Key takeaways
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INTERNATIONAL. New research from Collinson shows mental wellbeing propositions will be key to Asian passengers feeling comfortable taking to the skies again as the travel industry edges towards recovery.
The study, dubbed ‘The Return Journey’, compared data collected from 18,500 travellers from 2019 and 12,607 from 2020 and reveals that they are just as worried about their mental wellbeing as their physical wellbeing.
The research was carried out in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Singapore, the UAE, the UK, and the US.
While generally the desire to travel is high, a new underlying mental health issue that travelling may cause has emerged, manifesting itself in the stress associated with ‘new travel’.
Two in three travellers in Japan (67%) expect travel in the next year to be more stressful than in the past; a concern echoed by 78% in Hong Kong and 81% in Singapore.
A large proportion (87%) of global travellers specifically said they wanted access to socially-distanced spaces in which to ‘de-stress’ and ‘relax away from the crowds’; with 89% of travellers in Singapore and 90% in China citing socially-distanced spaces to relax in as a key factor to their airport experience.
Almost three-quarters (73%) of travellers worldwide said they will be prioritising their mental wellbeing more when they travel now, than they did before COVID-19. While there was already a concern amongst travellers about the impact journeys were having on their physical wellbeing, 81% said that the pandemic had heightened these concerns.
Physical wellbeing when travelling is also a key priority for both Singaporeans (64%) and Hong Kongers (74%), with both above the global average of 60%.
“This is a way for the travel industry to look at its offering to consumers, allowing travel brands to understand what consumers want and what the industry needs to act on to rebuild traveller confidence.”
Long quarantine periods will hinder a return to travel
While apprehensions surrounding mental wellbeing and stress are a top priority for global travellers, issues around quarantine rules remain a significant concern for passengers in Asia.
The report found that the need to quarantine tops Hong Kong travellers’ list of concerns for post-pandemic travel, with 57% primarily hesitant to travel due to the need to quarantine on arrival or return. These concerns are shared with 49% of travellers from China and a further 71% of travellers from Singapore.
Test to Release: The future of travel and a reassurance to passengers
In light of these findings, testing has proven to be an essential factor in rebuilding global traveller confidence, Collinson said, with the vast majority (83%) of global passengers wanting there to be tests in arrivals at the airport, and nearly the same (82%) wanting tests on departure.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Asia has spearheaded the drive for COVID-19 testing, a key factor in much of the region’s success in keeping cases largely under control. The importance of testing both pre-departure and on arrival is shared by travellers from China (90%) and Hong Kong (86%), with a further 86% of travellers from Singapore desiring testing in arrivals and 85% on departure.
Ultimately, travellers are looking for a seamless journey, with a third of travellers from China (31%) happy to pay for airport lounge access to allow for this and 45% of Hong Kong travellers specifically listing a quick and efficient journey, including a fast security queue, as key to ensuring this stress-free experience.
“It is well-established that the travel industry was devastated by the pandemic, impacting everything from trade and economic growth to hundreds of thousands of jobs in the industry worldwide,” said Evans.
“While there are increasingly positive signs for a travel recovery, the only way to make it a success is to understand how traveller needs and fears have been changed by their experiences through the pandemic. It’s so important the travel industry recovers, and it’s even more important the industry is able to do so in a collaborative and informed way.
“What this research lays out is how to go about rebuilding traveller confidence, by focusing on mental as well as physical health, and understanding the factors causing stress. By working together on the issues highlighted in this study, the travel industry has yet more information to ensure travel thrives again in the future.”
“While quarantine rules remain in place for many countries within the Asian market, news surrounding the impending world-first travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand is a positive step towards recovery in the region,” said Collinson President, Asia Pacific Todd Handcock.
“Our research has uncovered that travellers in Asia want testing, and through our partnerships with various airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Scoot and Air Canada, we intend to continue providing viable testing solutions to safely rebuild traveller confidence in Asia.”
About the Data
The research is comprised of two global studies conducted one year apart.
• Data collected from a total of 18.5k travellers in 2019, of which 17k of these were leisure travellers and 9k travel for business. The research was carried out Australia, Brazil, China, India, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Singapore, the UAE, the UK, and the US. On average, leisure travellers took 2.24 trips per year and business travellers 2.34.
• Data collected from a total of 12,607 travellers in 2020, of which 11,159 were leisure travellers and 7,904 travel for business. The research was carried out in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Singapore, the UAE, the UK and the US.
About Collinson
Collinson is a global leader in the provision of traveller experiences including airport lounge access and medical and security assistance and travel medical services. Collinson’s traveller experiences include the world’s leading airport lounge and experiences programme, Priority Pass, as well as travel insurance, identity assistance, flight delay, international health and travel risk management solutions.
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