7/10 Thai travellers plan higher travel spending

According to the TripBarometer, four in five (83 per cent) of Thai travellers are planning to increase their travel budget in 2013. Only 6 per cent are planning to spend less with 11 per cent spending the same as last year.

When it comes to booking of accommodation, the top 5 factors that influenced them are price, location, attractions or nearby activities, accommodation amenities and online review.   

The TripBarometer also revealed that more than nine out of ten Thai travellers (94 per cent) are turning to the Internet to plan their travel. The top source of information amongst Thai travellers when planning their trip is travel review websites, followed by travel operator websites and friends and family.   

Thai travellers also ranked highest globally (58 per cent) for being highly influenced by other travellers’ reviews and opinions in travel review websites.  

Thai travellers are online and going on social networks even during a trip. They are some of the biggest users globally of social media (52 per cent) when researching and planning their trips, with the most popular being Facebook. During a trip, the top uses of technology for Thai travellers were “uploaded holiday photos to a social network”, “accessed the Internet through a mobile phone” and “using a mobile app to find attractions or activities”. 

“In an ever connected world, it is clear that Thai travellers are turning to the Internet for all their travel needs,” said Cindy Tan, vice president, Asia Pacific at TripAdvisor. “From researching their trips to getting advice and recommendations on where to go and to keeping in contact with friends and loved ones during the trip, the internet is proving to be a trusted and useful ally.” 

The TripBarometer study covers 35,000 travellers and hoteliers around the world.