October 3, 2022
BANGKOK – Almost two-thirds of Thai travellers expect to work while on their next holiday compared to the global average of 36 per cent, a recent survey released by hotel commerce platform SiteMinder showed.
The survey was conducted on more than 8,000 travellers worldwide, including 800 in Thailand.
SiteMinder found that Thai travellers were more into “Bleisure” (business and leisure) travel, with Indonesia and China coming in second and third.
The platform said it expects accommodation providers to adjust themselves to keep up with this new preference.
The survey also indicated that Thai travellers are more open to technology than other travellers.
“For those working on their next trip, accommodation now is more than simply a place to lay their head,” SiteMinder said.
The survey also indicated that Thai travellers are more open to technology compared to other travellers around the world:
• 78% of Thai travellers are “influenced” or “very influenced” by social media when making bookings, well ahead of the global average of 43%
• 72% of Thai travellers prefer automated check-in versus the global average of 54%
• 93% of Thai travellers would visit the property in metaverse first if they can versus the global average of 72%
• 14% of Thai travellers consider chatbots an important aspect of a property’s website compared to the global average of 8%
Bradley Haines, SiteMinder’s regional vice president, said the long-awaited resurgence of travel has come up with a new type of traveller, especially those who are more open to working away from the office.
He said working travellers value smaller details like scents and artwork at a property and are more influenced by targeted advertising and social media.
“All of which will have growing implications for accommodation providers in the future as the number of working travellers is expected to increase,” he said.