This is the decade of technological advancements and conscious traveling, according to a new research by a digital travel platform.
Next-generation travel
With the continued advancement of technology and better connectivity, Asian and Western travelers are expecting to see the rise of apps catering to all travel needs, passport-free travel, and mobile app check-in in hotels in the 2020s, Agoda reported.
Over half or almost half of respondents in Taiwan (50 percent) and in Southeast Asia: Indonesia (56 percent), Singapore (54 percent), Malaysia (53 percent), the Philippines (48 percent), and Thailand (48 percent) consider this "the norm" in the current decade.
However, only a third of people in the United Kingdom and the United States (33 percent) expect this change.
“Asian travelers, in particular, are enthused by and expectant of, technology developments that enhance and simplify their travel experience. Asian based companies are now leading the world in technology adoption and development to achieve this,” said Timothy Hughes, vice president of corporate development at Agoda.
Further, Southeast Asians want to be able to go into their hotel rooms faster, as one in two consider mobile app check-in—allowing guests to skip the registration queue, download their room access key, and go straight to their rooms—becoming a thing in the 2020s, with Singaporeans, Filipinos, Malaysians, and Thais most expectant of this trend.
When it comes to passport-free travel, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, China, and Australia are the top five countries most likely to see this future.
“It is a technology golden age for travelers,” stated Hughes.
“The 2000s was defined by the mouse and the computer, putting online travel booking just a click away. The 2010s, was defined by the smartphone and app, putting a travel agent in the pocket of every phone owner, and the 2020s will be defined by the power of data and Machine Learning."
Eco-friendly travel
An interesting finding from the research is that travelers are becoming more conscious about the environment, with more than a quarter looking to make more eco-friendly travel choices in this decade.
Travelers from Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia are the “most keen” to follow this principle, perhaps they are, Agoda said, more aware than others with the recent closure of Maya Bay in Thailand, and the recent Boracay rehabilitation in the Philippines.
More travels
More are eager to tick off items on their travel bucket lists this decade. Forty percent of respondents globally said they look forward to exploring more of their own country, while international travel is anticipated at 35 percent.
The research also discovered travelers in the 35-44 and 55+ age groups are most likely to explore their own countries and territories more (40 and 42 percent, respectively), with those from China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam choosing domestic destinations within their top three destinations in the 2020s.
Here at home, 45 percent of travelers would like to explore more of the Philippines in this decade, while 39 percent would like to travel more internationally. Manila tops the list of Filipino travelers in the 2020s, followed by Seoul in Korea and Kyoto in Japan.
Meanwhile, Korean and Japanese travelers are looking to embark on more solo trips in this decade. Taiwanese and Indonesians prefer taking a sabbatical or gap year.
Asia tops the global travel destination for this next decade, as travelers from both Asia and the West showcase a growing curiosity for Asian treasures like Kyoto, famed for its Shinto shrine, as well as its eclectic blend of culture, food, and history; followed by Bangkok in Thailand and Bali in Indonesia.
The research, which surveyed 16,383 adults, was taken from Dec. 12 to Dec. 18 last year.