover as quickly as possible. Visa is honored to be part of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) Emergency Task Force on tourism recovery, which first convened in Phuket on 31 January 2005. Visa has conducted this Post-Tsunami Global Travel Intentions Research for the World Tourism Organization Emergency Task Force, as we feel the urgent need for better understanding of travel intentions to Asia among travelers from key markets, and the barriers that may be keeping them away. Equipped with this information, we hope that national tourism organizations, policy makers, tourism operators and merchants in the tsunami-affected countries will be better able to address the most salient issues and concerns among global travelers, restore tourist confidence and stimulate travel back to their countries as quickly as possible.

James G. Murray Executive Vice President Southeast Asia Visa International Asia Pacific

3.

Background Research Design The research was commissioned by Visa International Asia Pacific and conducted by AC Nielsen in 10 countries using an online methodology. The countries included in the survey were: • USA • Canada • UK • Germany • France • Sweden • Japan • Korea • China • Australia A sample of 500 respondents who were considering traveling to Asia in 2005 was interviewed in each of the 10 markets, giving a total sample of 5,059 interviews. All interviews were conducted between 17 and 27 February 2005. The results were weighted to the online population in each country. Target Audience Respondents were selected based on their international travel experience and consideration of Asia as a holiday destination. To qualify for the survey, respondents:

1. Had travelled internationally for a holiday in the last three years 2. Intended to travel internationally for a holiday in the next 12 months 3. Were considering Asia as a destination

or 4. Were not considering Asia because of the effects of the tsunami on 26 December

2004. Destinations Respondents were asked questions in relation to 12 destinations including all tsunami-affected destinations as well as four that were not affected by the tsunami. The latter group was included to test both general travel intentions to Asia and actual knowledge of which parts of Asia were affected by the tsunami. The study was not intended to provide an exhaustive examination of travel intentions in Asia, therefore, not all destinations were included.

4.

Definition of Terms for the purpose of this report

Category Definition Size International traveler – USA, Canada

Traveled outside the North America for a holiday in the past three years 4,513

International traveler - UK, Sweden, Germany, France

Traveled outside Europe for a holiday in the past three years 5,016

International traveler – Australia, China, Japan, Korea

Traveled internationally for a holiday in the past three years 3,727

Committed Asia travelers Considering a holiday in Asia in 2005 3,948 Uncommitted Asia travelers

Not considering a holiday in Asia, decision unaffected by the tsunami. 7,727

Asia switchers Not considering a holiday in Asia in 2005, with the tsunami cited as a reason for non-consideration

1,111

Asia considerers Committed Asia travelers plus Asia switchers 5,059

Consideration set Countries being considered for a holiday (can be multiple responses for each traveler)

In order to understand the effect of the tsunami on travel intentions to Asia, a number of steps were necessary to determine the consideration set of the international travellers. Asia considerers are those who are considering Asia or would have considered Asia if the tsunami had not occurred.

5

Considering Asia “Committed travelers”

(n=3,948) Consideration of Asia in 2005

influenced by the tsunami

Intend to travel internationally in the next 12 months

Traveled internationally /outside the region in the past three years (n = 13,256)

Considered Asia in 2005 before the tsunami

Not currently considering Asia

“Asia considerers” (n=5,059)

.

Executive Summary The World Tourism Organization (WTO) reported that there was a total of 760 million international tourist arrivals in 2004. Asia and the Pacific accounted for an estimated 154 million. The Visa research, conducted in 10 countries, identified that Asia was in the consideration set for approximately one-third of travelers in 2005 (34 percent). The tsunami disaster on the 26 December 2004 undoubtedly had an impact on the travel plans of potential travelers to Asia. As a direct result of the tsunami there is a risk that nine percent of international travelers planning a holiday in 2005 have switched their travel plans to other regions in 2005. This risk is higher in China (15 percent), Germany (13 percent), Korea (12 percent) and France (12 percent). Sweden and Australia have a lower number of travelers at risk of switching (5 percent and 6 percent respectively). For the committed Asia travelers, i.e. those who are still planning a holiday in Asia in 2005, there is evidence that they too are switching destinations within the region. Three in 10 (30 percent) of these committed Asia travelers said that there were countries they would not consider as a result of the tsunami. The main destinations that have been affected by this change in travel behavior are Indonesia, Thailand, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. It is significant that these are also the countries that travelers feel have been most severely affected by the tsunami. Singapore also appears to have been adversely affected by the tsunami, mainly by those travelers who are no longer considering Asia as a destination. This may be because Singapore is often used as a hub or stopover on the way to other destinations, therefore, by default, it will not be part of the changed travel itinerary. Hong Kong appears to suffer from a similar effect in relation to certain source markets. Concerns over the state of tourism facilities and services in the areas affected by the tsunami are high among those considering Asia. Health is another area of concern and one where travelers have said they would like more information. These are issues that can be addressed with targeted information and communications strategies that highlight the recovery of the tourism destinations. It is also important to ensure that there is greater awareness of the fact that that the vast majority of resorts, particularly in Indonesia and Thailand, were not affected at all by the tsunami.

6.

Also important for a range of travelers are safety issues, including fears of lawlessness and the threat of another tsunami in the same area. Some of these impressions may be harder to counter immediately, compared with the more tangible concerns about infrastructure and service standards. For a segment of potential travelers, there is a desire to holiday in the affected areas as a way of aiding the community and the economy. The Swedish, Canadian, British and Australian travelers are more inclined to take this nurturing view. It is tempered somewhat by feelings that it would be uncomfortable to holiday while the local people are experiencing difficulties. There is a core group throughout the research who feel the tsunami has increased their likelihood to travel to the affected areas, perhaps as a show of support for the local communities. The majority of international travelers considering Asia was keen to receive updated information about the tsunami-affected areas, in particular on health and sanitation, the progress of the clean-up and infrastructure developments. The Internet is one of the travelers’ main sources of information about travel as well as newspapers. Overall, there is a degree of uncertainty about which destinations, within the region and within particular countries, have been effected by the tsunami. This has a direct affect on travelers’ consideration set for their 2005 holiday, despite the fact many of their chosen holiday destinations were unaffected by the disaster. Increased awareness of the health of the Asian tourism industry, in terms of infrastructure, service and ambience is necessary to minimize the risk of decreased visits in 2005.

7.

8

Global Overview Travel Intentions Among the 10 markets included in the survey, the level of consideration of a holiday in Asia in 2005 varies by country. A total of 13,256 international travelers was interviewed across the 10 countries. Overall, 88 percent of these were planning to travel internationally for a holiday in 2005. This group was then divided into the committed Asia travelers and the uncommitted Asia travelers. Just over half, 57 percent, were not considering and had not considered Asia as a destination for their 2005 holiday. For these travelers, the tsunami had no impact on their immediate travel plans (uncommitted). One-third of international travelers considered Asia for 2005 (34 percent). The tsunami, although influencing to a varying extent the destinations they might choose within Asia, did not have any influence on their choice of region to visit (committed). However, nine percent of 2005 international travelers had discounted Asia as their holiday destination for 2005 as a direct effect of the tsunami (switchers). This proportion varied significantly by country. Although difficult to qualify in terms of actual visitor numbers, these results indicate that the Asian region risks losing a proportion of potential visitors in 2005. A further group still intending to come to Asia is unlikely to visit countries that have been affected by the tsunami, in some cases, even where the impact on tourism destinations has been limited or non-existent.

9%8%

7%

10%

13%12%

5%

9%

15%

12%

6%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Total USA

Canad

a UK

German

y

France

Sweden

Japan

ChinaKorea

Australi

a

No Longer Considering Asia as the 2005 Holiday Destination

.

Overall Effect of the Tsunami on Travel Decision Making The countries that bear the main impact of the travelers’ doubts about holidaying in Asia in 2005 are highlighted in the following chart. It shows the proportion of potential travelers who are either now not intending to come to Asia at all, or who have changed their plans to avoid the tsunami-affected countries. Throughout this report this combined group is referred to as Asia considerers.

