Tokyo_Unsplash Image by Jezael Melgoza 

Singapore, 27 May 2020 – Yearning for a holiday? With the impending end in sight for the circuit breaker measures, vacation-deprived Singaporeans are searching for travel options once again. According to accommodation searches conducted on Expedia.com.sg in the month of April 2020, Singaporeans have begun the quest for their next holiday, with staycations being their preferred choice for a getaway from June through to December this year.

In view of the gradual reopening of international borders in time to come, Singaporeans have also shown renewed interest in overseas travel. Hinting at a positive uptick in consumer travel sentiments, Expedia data showed that Singaporeans have been searching for overseas travel options, with a particular interest in Asian destinations such as Tokyo, Taipei and Bangkok for their year-end travels.

Bangkok_Unsplash Image by Florian Wehde 

STAYCATIONS: A SILVER LINING

As the resumption of international travel may still be some time away, Singaporeans are looking to go on staycations in lieu of overseas travel starting from the month of June, when the circuit breaker measures begin to ease. According to Expedia.com.sg, data on standalone hotel searches in April for check-in stays between June to July this year revealed that four in 10 accommodation searches were for staycations.

“As Singapore begins to ease its circuit breaker measures from 2 June, we are encouraged to see a renewed interest in staycations among Singaporeans. The uptick in searches for Singapore hotels is a promising sign that the travel industry and local travel operators need. Our mission at Expedia has always been to help people go places. While we continue to look forward to the rejuvenation of the travel industry, we are also working closely with the authorities and our partners to facilitate the next phase of recovery in time to come,” said Lavinia Rajaram, APAC Head of Communications, Expedia.

Maldives_Unsplash Image by Colin Watts

Top travel destinations for October to December 2020

1. Tokyo 2, Taipei 3. Bangkok 4. Seoul 5. Maldives 6. Bali 7. Phuket 8. Osaka 9. Hokkaido 10, Hong Kong 

Top 10 destinations ranked based on the number of accommodation searches made in April 2020 on Expedia.com.sg, for check-in between October to December 2020

ASIAN DESTINATIONS SHOW PROMISE FOR YEAR-END TRAVEL

In the coming months, Singaporeans are also looking to kickstart travel. With travel restrictions expected to be progressively lifted in the later months of this year, Expedia.com.sg also analysed search data on international travel destinations for the year-end. During the period of October to December 2020, Expedia found that Asian destinations such as Tokyo, Taipei, Bangkok, Seoul and the Maldives were among the most-searched travel spots by Singaporeans.

Hokkaido_Unsplash Image by rawkkim

Top travel destinations for check-in dates between January to February 2021

1. Tokyo 2. Maldives 3. Bangkok 4. Niseko 5. Seoul 6. Bali 7. Taipei 8. Johor 9. Sapporo 10, Okinawa

Top 10 destinations ranked based on the number of accommodation searches made in April 2020 on Expedia.com.sg, for check-in between January to February 2021

SINGAPOREANS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT TRAVEL IN THE NEW YEAR

Come 2021, Singaporeans seem to display renewed optimism for travel to resume normalcy in the new year. Data on Expedia.com.sg showed that searches for travel to any one destination surpassed searches for local staycations for check-in dates of between January to February 2021. In addition, Tokyo cemented its place as the top international destination searched by Singaporeans during this period. In true Singaporean style, this highlights that it is never too early to start planning for a new overseas adventure.

As the urge to travel deepens and travel bookings are being made, Expedia is encouraging customers to take a more flexible approach when planning for travel. This includes choosing refundable bookings or opt for those with free cancellation policies, in the event that plans change between their booking and travel period.

Bali_Unsplash Image by Sebastian Pena Lambarri

“On top of our global cancellation policy, which provides flexibility in booking policies across our platform, we hope to further boost consumer confidence in travel as the industry regains its momentum. At present, we are working with industry stakeholders on a series of measures that can help to ensure the health and safety of our travellers. As Singapore embarks on a three-phase plan to recovery, Expedia is committed to supporting the authorities, our industry partners as well as our customers, to help travel regain normalcy once again,” added Lavinia Rajaram, APAC Head of Communications, Expedia.

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