The Online Habits of Asian Travelers

Thai and Chinese travelers are Asia-Pacific’s most active social media users, while Australians and New Zealanders are the least, according to a new survey by hotel chain Accor, as part of its inaugural Accor Hotels Asia Pacific Social Media Monitor.

The survey focused on 5,400 travelers across 11 countries in Asia Pacific region who had stayed in a hotel at least once in the past 12 months and who use social media at least once a week.

Some of the more interesting numbers out of the survey:

• Most active on social media were Thais and Chinese, with 95% and 91% respectively having interacted in some way.
• Only 32% of New Zealanders and 25% of Australians surveyed said they did not interact at all during their last trip.
• Facebook is the most universally used social network in APAC, with the top users being Thailand(72%), the Philippines (60%) and Singapore (55%).
• Interestingly, Google+ is gaining traction in the region, landing in second place, with 24% of respondents using it multiple times daily. Despite this overall growth, its usage remains very limited during (13%) and after (4%) trips.
• Instagram gained surprisingly low scores, with just 12% of overall respondents saying they use it at least once a day.
• In terms of brands followed online, hotels, airlines and travel-related brands are the most popular in the region, with Chinese and Thai respondents the most fervent fans and the most likely to follow several brands.
• The key motivation to follow hotel brands online is to get discounts and special offers (77%), especially for respondents from the Pacific, China and Singapore.
• When considering reviews, social media sites and online travel agencies are equally trusted (40%); far beyond hotel supplier sites (13%).

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• Indian guests are the most likely to interact with hotels after their stay (79%), while people from North Asia, Hong Kong and the Pacific are the least likely.
• Completing guest satisfaction surveys is still the most popular after-stay interaction (29%), with comment cards not far behind at 19%, especially for older guests.
• Only 14% of respondents actually posted a review online, with Indians and Singaporeans the most likely to do so.
• Overall though, direct communication with hotel staff is the preferred way of interaction with hotels, whether for a negative (34%) or positive (28%) experience.
• Indian and Chinese respondents travelled least for leisure purposes; Indonesians are the most price-sensitive and most likely to stay in economy hotels (47% vs. 31% overall); andIndonesians are the most likely to research and plan their trips online (68%); while the New Zealanders are the most likely to go with the flow, with only 37% saying they plan their sightseeing and activities online.
• Indian travelers are the most interested in the latest design trends (27% vs. 14% overall)
• Indian and Chinese travelers are the most likely to pay more for environmentally friendlier hotels (both at 29%) while only 5% of New Zealanders said they would pay more for a ‘green’ hotel.
• 40% said they wanted to discover local gastronomy – especially the Chinese, of whom 59% say food discoveries are a key consideration for them when choosing a hotel.