Asian Destinations No Longer Considered for 2005

14%

5%

7%

8%

15%

1%

8%

11%

8%

9%

20%

5%

2%

11%

27%

11%

15%

5%

7%

4%

20%

3%

19%

3%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Hong Kong

India

Indonesia

Malaysia

Maldives

Myanmar (Burma)

Philippines

Singapore

Sri Lanka

Seychelles

Thailand

Vietnam

% Switching

Asia Switchers Committed Asia travelers

Base: Committed Asia travelers who have revised their consideration set of destinations in Asia 2005: n = 1,173 Asia Switchers - travelers no longer considering Asia as their destination in 2005: n = 1,111

9.

Switching Behavior The previous chart shows that it was evident that the tsunami had resulted in a proportion of travelers who have switched their consideration of Asian destinations in 2005. Indonesia and Thailand saw the greatest proportion of switching behavior when it came to the choice of holiday destination. Significantly, this change in attitude was, in many cases, made by committed Asia visitors, that is, those who are still planning to visit Asia in 2005. Both countries are high on the consideration set for all the source markets included in this research. Sri Lanka also saw a high level of switching among committed Asia travelers and although the number of visitors per year is not as great as other destinations, it still has a significant effect on the tourism market. Among those travelers no longer considering Asia for their 2005 holiday, Thailand, the Maldives and Singapore saw the greatest shift in consideration. It is possible that Hong Kong and Singapore, while unaffected by the tsunami, are seen as hubs and/or stopovers during an Asia holiday experience, therefore, any change in plans to affected destinations may have a flow-on effect for the two markets.

Impact on Travel to Asia The majority of committed Asia travelers stated that the tsunami had no impact on their plans to visit Asia (65 percent). This result was consistent across the markets except for Japan and Korea. Travelers from these countries were significantly more likely to feel that the tsunami had an adverse impact on their plans. In Sweden and the UK, the tsunami actually had a more positive impact on travel to Asia compared with the other countries, making them more likely to visit Asia. Swedish and UK travelers were also more likely to feel that taking a holiday was an excellent way to help the affected countries. As might be expected, there was a higher degree of impact on travel to affected areas as opposed to Asia as a region generally, with one-third of committed Asia travelers claiming the tsunami made it less likely for them to visit these areas.

10.

Awareness of the Extent of the Tsunami In all the countries, awareness of the severity of the tsunami’s impact on Indonesia and Thailand was apparent. Knowledge of the tsunami’s effect on Sri Lanka was less well known. However, there was a direct link with the rating of a country as severely affected and the likelihood that that country had been switched out of the consideration set of the traveler. For example, in Indonesia where popular holiday resorts and destinations were untouched by the tsunami, it would appear that in many travelers’ minds the association with severe damage has been applied to the country as a whole rather than areas specifically affected. Regional vs. Specific Impact All travelers who are currently planning a holiday in Asia or were considering visiting Asia before the tsunami (Asia considerers) were asked if they agreed that only a small number of resorts in Asia had been affected by the tsunami. Overall, half the respondents agreed with the statement, however, this varied considerably by market.

Agree that Only a Small Number of Resorts are

Affected in Asia

4941

4447

58 46

5641

7334

55

0 20 40 60 80 100

Total USA

Canada UK

Germany France

Sweden Japan China Korea

Australia

% AgreementBase: Asia Considerers: n = 5059

Despite agreeing with the statement, a high proportion of travelers had amended their destination choice or would not consider certain countries because of the tsunami.

11.

Key Concerns Among Travelers to Asia

The following are statements that people have made about holiday travel and resort destinations affected by the tsunami. Please indicate

the extent to which you agree with each comment

Agreement %

(n = 5059) The clean-up will take years to get areas back to the way they were 67 Facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged 66 Having a holiday in the affected areas is an excellent way to help those countries recover from the disaster

65

Many hotel services / facilities will not be back to normal for a long time 60 It wouldn’t feel right having a holiday while local people continue to have a rough time

55

Visiting areas badly affected will be depressing / make me feel bad 55 Resorts will be empty / not as vibrant as before 52 I am concerned about my health visiting areas affected by the tsunami 52 Only a small number of holiday resorts in Asia have been affected by the tsunami

49

I am concerned about lawlessness in the affected regions 48 I’m concerned about the chance of another tsunami hitting the same area again

37

Health and Safety Concerns over travelers’ health and safety were more pronounced in the Asian and North American source countries than in Europe or Australia.

Concern about health was a key issue in China, Korea, USA and Canada.

Concerns over lawlessness were more evident in Japan, China and Korea than other regions.

The chance of another tsunami hitting the same area was an issue in China and Korea, however, 37 percent of all Asia considerers also agreed with this statement.

12.

Facilities and Services Many travelers felt that the facilities and services available in the destinations would be affected for some time.

66 percent of those planning to visit Asia agreed that the facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged. There was greater agreement among Americans, Canadians and Koreans on this issue;

In a similar vein, 67 percent felt the clean up would take years to get the areas

back to the way they were. Again this was mainly with USA, Canadian and Korean travelers; and

Many of the same travelers also held the view that the facilities and services at

the resorts would take a long time to get back to normal. Social and Personal Concerns A proportion of travelers was concerned about holidaying in the affected areas while the local people were facing a difficult time (55 percent). This was more evident among the Americans, Canadians, French and Koreans. The more personal response that visiting the affected areas would make the traveler feel bad or depressed was expressed by 55 percent of those considering visiting Asia. It was high among Koreans and Americans.

13.

Information Requirements The majority of Asia considerers stated that they would like to have more information about the affected areas. Health and sanitation was the area where more information was most requested, followed by progress on the clean up and the impact the tsunami has had on infrastructure and tourist facilities. The main channel for travel information gathering is the Internet, followed by traditional shopfront travel agents. Newspapers are also a chosen source, both the general and travel sections.

Information Needs

9%

37%

41%

48%

50%

54%

68%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

None of the above

Holiday packages / prices to resorts in the affectedareas

Transportation and access to / from resorts

Impact on the local infrastructure

Impact on tourist facilities / amenities

Progress of the clean-up at tourist destinations

Health and sanitation

Base: Asia Considerers n = 5059

14.

Extent of the Tsunami Effect

Extent of Tsunami Effect

2

4

6

10

10

12

27

28

35

49

58

63

10

22

21

33

29

30

43

51

35

34

23

26

0 20 40 60 80 100

Hong Kong

Vietnam

Singapore

Myanmar (Burma)

Seychelles

Philippines

Malaysia

India

Maldives

Thailand

Sri Lanka

Indonesia

% Agreement Severely Affected Somewhat Affected

15.

Indonesia Nearly two-thirds of Asia considerers felt that Indonesia had been severely affected by the tsunami (63 percent), particularly travelers from France, Sweden, Germany, Japan, China and Australia. A further 26 percent felt the country was somewhat affected. Travelers’ attitudes towards the extent of damage incurred in Indonesia have had direct impact on their consideration of the country as a holiday destination. Fifteen percent of Asia switchers (i.e. those not visiting Asia in 2005 anymore

because of the tsunami) stated they would have considered Indonesia before the tsunami.

Australians, Japanese and Canadians had the highest proportion of switching from

Indonesia. A third of committed Asia travelers would not consider certain countries because of the tsunami (30 percent). Of these, 53 percent nominated Indonesia as one of the countries no longer part of their consideration set. The Chinese were significantly less likely to consider Indonesia compared with other countries (73 percent). Thailand For international travelers, Thailand is another country that is seen to be affected by the tsunami, but not quite as severely as Indonesia. Half of the Asia considerers rated Thailand as severely affected (49 percent) and a further 34 percent as somewhat affected. 44 percent of Asia switchers stated that Thailand would have been on their consideration set before the tsunami. Australia and Canada were the main switchers. Of those committed Asia travelers who would not go to certain countries after the tsunami (30 percent), a third nominated Thailand as one of the countries they would not consider for 2005 (37 percent).

16.

