Recession? What recession?
The New Paper
Jazmin Kelly Six
Friday, 17 October 2008
It may be turbulent times for the economy, but Singaporeans are still taking to the skies.
The travel industry has registered an increase of 15 to 30 per cent annual growth.
For many Singaporeans, overseas holidays are no longer a luxury but have become a lifestyle habit.
Senior vice-president marketing and PR of CTC Holidays, Ms Alicia Seah, said: 'Travel is already part of our lifestyle, it is the fundamental fabric to freedom.'
In response to a successful National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (Natas) fair in August, Mr Robert Khoo, CEO of Natas, said: 'Despite Singapore's rising costs in food and transportation, Singaporeans are saving to travel.'
Record visitors
This enthusiasm was evident at the three-day fair where a record 65,583 visitors snapped up about $60million worth of travel packages, Natas said.
Regional business development manager Erik Hon, 29, has not let his wings be clipped by the financial meltdown.
He has already visited Hong Kong, Bangkok, Paris, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia this year alone. Come next January, he will be heading to Thailand for a short holiday and then to London, Amsterdam and eastern Europe next May.
Mr Hon said: 'I want to pamper myself every quarter... and feel the vibe of another city.'
As long as his bills are paid and has monthly savings set aside, travelling will be an essential he won't give up, he said.
On top of being avid travellers, Singaporeans like Mr Hon are also becoming more discerning. They do not mind paying a little more for comfort and a good time.
Miss Eileen Oh, vice-president leisure of UOB Travel Planners, said: 'We see more value-conscious consumers today than cost-conscious ones.'
As opposed to settling for a bare-bones of a holiday package, more consumers would gladly top up amounts ranging from '$50 to $500' to savour an enhanced holiday experience, Miss Oh added.
She also noted that Singaporeans are always on the lookout for good deals and 'tend to go where the currency favours'. This explains the spike in demand this year for destinations such as the US and, most recently, Australia.
Travel agencies we spoke to said they have been getting bookings for year-end travel from July.
Some tour operators even reported a sellout of over 70 per cent of their packages. Even after the stock markets started seeing red two weeks ago, most tour operators said they have not received cancellations.
Popular destinations
Taiwan, alongside popular winter destinations such as Japan and Korea, saw such great demand that airlines had to put in extra flights or switch to bigger carriers to accommodate travellers, Miss Seah said.
But, if you want to stretch your holiday dollar further, the best way would still be 'book your holidays early', suggested Hong Thai Travel's advertising and marketing manager, Miss Stella Chow.
She also advised the budget-conscious to take short-haul, holidays and opt for tourist-class hotels to save more.
When asked if he would be willing to put up at low-cost accommodations like hostels or budget hotels just so he could make that extra holiday trip, Mr Hon said he would definitely be raring to go 'as long as the room, location and amenities are decent'.