MasterCard Worldwide Index of Travel Highlights for Japan and Korea

MasterCard has released the eagerly anticipated results of its latest MasterCard Worldwide Index of Travel report, predicting steady growth in outbound travel across Asia Pacific in the first half of 2008, despite the economic uncertainty clouding world financial markets.  

Below are the MasterCard Worldwide Index of Travel - First Half 2008 Market Specific Highlights. To get the full picture however, it is important to view them in conjunction with the main page, entitled: Steady Growth in Outbound Asia Pacific Travel Forecast Despite Economic Uncertainty.

Due to the amount of data we have cut the Market Specific Highlights into different pages. The MasterCard Worldwide Index of Travel - First Half 2008 Market Specific Highlights features the following countries: Australia and China, Hong Kong and Indonesia, Japan and Korea, Malaysia and New Zealand, Philippines and Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

JAPAN - Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2008:

• 1.8 year-on-year growth • 8.5 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months

Survey on Personal Travel

• Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were Internet (48.8%), followed by travel agent (46.4%), word of mouth (26.4%) and travel guides, books and brochures (26.4%).

• Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (64%), followed by language barriers/communication problems (35.2%) and falling sick without proper medical facilities (23.2%).

• The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were general sightseeing and scenic spots (72.0%), shopping (36.8%) and entertainment (36%).

• Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (62.4%), apparel and personal effects (35.2%) and food items (28.8%).

• The favorite personal travel destination for Japanese travelers was the US (27%).

Survey on Business Travel

• 29.3% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period.

• The US (36.6%) was the most frequently visited destination, China (19.5%), followed by Hong Kong and Europe (9.8% each).

• Majority of business travelers (61%) make their own travel arrangements.

• Japan Airlines (36.6%) was the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by ANA (29.3%), and Northwest Airline (9.8% each).

• Three-star/medium priced hotels (46.3%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by international four-star hotels (22%) and international five-star/higher end hotels (17.1%).

Environment and Travel

• The majority of the respondents (71.9%) are not letting this affect their personal and business travel plans. 22.2% said they would make less personal and business trips because of environmental concerns and 5.9% said they would make more.

KOREA - Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2008

• 10.8 year-on-year growth • 6.6 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months

Survey on Personal Travel

• Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were word of mouth (42.2%), followed by travel agents and familiarity with the place (22.9% each), and Internet (20.2%).

• Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (50.5%), followed by language barriers/communication problems (33.9%) and not being able to get the right kind of food and drinking water (22%).

• The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were general sightseeing and scenic spots (57.8%), followed by rest and relaxation (35.8%) and shopping (22.9%)

• Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included apparel and personal effects (49.5%), local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (28.4%) and luxury items/jewelry/branded goods and food items (11% each).

• The favorite personal travel destinations for Korean travelers were the US (26%) and Japan (26%).

Survey on Business Travel

• 31.7% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period.

• Japan (43.3%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by China (41.3%) and the US (26.9%).

• Majority of business travelers (39.4%) used the company’s in-house travel department to make their business travel arrangements.

• Korean Airlines (66.3%) was the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by Asiana (18.3%), Singapore Airlines and United Airlines (2.9%).

• International four-star hotels (41.3%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by three-star/medium priced hotels (33.7%) and international five-star/ higher end hotels (14.4%).

Environment and Travel

• The majority of the respondents (73.1%) are not letting this affect their personal and business travel plans. 13.7% said they would make less personal and business trips because of environmental concerns and 13.7% said they would make more.

The MasterCard Worldwide Index of Travel - First Half 2008 Market Specific Highlights features the following countries: Australia and China, Hong Kong and Indonesia, Japan and Korea, Malaysia and New Zealand, Philippines and Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

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