Sri Lanka Three in five Asia considerers (58 percent) rated the tsunami effect on Sri Lanka as severe. France, Sweden and Australia had a stronger view on the severity than other markets. For the Asia switchers, 17 percent said they had considered Sri Lanka for a holiday in 2005. They were mainly from Germany and the UK. Of those committed Asia travelers who would not go to certain countries after the tsunami (30 percent), two in five (39 percent) nominated Sri Lanka as one of the countries they would not consider for 2005, particularly among the Europeans and North Americans. The Maldives A third of Asia considerers felt the Maldives had been severely affected by the tsunami (35 percent). Another 35 percent felt the Maldives had been somewhat affected. The extent of the damage to the Maldives was seen to be more severe by Asian and Australian travelers than Europeans or Americans. One third of Asia switchers stated that the Maldives would have been on their consideration set before the tsunami (33 percent). They were mainly UK, German and Korean travelers. Of those committed Asia travelers who would not go to certain countries after the tsunami (30 percent), a third nominated the Maldives as one of the countries they would not consider for 2005 (29 percent). India Less than a third of Asia considerers felt that India had been severely affected by the tsunami (28 percent). Another 51 percent felt that India had been somewhat affected. One in 10 Asia switchers stated that India would have been on their consideration set before the tsunami (11 percent). Of those committed Asia travelers who would not go to certain countries after the tsunami (30 percent), 21 percent nominated India as one of the countries they would not consider for 2005.

17.

Country Reports

18.

Country Report: USA Travelers Past Travel Behavior The most popular destinations in the past three years for American travelers were Europe, the Caribbean and South America. Asia was visited by 15 percent of respondents from USA. Fourteen percent of past international travelers did not have plans to travel overseas for a holiday in 2005. Travel Plans to Asia in 2005 Seventy-three percent of travelers from USA were not considering visiting Asia as a vacation destination in 2005. Eight percent of international travelers who are planning a holiday in 2005 have been influenced by the tsunami and are no longer considering Asia in their holiday plans - Asia switchers (8 percent). Many of the countries nominated as part of their consideration set before the tsunami were not directly affected by the disaster.

Countries No Longer Considered for 2005 - USA

4%6%

7%8%

10%18%

20%21%

23%27%

42%

42%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Myanmar (Burma) Seychelles

Maldives

Vietnam

Indonesia

Sri Lanka

India

Malaysia

Singapore

Philippines

Thailand

Hong Kong

Wou

ld h

ave

Con

side

red

Base: n= 155

19.

Twenty percent of USA travelers who are planning a trip in 2005 remained committed to visiting Asia for a vacation. Most travelers are planning their trip for September or later in the year (46 percent). The top destinations are Hong Kong (47 percent), Thailand (36 percent), Singapore (29 percent) and India (26 percent).

Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers from USA

6%9%10%

12%15%

17%18%19%

26%29%

36%47%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Myanmar (Burma) Maldives

Seychelles Sri Lanka Indonesia

Vietnam Philippines

Malaysia India

Singapore Thailand

Hong Kong

Cou

ntrie

s C

onsi

derin

g

% Considering/Intending to Visit Base: n = 359

However, out of this group, 25 percent said they had revised their travel destinations in Asia as a result of the tsunami.

No Longer in the Consideration Set - Committed

Asia Travelers from USA

3%5%

9%14%

11%24%

14%23%

29%32%

53% 56%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Hong Kong Vietnam

Seychelles Singapore

Myanmar (Burma) Philippines

Maldives Malaysia

India Thailand

Indonesia Sri Lanka

Cou

ntrie

s N

ot C

onsi

derin

g N

ow

Base: n = 96

20.

Commitment to Asia Travel For the majority of USA travelers (69 percent), their plans to visit Asia for a holiday in 2005 were not influenced by the tsunami. Fourteen percent said the tsunami made it less likely for them to travel to Asia, while conversely, 16 percent said it actually made them more likely to visit Asia.

Impact of Tsunami on Asia Travel Plans - USA

16% 14%

69%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Made it more likely thatI’ll visit Asia

No impact Made it less likely that I’ll visit Asia

However the inclination to visit tsunami-affected areas was more negatively influenced by the disaster. 29 percent said it was less likely that they would visit the tsunami-affected countries, while 58 percent still said it had no impact.

Impact of Tsunami on Travel Plans to the Affected

Areas - USA

14% 29%

58%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Made it more likely thatI'll visit the affected

areas

No impact Made it less likely that I'll visit the affected

areas

21.

Understanding the Tsunami’s Impact on Different Countries USA travelers who are currently considering a holiday in Asia in 2005 and those who were considering one before the tsunami, have a general understanding of the extent to which different countries were affected by the tsunami. However, the level of impact was seen to be greater for some countries than is actually the case. Indonesia and Sri Lanka were considered to be the most severely affected, with Malaysia, Thailand and India rated as somewhat affected. Areas of Concern Concerns of USA travelers to Asia are centred on the resort facilities and services in the affected areas. Interestingly, the threat of another disaster is not a great concern, suggesting that these travelers’ unease can be lessened by targeted information about health and safety issues and communication about the resorts being fully operational.

The following are statements that people have made about holiday travel and resort destinations affected by the tsunami. Please

indicate the extent to which you agree with each comment

Agreement %

(n = 504) The clean-up will take years to get areas back to the way they were 75 Facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged 74 Many hotel services / facilities will not be back to normal for a long time 67 Resorts will be empty / not as vibrant as before 62 It wouldn’t feel right having a holiday while local people continue to have a rough time 62

Visiting areas badly affected will be depressing / make me feel bad 61 I am concerned about my health visiting areas affected by the tsunami 61 Having a holiday in the affected areas is an excellent way to help those countries recover from the disaster 60

I am concerned about lawlessness in the affected regions 54 Only a small number of holiday resorts in Asia have been affected by the tsunami 41

I’m concerned about the chance of another tsunami hitting the same area again 36

22.

Information Requirements and Sources The majority of potential travelers from the USA (67 percent) was interested in receiving more information about health and sanitation in the tsunami-affected countries, followed by the progress of the clean up and the impact on tourist facilities and amenities.

Information Requirements - USA

67

52

50

47

46

39

16

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

None of the above

Holiday packages / prices to resorts in the effectedareas






% Information Requirement Base: n = 504

The Internet is the most used channel by USA travelers for travel information on Asia (69 percent), followed by travel agencies (36 percent) and travel magazines (35 percent).

Travel Information Sources - USA

36%

69%

17%

18%

25%

30%

31%

32%

35%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Magazines (General) Advertising

Newspapers (general news) Books / travel guides

Opinions of friends and family Newspapers (travel sections)

Magazines (Travel) Travel Agency (Shopfront)

Travel Agency (On-line / Internet)

% Information SourcesBase: n = 504

23.

Country Report: Japanese Travelers Past Travel Behavior Destinations within the Asia Pacific were the most visited by Japanese travelers in the past three years (58 percent), while Europe and North America were also popular destinations for over a quarter of the international travelers (25 percent and 28 percent respectively). At the time of the study, 13 percent of past travelers were not considering a holiday overseas in 2005. Travel Plans to Asia in 2005 Thirty-nine percent are not currently considering Asia as a vacation destination in 2005. A further nine percent have been influenced by the tsunami to exclude Asia from their holiday plans in 2005. Thailand and the Maldives were the main destinations originally considered before the tsunami. Although Singapore was unaffected by the tsunami, 27 percent still said that it was no longer in their consideration set.

Countries No Longer Considered for 2005 - Japan

1%

4%

6%

7%

12%

13%

20%20%

23%

27%

33% 37%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Myanmar (Burma) Sri Lanka

India Seychelles

Vietnam Philippines Hong Kong

Indonesia Malaysia

Singapore Maldives Thailand

Wou

ld h

ave

Con

side

red

Base: n= 84. Caution, small base

24.

Among Japanese respondents planning international travel in 2005, 52 percent are still planning to go to Asia for a holiday. The peak travelling months are May and August. The most popular destinations are Hong Kong (36 percent), Thailand (26 percent), Singapore (25 percent) and Vietnam (17 percent).

Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers from Japan

4%4%4%

7%7%

8%14%

16%17%

25%26%

36%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Myanmar (Burma) Sri Lanka

Seychelles India

Maldives Philippines

Malaysia Indonesia

Vietnam Singapore

Thailand Hong Kong

Cou

ntrie

s C

onsi

derin

g

% Considering/Intending to VisitBase: n = 426

However, half of these committed Asia travelers (49 percent) have revised their consideration set as a result of the tsunami, with the largest impact on Indonesia and Thailand.


Asia Travelers from Japan

1%4%

7%7%

9%13%13%

22%31%

34%35%

52%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Hong Kong Vietnam

Myanmar (Burma) Seychelles Singapore

India Philippines

Malaysia Sri Lanka Maldives Thailand

Indonesia

Cou

ntrie

s N

ot C

onsi

derin

g N

ow

Base: n = 223

25.

