Travelling to other regions such as Southeast Asia will lead to a higher payoff than travelling the rest of Asia, a new report from Unbranded reveals. You know the feeling you get from exploring new gambling sites? Jumping on a plane and heading east recreates that feeling, except it’s multiplied by several hundreds!
Americans are more open to international travel than ever before, with 69 percent of people believing that travel allows them to get closer to friends and family and almost one in five stating they travel more than they used to, according to the report.
Unbranded surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. adults for the report, which looked at their reactions to living in five different regions around the world. The countries were Thailand, Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, and Malaysia.
Study findings indicated that people have more positive perceptions of travel in other regions as well as other aspects of living there. For example, Americans are more open to open and mixed gender rooms at hotels and appear to be enjoying the food in Southeast Asia. The travel industry can do more to focus on these potential revenue sources, Unbranded argues, so people will decide to take more international vacations.
Travel Experts Weigh In
Travel experts offer some thought-provoking commentary on the Unbranded report as well. For instance, the report’s focus on international destinations may present a skewed view of the industry as a whole.
“When we look at the ‘go global’ mindset, it means we don’t look beyond our borders,” says Julie Reeves, the senior vice president of multicultural marketing at Dreamscape. “The countries that travel to the most are not necessarily destinations that are synonymous with a large travel industry. It may be in cultural tourism.”
Robert Greene, travel agent and travel blogger, agrees. “The notion that travelling abroad requires spending money is archaic and doesn’t reflect the current shift in the industry,” he says. “We’ve seen a huge drop in traveller profits, and for a very simple reason: Expensive flights and pricey hotels are simply no longer accessible to the vast majority of people.”
The Unbranded report also didn’t seem to explain whether people experienced high or low satisfaction when they travelled. Some people would also argue that the kind of travel may affect that level of satisfaction.
Will I Feel Comfortable?
People have so many different opinions about whether to visit other regions in the world.
If you’re on the fence about travelling abroad, don’t let this scare you off, Greene says. “Though research shows that international travel doesn’t always result in satisfaction and sometimes even fear, it may well open your mind to some new and vibrant destinations.”
Others, such as Unbranded, don’t necessarily feel comfortable spending time in certain regions and their reasons are obvious, Greene says. “That’s why it’s important to ask yourself before you go, ‘Will I feel comfortable and safe?’ ”
The survey data suggest that locals are much more accepting of interracial relationships, Greene adds. “Most travellers don’t get any opposition from locals or see a surge in people living abroad.”
What Will It Cost Me?
Travellers have a lot to figure out when it comes to travelling. Will I feel comfortable? Will I have money to spend? Will I encounter something unexpected?