Commitment to Asia Travel The tsunami did have an impact on a significant proportion of Japanese travelers who are considering Asia for a holiday in 2005. Nearly half the committed Asia travelers (49 percent) claimed the disaster had made it less likely they would visit region. While 54 percent said they were less likely to visit the affected areas.

Impact of Tsunami on Asian Travel Plans - Japan

9%

49%42%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%




Areas - Japan

7%

54% 39%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%


areas


areas

26.

Understanding the Tsunami’s Impact on Different Countries Among the Japanese considering travel to Asia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka were considered to be the most severely affected, particularly Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Consideration of Indonesia as a travel destination is being adversely affected by Japanese travelers’ view of the damage to this country. Areas of Concern The main concerns for the Japanese travelers are focused on the facilities and services of the resort destinations. Law and order concerns were higher for Japan than was seen in European countries or the Americas. Other Asian countries (Korea and China) shared the Japanese views on this issue.

The following are statements that people have made about holiday travel and resort destinations affected by the tsunami.

Please indicate the extent to which you agree with each comment

Agreement %

(n = 510) The clean-up will take years to get areas back to the way they were 79 Many hotel services / facilities will not be back to normal for a long time 74 Facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged 66 I am concerned about lawlessness in the affected regions 63 Visiting areas badly affected will be depressing / make me feel bad 57 Resorts will be empty / not as vibrant as before 56 Having a holiday in the affected areas is an excellent way to help those countries recover from the disaster 54

It wouldn’t feel right having a holiday while local people continue to have a rough time 54

I am concerned about my health visiting areas affected by the tsunami 44 Only a small number of holiday resorts in Asia have been affected by the tsunami 41


27.

Information Requirements and Sources The majority of potential travelers from Japan (79 percent) was interested in receiving more information about health and sanitation in the tsunami-affected countries, followed by the impact on tourist facilities and amenities (69 percent) and the progress of the clean up (66 percent).

Information Requirements - Japan

2

47

54

58

66

69

79

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

None of the above








The Internet is the most used channel by Japanese travelers for travel information on Asia (83 percent), followed by travel agencies (57 percent) and newspapers (45 percent).

Source of Travel Information - Japan

18%

18%20%

25%

27%38%

45%57%

83%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

AdvertisingOpinions of friends and family

Magazines (General) Newspapers (travel sections)

Books / travel guidesMagazines (Travel)

Newspapers (general news) Travel Agency (Shopfront)


% Source of Information Base: n = 510

28.

County Report: Canadian Travelers Past Travel Behavior Canadian travelers’ most popular destinations in the past three years were Europe, the Caribbean and South America. Asia was visited by 18 percent of the respondents from Canada. Eleven percent of past travelers did not intend to take an overseas holiday in 2005. Travel Plans to Asia in 2005 Three-quarters (76 percent) of Canadian international travelers are currently not considering Asia as a vacation destination in 2005. A further seven percent have discounted Asia from their holiday plans in 2005 due to the tsunami. Hong Kong was the main destination nominated as part of their consideration set before the tsunami and now no longer under consideration, although it was not directly affected by the disaster.

Countries No Longer Considered for 2005 - Canada

2%4%4%

7%12%

14%16%17%

20%21%

36%43%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Seychelles Maldives

Myanmar (Burma) Sri Lanka Indonesia

Vietnam Philippines

Malaysia Singapore

India Thailand

Hong Kong

% Would have Considered VisitingBase: n = 145

29.

Eighteen percent are still planning to go to Asia for a vacation. The peak traveling times are June to August (34 percent) and September to December (42 percent). The main destinations are Hong Kong (43 percent), Thailand (36 percent), India (21 percent) and Singapore (20 percent).

Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers from Canada

2% 4% 4%

7%12%

14%16%

17%20%

21%36%

43%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Seychelles Myanmar Maldives

Sri Lanka Indonesia

Vietnam Philippines

Malaysia Singapore

India Thailand

Hong Kong

Cou

ntrie

s C

onsi

derin

g

% Considering/Intending to Visit Base: n = 359

However, one in five of these committed Asia travelers has revised the consideration set as a result of the tsunami (20 percent), with the most impact on Sri Lanka (60 percent) and Indonesia (52 percent).

No Longer in the Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers

from Canada

2%7%8%9%

6%11%

8%19%

34%43%

52% 60%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Hong Kong Vietnam

Seychelles Singapore

Myanmar (Burma) Philippines

Maldives Malaysia

India Thailand

Indonesia Sri Lanka

Cou

ntrie

s N

ot C

onsi

derin

g N

ow

Base: n = 69 Caution, small base

30.

Commitment to Asia Travel The commitment to visit Asia for a holiday in 2005 was not influenced by the tsunami for the majority of Canadian travelers (69 percent) who are considering the region. Nearly one in five committed travelers (18 percent) said they were more likely to visit Asia because of the tsunami. This was carried through to some degree to a similar desire to visit the affected areas.

Impact of Tsunami on Asian Travel Plans - Canada

18% 12%

69%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%



However, 31 percent of committed travelers to Asia indicated that they felt they were less likely to visit the affected areas.


Areas - Canada

18% 31%

50%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%


areas


areas

31.

Understanding the Tsunami’s Impact on Different Countries Canadian travelers who are currently considering a holiday in Asia in 2005 and those who were considering before the tsunami have a broad understanding of the extent to which different countries were affected by the tsunami. However, the level of impact was seen to be greater for some countries than is actually the case. Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka were considered to be the most severely affected, with Malaysia and India rated as somewhat affected. Knowledge of countries such as the Seychelles, the Maldives and Myanmar was limited, but the extent to which Vietnam and the Philippines were affected is not as well understood. Areas of Concern There are a number of areas of concern for Canadian travelers, many of them focused on the social and environmental impacts for the areas. Canadians are more likely than travelers from the USA, Japan or Korea to feel that holidaying in the affected areas is a way to aid recovery from the tsunami. However, the concern for the local people was also high in their feeling ‘ashamed’ about holidaying in the midst of such difficulties. Communications that contain an element of the local communities’ enthusiasm to see the tourists return, for reasons beyond the economic, should be considered.

The following are statements that people have made about holiday travel and resort destinations affected by the tsunami. Please indicate

the extent to which you agree with each comment

Agreement %

(n = 504) The clean-up will take years to get areas back to the way they were 73 Facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged 73 Having a holiday in the affected areas is an excellent way to help those countries recover from the disaster 71

I am concerned about my health visiting areas affected by the tsunami 65 It wouldn’t feel right having a holiday while local people continue to have a rough time 64

Many hotel services / facilities will not be back to normal for a long time 63 Visiting areas badly affected will be depressing / make me feel bad 58 Resorts will be empty / not as vibrant as before 56 I am concerned about lawlessness in the affected regions 47 Only a small number of holiday resorts in Asia have been affected by the tsunami 44


32.

Information Requirements and Sources The majority of potential Canadian Asia considerers (80 percent) was interested in receiving more information about health and sanitation in the tsunami-affected countries, followed by the progress of the clean up (61 percent) and the impact on tourist facilities and amenities (55 percent).

Information Requirements - Canada

12

48

50

51

55

61

80

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

None of the above








The Internet is the most used channel by Canadian travelers for travel information on Asia (72 percent), followed by travel agencies (53 percent) and opinions of friends and family (41 percent).

Travel Information Sources - Canada

14%

19%

31%

32%

32%

37%

41%

53%

72%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Magazines (General) Advertising

Newspapers (general news) Books / travel guides

Magazines (Travel) Newspapers (travel sections) Opinions of friends and family

Travel Agency (Shopfront) Travel Agency (On-line / Internet)

% Information SourcesBase: n = 504

33.

Country Report: Korean Travelers Past Travel Behavior Travel within Asia accounted for the majority of trips taken by Korean international travelers in the past three years (77 percent). Europe and North America were also popular destinations (15 percent and 10 percent respectively). Only six percent of Korean travelers did not have plans to travel overseas for a holiday in 2005. Travel Plans to Asia in 2005 Forty-four percent of Korean respondents are currently not considering Asia as a vacation destination for international travel in 2005. A further 12 percent are not considering Asia in their holiday plans in 2005 because of the tsunami. The Maldives came out top among destinations that were considered before the tsunami but are now excluded from Korean travelers’ plans.

Countries No Longer Considered for 2005 - Korea

0%

1%

1%

3%

4%

5%

8%

11%

12%

16%

21%

58%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Sri Lanka

Myanmar (Burma)

Seychelles

Malaysia

India

Indonesia

Vietnam

Singapore

Philippines

Thailand

Hong Kong

Maldives

% Would have Considered VisitingBase: n = 114

34.

Forty-four percent are still planning to travel in Asia for a holiday, with the peak traveling months from June to August (55 percent) and after September (28 percent). The main destinations are Hong Kong (25 percent), Thailand (18 percent), Singapore (17 percent) and the Maldives (13 percent).

Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers from Korea

0%1%

2%4%

5%9%

11%11%

13%17%

18%25%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Sri Lanka Myanmar (Burma)

Seychelles Malaysia

India Indonesia

Philippines Vietnam

Maldives Singapore

Thailand Hong Kong

Cou

ntrie

s C

onsi

derin

g


Half of these committed Asia travelers have revised their consideration set as a result of the tsunami (56 percent), with the largest impact on Indonesia (53 percent).


Asia Travelers from Korea

0% 1% 2%

5%8%

13%13%14%14%

36%38%

53%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Hong Kong Vietnam

Seychelles Singapore Sri Lanka Myanmar

Philippines India

Malaysia Thailand Maldives

Indonesia

Cou

ntrie

s N

ot C

onsi

derin

g N

ow

Base: n = 203

35.

Commitment to Asia Travel For the majority of Korean travelers who are considering Asia for a holiday in 2005, the tsunami did have an impact on their likelihood to travel in the region. Three in five Korean committed Asia travelers (60 percent) claimed the disaster had made it less likely that they would visit the rest of Asia, while only 38 percent said it had no impact.

Impact of Tsunami on Asian Travel Plans - Korea

3%

60% 38%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%



The tsunami has had a direct impact on nearly two-thirds of the Korean respondents who are planning to travel within Asia after the tsunami, with 63 percent stating they are less likely to visit affected areas.

Impact of Tsunami on Travel Plans to the Affected Areas - Korea

8%

63% 28%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%


areas


areas

36.

Understanding the Tsunami’s Impact on Different Countries Korean travelers who are currently considering a holiday elsewhere in Asia in 2005 and those who were considering before the tsunami, did not seem to have a very clear understanding of the extent to which different countries were affected by the tsunami, particularly those countries “somewhat” affected. Myanmar, Philippines and Vietnam were seen to have suffered some effects from the tsunami. Areas of Concern There were a number of areas of concern for these Korean travelers, many of which focused on health, facilities and services of the resort destinations. Law and order concerns were higher for Korea than was seen in European countries or the Americas. Other Asian countries (Japan and China) shared the Korean views on this issue. The apprehension that another tsunami would hit the same area was the second highest of the countries included in the research (China was number one).



Agreement %

(n = 5507) Facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged 79 I am concerned about lawlessness in the affected regions 75 The clean-up will take years to get areas back to the way they were 73 Visiting areas badly affected will be depressing / make me feel bad 72 I am concerned about my health visiting areas affected by the tsunami 68 Many hotel services / facilities will not be back to normal for a long time 67 It wouldn’t feel right having a holiday while local people continue to have a rough time 66

Resorts will be empty / not as vibrant as before 63 I’m concerned about the chance of another tsunami hitting the same area again 62

Having a holiday in the affected areas is an excellent way to help those countries recover from the disaster 39

Only a small number of holiday resorts in Asia have been affected by the tsunami 34

37.

Information Requirements and Sources The majority of potential travelers from Korea (57 percent) was interested in receiving more information on health and sanitation in the tsunami-affected countries, followed by the progress of the clean up at tourist destinations (50 percent) and the impact on tourist facilities and amenities (29 percent).

Information Requirements - Korea

2

11

12

19

29

50

57

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

None of the above








The Internet is the most used channel by Koreans for travel information on Asia (77 percent), followed by newspapers (45 percent) and travel agencies (23 percent).

Source of Travel Information - Korea

3%5%

13%

15%16%17%

23%

77% 45%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Magazines (General)Advertising

Newspapers (travel sections)Opinions of friends and family

Books / travel guidesMagazines (Travel)

Travel Agency (Shopfront)Newspapers (general news)



38.

Country Report: Chinese Travelers Past Travel Behavior With increasing access to international holiday destinations for Chinese nationals, the incidence of overseas travel is increasing rapidly. Intra-regional travel in Asia Pacific accounted for the majority of trips taken by Chinese international travelers in the past three years (89 percent), with Europe and North America being the popular destinations (24 percent and 19 percent respectively). All the travelers in the survey were planning an overseas holiday in 2005. Travel Plans to Asia in 2005 Only 23 percent of Chinese respondents are not currently considering Asia as a holiday destination in 2005. A further 15 percent of international travelers have been influenced by the tsunami to exclude Asia from their holiday plans in 2005. Although Hong Kong and Singapore were unaffected by the tsunami, most of the travelers who are ruling out Asia from their 2005 travel plans said these countries were no longer in their consideration set.

Countries No Longer Considered for 2005 - China

3%4%

9%10%

13%17%17%

23%

36%46%

55% 65%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Seychelles Myanmar (Burma)

India Indonesia

Vietnam Philippines

Sri Lanka Malaysia Maldives Thailand

Singapore Hong Kong

Base: n= 101

39.

Among Chinese international travelers, 62 percent are planning to go elsewhere in Asia for a holiday. The peak traveling months are May (32 percent) and September to December (59 percent). The main destinations are Hong Kong (81 percent), Singapore (64 percent) and Thailand (48 percent).

Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers from China

3%7%

10%10%11%12%

17%23%24%

48%64%

81%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Seychelles Sri Lanka

Myanmar (Burma) Vietnam

India Philippines

Indonesia Maldives Malaysia Thailand

Singapore Hong Kong

Cou

ntrie

s C

onsi

derin

g


Just over one-third of these travelers who are planning to visit other Asian countries have revised their destinations as a result of the tsunami (38 percent), with the largest impact being on Indonesia (72 percent).

40

No Longer in the Consideration Set - Committed Asia

Travelers from China

2% 6%

10%13%14%

21%23%

25%34%35%36%

72%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Seychelles Myanmar Vietnam

Hong Singapore Philippine Sri Lanka Thailand

India Maldives Malaysia

Indonesia

Cou

ntrie

s N

ot C

onsi

derin

g N

ow

Base: n = 145

.

Commitment to Asia Travel The tsunami did not have a significant impact on the travel intentions of the majority of Chinese travelers who are considering other countries in Asia for a holiday in 2005. Only one in 10 Chinese committed Asia travelers (10 percent) claimed the disaster had made it less likely they would visit Asia.

Impact of Tsunami on Asian Travel Plans - China

20% 10%

69%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%



However, the tsunami has had a higher impact on plans to visit affected areas within the region for Chinese travelers planning a trip in Asia, with 27 percent stating they are less likely to visit affected areas. On the other hand, it is worth noting that another 20 percent said that the tsunami had made it more likely for them to visit the affected areas.


Areas - China

20% 27%

52%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%


areas


areas

41.

Understanding the Tsunami’s Impact on Different Countries Among Chinese travelers who are currently considering a holiday in Asia in 2005 or those who were considering before the tsunami, there was a good level of general knowledge of the extent of the areas affected by the tsunami, although Philippines is seen to be somewhat affected. Areas of Concern The level of concern among these Chinese travelers, which mainly focused on personal safety, health, facilities and services of the resort destinations, is high compared with travelers from other countries. Chinese travelers share their Korean counterparts’ concerns about law and order. Apprehension that another tsunami would hit the same area was the highest of all the countries included in the study (70 percent).



Agreement %

(n = 510) I am concerned about my health visiting areas affected by the tsunami 80 Facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged 79 I am concerned about lawlessness in the affected regions 75 The clean-up will take years to get areas back to the way they were 73 Only a small number of holiday resorts in Asia have been affected by the tsunami 73

Visiting areas badly affected will be depressing / make me feel bad 72 I’m concerned about the chance of another tsunami hitting the same area again 70

Resorts will be empty / not as vibrant as before 63 Having a holiday in the affected areas is an excellent way to help those countries recover from the disaster 63

It wouldn’t feel right having a holiday while local people continue to have a rough time 53

Many hotel services / facilities will not be back to normal for a long time 50

42.

Information Requirements and Sources The majority of Chinese who are considering travel within Asia is interested in receiving more information about health and sanitation in the tsunami-affected countries (80 percent), followed by transportation and access to and from resorts (70 percent) and the impact on tourist facilities and amenities (68 percent).

Information Requirements - China

1

47

57

63

68

70

80

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

None of the above








The Internet is the most used channel by Chinese travelers for travel information on Asia (75 percent), followed by newspapers (54 percent) and magazines (44 percent).

Source of Travel Information - China

19%31%32%

42%42%43%

44%

75% 54%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Magazines (General)Books / travel guides

Opinions of friends and familyNewspapers (general news)

AdvertisingTravel Agency (Shopfront)

Magazines (Travel)Newspapers (travel sections)



43.

Country Report: UK Travelers Past Travel Behavior International travelers from the UK have favoured North America in the past three years for their holidays (56 percent). Other popular destinations were the Caribbean and Africa (24 percent each) and Asia (27 percent). In 2005, North America is still leading the consideration set (48 percent), with the Caribbean nominated by 36 percent of travelers. Asia is an option for 29 percent. 12 percent of UK travellers were not planning to take an international holiday in 2005. Travel Plans to Asia in 2005 57 percent of UK respondents are currently not considering Asia as a holiday destination in 2005. A further 10 percent of international travelers have been influenced by the tsunami to exclude Asia from their holiday plans in 2005. The Seychelles and Thailand were the main destinations that may be impacted by travelers changing their consideration set as a result of the tsunami. Although Hong Kong and Singapore were unaffected by the tsunami, a proportion of travelers which has reconsidered Asia as an option for 2005 holiday plans said these countries were no longer in its consideration set (43 percent and 21 percent respectively).

Countries No Longer Considered for 2005 - UK

4%

4%

9%

13%

14%

19%

20%21%

24%

43% 46% 47%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%


Philippines India

Maldives Indonesia Malaysia

Singapore Sri Lanka

Hong Kong Thailand

Seychelles

Base: n= 123

44.

Among the UK travelers planning to take an overseas holiday in 2005, 33 percent are planning to go to Asia. The peak traveling months are September to December (50 percent). The main destinations are Thailand (43 percent), Philippines (40 percent) and Hong Kong (29 percent).

Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers from the UK

4%9%

13%14%

17%17%18%

23%24%

29%40%

43%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Myanmar (Burma) Indonesia

Vietnam Singapore Sri Lanka

Seychelles Maldives

India Malaysia

Hong Kong Philippines

Thailand

Cou

ntrie

s C

onsi

derin

g


One in five of these UK travelers committed to visit Asia has revised their destinations in Asia as a result of the tsunami (20 percent), with the largest impact on Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

No Longer in the Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers from the UK

1% 2% 2% 3%

5%6%

8%19%

34%36%

52% 55%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Singapore Hong Kong

Vietnam SeychellesPhilippine

Myanmar Maldives Malaysia

India Thailand

Indonesia Sri Lanka

Cou

ntrie

s N

ot C

onsi

derin

g N

ow

Base: n = 80. Caution, small base.

45.

Commitment to Asia Travel For the majority of UK travelers considering Asia for a holiday in 2005, the tsunami did not have a significant impact on their likelihood of traveling to the region. One in ten UK travelers planning to visit Asia (10 percent) claimed the disaster had made it less likely they would visit Asia, while 20 percent said it would increase their likelihood of visiting the region.

Impact of Tsunami on Asian Travel Plans - UK

20% 10%

69%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%



However, the tsunami has had a higher impact on plans to visit affected areas within the region for these UK travelers, with 30 percent stating they are less likely to visit affected areas.

Impact of Tsunami on Travel Plans to the Affected Areas -

UK

19%

30%

50%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%


areas


areas

46.

Understanding the Tsunami’s Impact on Different Countries Among international travelers in UK who are currently considering a holiday in Asia in 2005 and those who were considering before the tsunami, there seems to be a high level of knowledge of the extent of the areas affected by the tsunami. However, there appears to be uncertainty on the extent to which Vietnam and the Philippines were affected. Areas of Concern Among these UK travelers, there is an element of social and community responsibility evident in their responses as 74 percent of the travelers acknowledged that holidaying in the region would assist the tsunami-stricken countries in their recovery. UK travelers are less concerned about health and safety than their Asian counterparts.



Agreement %

(n = 507) Having a holiday in the affected areas is an excellent way to help those countries recover from the disaster 74

The clean-up will take years to get areas back to the way they were 70 Facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged 68 Many hotel services / facilities will not be back to normal for a long time 58 It wouldn’t feel right having a holiday while local people continue to have a rough time 57

Visiting areas badly affected will be depressing / make me feel bad 53 Resorts will be empty / not as vibrant as before 52 Only a small number of holiday resorts in Asia have been affected by the tsunami 47

I am concerned about my health visiting areas affected by the tsunami 42 I am concerned about lawlessness in the affected regions 30 I’m concerned about the chance of another tsunami hitting the same area again 26

47.

Information Requirements and Sources UK respondents were interested in receiving more information about the areas affected by the tsunami mainly regarding health and sanitation (66 percent) and the impact on local infrastructure (55 percent).

Information Requirements - UK

15

40

44

53

55

55

66

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

None of the above








The Internet is the most used channel by UK travelers for travel information on Asia (72 percent), followed by travel agencies (33 percent) and newspapers (31 percent).

Source of Travel Information - UK

10%12%

22%29%30%30%31%

72% 33%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

AdvertisingMagazines (General)

Magazines (Travel)Newspapers (general news)

Opinions of friends and familyBooks / travel guides

Newspapers (travel sections)Travel Agency (Shopfront)



48.

Country Report: German Travelers Past Travel Behavior International travelers from Germany have favored North America in the past three years for their holidays (43 percent). Other popular destinations were Africa (31 percent), the Caribbean (30 percent) and Asia (38 percent). One in 10 past travelers was planning an overseas holiday in 2005 (11 percent). Travel Plans to Asia in 2005 Fifty percent of German respondents said they were currently not considering Asia as a holiday destination when they travel in 2005. A further 13 percent of international travelers have been influenced by the tsunami to discount Asia from their holiday plans in 2005. Thailand, the Maldives and Sri Lanka are the main destinations that are impacted by travelers changing their consideration set as a result of the tsunami.

Countries No Longer Considered for 2005 - Germany

6%11%11%11%11%

14%17%17%

23%32%

41%51%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Myanmar (Burma) India

Indonesia

Singapore

Vietnam

Hong Kong

Malaysia

Philippines

Seychelles

Sri Lanka

Maldives

Thailand

Wou

ld h

ave

Con

side

red

Base: n= 132

49.

Thirty-seven percent are planning to go to Asia for a holiday in 2005. The peak traveling months are September to December (64 percent). The main destinations are Thailand, Philippines and Hong Kong.

Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers from Germany

4%11%11%

14%14%15%16%17%17%

22%22%

43%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Myanmar (Burma) Malaysia

Philippines Singapore

Vietnam India

Indonesia Sri Lanka

Seychelles Hong Kong

Maldives Thailand

Cou

ntrie

s C

onsi

derin

g


One-quarter of these travelers planning to visit Asia have revised their consideration for destinations as a result of the tsunami (24 percent), with the largest impact on Sri Lanka (72 percent) and Thailand (57 percent).


Travelers from Germany

3%4%

10%11%13%

17%20%22%

28%53%

57%72%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Hong Kong Vietnam

Myanmar (Burma) Singapore Seychelles Philippine

Malaysia Maldives

India Indonesia Thailand

Sri Lanka

Cou

ntrie

s N

ot C

onsi

derin

g N

ow


50.

Commitment to Asia Travel For the German travelers who are considering Asia for a holiday in 2005, the tsunami has limited impact on the likelihood of their traveling to travel in the region, with 73 percent saying there has been no impact on their travel plans. Nearly one in five of these travelers planning to visit Asia (17 percent) claimed the disaster had made it less likely they would visit Asia, while one in 10 claimed it would increase their likelihood of visiting the region.

Impact of Tsunami on Asian Travel Plans -

Germany

10% 17%

73%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%



However, a higher proportion of German travelers planning to visit Asia (29 percent) said it made them less likely to travel to tsunami-affected areas.


Germany

12%

29%

60%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%


areas


areas

51.

Understanding the Tsunami’s Impact on Different Countries Among German international travelers who are currently considering a holiday in Asia in 2005 and those who were considering before the tsunami, knowledge of the extent of the areas affected by the tsunami was broad. Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka were cited as being severely affected, with Malaysia, the Maldives and India as somewhat affected. Areas of Concern Among the German travelers planning to visit Asia, the level of agreement with the statements below is not as high as that seen in other countries. They are concerned about the time it would take to get the affected areas back to the way they were, but acknowledged that holidaying in the country would assist the recovery process. The German travelers were more likely than those from other countries to agree that only a small number of resorts in Asia were affected by the tsunami.



Agreement %

(n = 501) The clean-up will take years to get areas back to the way they were 63 Having a holiday in the affected areas is an excellent way to help those countries recover from the disaster 60

Facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged 58 Only a small number of holiday resorts in Asia have been affected by the tsunami 58

Many hotel services / facilities will not be back to normal for a long time 53 Resorts will be empty / not as vibrant as before 51 It wouldn’t feel right having a holiday while local people continue to have a rough time 44

Visiting areas badly affected will be depressing / make me feel bad 43 I am concerned about my health visiting areas affected by the tsunami 40 I am concerned about lawlessness in the affected regions 33 I’m concerned about the chance of another tsunami hitting the same area again 31

52.

Information Requirements and Sources The majority of German Asia considerers are interested in receiving more information about the areas affected by the tsunami, relating to progress of the clean up (56 percent), health and sanitation and the impact on local infrastructure (both 53 percent).

Information Requirements - Germany

56

53

53

42

33

27

14

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

None of the above

Transportation to / from resorts

Holiday packages / prices

Impact on tourist facilities


Impact on local infrastructure

Progress of the clean-up at destinations


The Internet is the channel most used by Germans for travel information on Asia (73 percent), followed by newspapers (41 percent) and travel agents (39 percent).

Source of Travel Information - Germany

11%22%

30%31%32%

36%39%

73% 41%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Advertising

Magazines (General)Books / travel guides

Magazines (Travel)

Opinions of friends and familyNewspapers (travel sections)

Travel Agency (Shopfront)Newspapers (general news)

Travel Agency (Online / Internet)


53.

Country Report: French Travelers Past Travel Behavior International travelers from France have favored Africa in the past three years for their holidays (49 percent). Other popular destinations were the Caribbean (31 percent), North America (29 percent) and Asia (25 percent). Of past travellers 17 percent were not planning an international holiday in 2005. Travel Plans to Asia in 2005 Sixty percent of French respondents are not currently considering Asia as a holiday destination in 2005. A further 12 percent of international travelers have been influenced by the tsunami to exclude Asia from their holiday plans in 2005. The Seychelles, Thailand and the Maldives are the main destinations impacted by travelers changing their choice of potential destination as a result of the tsunami.

Countries No Longer Considered for 2005 - France

1%

6%7%

9%10%

11%15%

17%

19%34%

37%

45%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Myanmar (Burma) Singapore

Philippines

Hong Kong

Malaysia

India

Vietnam

Indonesia

Sri Lanka

Maldives

Thailand

Seychelles

Wou

ld h

ave

Con

side

red

Base: n= 151

54.

Among French international travelers planning to take an overseas holiday in 2005, 28 percent are planning to go to Asia. The peak traveling months are June to August (51 percent) and from September to December (49 percent). The main destinations are Thailand (47 percent), Vietnam (38 percent) and India (33 percent).

Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers from France

7%12%

14%16%

20%22%22%22%

29%33%

38% 47%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Myanmar (Burma) Philippines Singapore

Malaysia Indonesia

Hong Kong Maldives

Sri Lanka Seychelles

India Vietnam Thailand

Cou

ntrie

s C

onsi

derin

g


Eighteen percent of these travelers planning to visit Asia have revised their destinations as a result of the tsunami, with the largest impact on Sri Lanka and Indonesia.


Travelers from France

2% 4%

7% 9%10%

17%18%

24%32%33%

40%74%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Vietnam Hong Kong Singapore Myanmar

Seychelles Philippines

India Malaysia Thailand Maldives

Indonesia Sri Lanka

Cou

ntrie

s N

ot C

onsi

derin

g N

ow


55.

Commitment to Asia Travel For the French travelers who are considering Asia for a holiday in 2005, the tsunami has had little impact on their likelihood of traveling in the region, with 75 percent saying it had no impact on their travel plans. Twelve percent claimed the disaster had made it less likely they would visit Asia, with the same proportion claiming it would increase their likelihood of visiting the region.

Impact of Tsunami on Asian Travel Plans - France

12% 12%

75%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%



The tsunami appears to have had some degree of impact on plans to visit affected areas within the region, with 21 percent of the French travelers stating that they were less likely to visit affected areas.


France

14% 21%

65%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%


areas


areas

56.

Understanding the Tsunami’s Impact on Different Countries Among the French international travelers who are currently considering a holiday in Asia in 2005 and those who were considering before the tsunami, knowledge of the extent of the areas affected by the tsunami is quite defined, with clear separation between the somewhat and the severely affected areas. Areas of Concern Among these travelers, there was concern about the time it would take for the affected areas to recover fully. Equally, they acknowledged that holidaying in the country would assist the recovery process. For many French travelers, there was also apprehension about holidaying while the local people are having a difficult time as the result of the tsunami.



Agreement %

(n = 502) The clean-up will take years to get areas back to the way they were 67 Having a holiday in the affected areas is an excellent way to help those countries recover from the disaster 66

Many hotel services / facilities will not be back to normal for a long time 65 It wouldn’t feel right having a holiday while local people continue to have a rough time 64

Facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged 57 Visiting areas badly affected will be depressing / make me feel bad 56 Only a small number of holiday resorts in Asia have been affected by the tsunami 46

Resorts will be empty / not as vibrant as before 41 I am concerned about my health visiting areas affected by the tsunami 40 I’m concerned about the chance of another tsunami hitting the same area again 36

I am concerned about lawlessness in the affected regions 30

57.

Information Requirements and Sources Most of the French travelers considering a visit to Asia are interested in receiving more information about the areas affected by the tsunami, mainly relating to health and sanitation (70 percent) and the impact on local infrastructure (55 percent) and tourist facilities (49 percent).

Information Requirements - France

70

55

49

47

42

37

5

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

None of the above








The Internet is the most popular channel in obtaining travel information on Asia (71 percent), followed by consulting travel agencies (45 percent) and books/travel guides (33 percent).

Source of Travel Information - France

10%14%

22%25%27%

32%33%

71% 45%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Advertising

Magazines (General)Newspapers (travel sections)

Newspapers (general news)

Opinions of friends and familyMagazines (Travel)

Books / travel guidesTravel Agency (Shopfront)

Travel Agency (Online / Internet)


58.

Country Report: Swedish Travelers Past Travel Behavior In the past three years, 46 percent of international travelers from Sweden have been to Asia and 38 percent went to North America for their holidays. Another popular destination was Africa (28 percent). Of the past travelers, 17 percent were not planning an international holiday in 2005. Travel Plans to Asia in 2005 Forty-two percent of Swedish international travelers are currently not considering Asia as a holiday destination in 2005. Only five percent of Swedish international travelers are ruling out Asia from their holiday plans in 2005 as a result of the tsunami. Thailand, the Seychelles and the Maldives are the main destinations that are impacted by the travelers changing their choice of destination as a result of the tsunami, however, this represents only a small proportion of the total respondents surveyed.

Countries No Longer Considered for 2005 - Sweden

1%3%

9%10%10%

15%15%

19%

19%23%

27%67%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%


India

Indonesia

Singapore

Hong Kong

Sri Lanka

Malaysia

Philippines

Maldives

Seychelles

Thailand

Wou

ld h

ave

Con

side

red


59.

Among those planning to take an overseas holiday in 2005, 52 percent are planning to go to Asia. The peak traveling months are from September to December (54 percent). The main destinations are Thailand (63 percent), Malaysia (22 percent) and India (20 percent).

Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers from Sweden

2%6%

8%10%10%11%11%

15%16%

20%22%

63%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%


Sri Lanka Maldives

Philippines Indonesia

Singapore Vietnam

Hong Kong India

Malaysia Thailand

Cou

ntrie

s C

onsi

derin

g


One in five of these committed Asian travelers has revised the choice of destination as a result of the tsunami (22 percent), with the largest impact on Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.


Travelers from Sweden

3% 4% 5%

8%9%10%

13%15%

23%39% 40%

42%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Singapore Philippine

Hong Kong Myanmar Vietnam

Seychelles India

Maldives Malaysia

Sri Lanka Indonesia Thailand

Cou

ntrie

s N

ot C

onsi

derin

g N

ow

Base: n = 95.

60.

Commitment to Asia Travel For the Swedish travelers who are considering Asia for a holiday in 2005, the tsunami has had minimal impact on their likelihood of traveling to the region. Only seven percent of these committed travelers claimed the disaster had made it less likely that they would visit Asia, with the 22 percent claiming it would in fact increase their likelihood of visiting the region.

Impact of Tsunami on Asian Travel Plans - Sweden

22% 7%

70%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%



However, the tsunami appears to have had an impact on plans to visit affected areas within the region for the committed Asia travelers, with 24 percent stating they were less likely to visit affected areas.


Sweden

18% 24%

57%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%


areas


areas

61.

Understanding the Tsunami’s Impact on Different Countries For Swedish international travelers who are currently considering a holiday in Asia in 2005 and those who were considering one before the tsunami, knowledge of the extent of the areas affected by the tsunami is quite defined, with clear separation between the somewhat and the severely affected areas. Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka were considered to be severely affected. Areas of Concern Among the Swedish travelers planning to visit Asia, there are fewer pressing concerns compared with other countries’ travelers. The positive effect of holidaying in the affected areas to help the countries recover was an agreed statement by 80 percent of the travelers.



Agreement %


Facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged 56 Only a small number of holiday resorts in Asia have been affected by the tsunami 56

Many hotel services / facilities will not be back to normal for a long time 50 Visiting areas badly affected will be depressing / make me feel bad 49 The clean-up will take years to get areas back to the way they were 48 It wouldn’t feel right having a holiday while local people continue to have a rough time 39

Resorts will be empty / not as vibrant as before 37 I am concerned about lawlessness in the affected regions 34 I am concerned about my health visiting areas affected by the tsunami 31 I’m concerned about the chance of another tsunami hitting the same area again 22

62.

Information Requirements and Sources Swedish travelers thinking of visiting Asia are interested in receiving more information about the areas affected by the tsunami, mainly relating to health and sanitation (61 percent) and the progress of the clean up and tourist infrastructure (46 percent).

Information Requirements - Sweden

61

46

46

33

27

25

14

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

None of the above








The Internet is the main channel Swedish travelers use to obtain information on travel in Asia (63 percent) followed by newspapers (39 percent).

Source of Travel Information - Sweden

14%14%

25%27%

32%

34%34%

63% 39%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Advertising

Magazines (General)Magazines (Travel)

Books / travel guides

Opinions of friends and familyTravel Agency (Shopfront)

Newspapers (travel sections)

Newspapers (general news)Travel Agency (Online / Internet)

% Source of InformationBase: n = 511

63.

Country Report: Australian Travelers Past Travel Behavior The most popular destinations for Australian international travelers in the past three years were Asia (47 percent) and Europe (38 percent). New Zealand and the Pacific Islands were also well frequented (37 percent). One in 10 past travelers was not planning an overseas holiday in 2005 (11 percent). Travel Plans to Asia in 2005 Among Australian international travelers, 51 percent are currently not considering Asia as a holiday destination in 2005. An additional six percent of international travelers have been influenced by the tsunami to exclude Asia from their holiday plans in 2005. Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong were the main destinations impacted by the travelers’ changing their choice of destination as a result of the tsunami. However, this represents only a small proportion of travelers.

Countries No Longer Considered for 2005 - Australia

4%6%7%

10%17%

19%28%

32%

35%43%

51%

57%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%


Seychelles

Sri Lanka

Vietnam

Philippines

Indonesia

Malaysia

Maldives

Hong Kong

Singapore

Thailand

Wou

ld h

ave

Con

side

red


64.

Among Australian international travelers planning to take an overseas holiday in 2005, 43 percent will visit Asia. The peak traveling months are from September to December (52 percent). The main destinations are Thailand (33 percent), Singapore (32 percent), Hong Kong (31 percent) and Vietnam (25 percent).

Consideration Set - Committed Asia Travelers from Australia

3%4%

5%5%5%

12%23%23%

25%31%

32% 33%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%


Maldives Philippines

Sri Lanka India

Indonesia Malaysia Vietnam

Hong Kong Singapore

Thailand

Cou

ntrie

s C

onsi

derin

g


One-quarter of these travelers have revised their destination as a result of the tsunami (24 percent), with the largest impact on Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.


65

Travelers from Australia

1%1%

5%7%

13%13%

15%25%

35%44%

51% 53%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Hong Kong Singapore

Vietnam Seychelles

Malaysia Philippines


Maldives Thailand

Sri Lanka Indonesia

Cou

ntrie

s N

ot C

onsi

derin

g N

ow

Base: n = 111.

.

Commitment to Asian Travel For the Australian travelers who are considering Asia for a holiday in 2005, the tsunami has minimal impact on their likelihood of traveling in the region. Ten percent of these committed Asia travelers claimed the disaster had made it less likely they would visit Asia, while 13 percent claimed it would increase their likelihood of visiting the region.

Impact of Tsunami on Asian Travel Plans - Australia

13% 10%

77%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%



The tsunami has had an impact on plans to visit affected areas within the region for these committed Asia travelers, with 30 percent stating they were less likely to visit the affected areas.


Australia

11% 30%

60%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%


areas


areas

66.

Understanding the Tsunami’s Impact on Different Countries Among Australian international travelers who are currently considering a holiday in Asia in 2005 and those who were considering before the tsunami struck, there is a broad level of knowledge about the effect of the tsunami disaster on different countries. Indonesia and Sri Lanka are perceived to be severely affected, while Thailand is not seen to be as severely affected as the Maldives. Areas of Concern Among Australian travelers planning to visit Asia, 78 percent agree that holidaying in the affected areas will help the countries recover. Their main concerns are centred on the time the clean up will take and the damage to facilities and amenities.



Agreement %


The clean-up will take years to get areas back to the way they were 69 Facilities and amenities in affected areas are still badly damaged 65 Only a small number of holiday resorts in Asia have been affected by the tsunami 55

Many hotel services / facilities will not be back to normal for a long time 52 Visiting areas badly affected will be depressing / make me feel bad 48 I am concerned about my health visiting areas affected by the tsunami 47 Resorts will be empty / not as vibrant as before 46 It wouldn’t feel right having a holiday while local people continue to have a rough time 45

I am concerned about lawlessness in the affected regions 37 I’m concerned about the chance of another tsunami hitting the same area again 19

67.

Information Requirements and Sources Most of the Australian travelers thinking of visiting Asia are interested in receiving more information about the areas affected by the tsunami, mainly relating to health and sanitation (64 percent) and the progress of the clean up (53 percent).

Information Requirements - Australia

64

53

50

49

45

38

13

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

None of the above








Australia is the only market that does not cite the Internet as the most popular source of travel information on Asia. Instead, travel agents (58 percent) are the main channel, followed by the opinion of friends and family (40 percent) and newspapers (40 percent).

Source of Travel Information - Australia

10%17%

19%21%

28%31%

40%

58%

40%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Magazines (General)

AdvertisingMagazines (Travel)

Books / travel guidesNewspapers (general news)

Newspapers (travel sections)Opinions of friends and family

Travel Agency (Shopfront)


Travel Agency (Online/Internet)

68.

If you have any feedback on this publication please email [email protected]

Visa International Service Association Robinson Road

Post Office Box 597 Singapore 901147

69.

mailto:[email protected]

post-tsunami global travel intentions research - visa ap

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