October 4, 2023
In the post-COVID era, Taiwan's travel industry is witnessing a resurgence. Safety, weather, and food have emerged as the key drivers of travel decisions, reflecting the evolving priorities of Taiwanese travelers. Understanding these trends is essential for businesses to effectively cater to the needs of the modern traveler.
This analysis is based on an online survey conducted by the Z.com Engagement Lab from 2023-08-23 to 2023-08-28. The survey collected data from 929 Taiwan internet users aged between 16 and 60, with the aim of providing insights for business decision-makers on consumer leisure travel perspectives in the post-COVID era.
Half of the respondents (49.1%) plan a domestic leisure trip every 2-3 months, averaging six trips a year. When it comes to international leisure travel, over 40% (41.8%) plan a trip abroad annually, while 18% reported never having traveled abroad for leisure yet.
In terms of age, the frequency of domestic leisure travel is highest among respondents aged 16-20, averaging seven trips per year. In contrast, participants aged 51-60 take an average of three domestic leisure trips per year. Among the 16-20 age group, over 40% have never traveled abroad yet - the highest percentage among all age groups. However, those who do travel internationally do so more frequently, averaging 2.6 trips per year - significantly higher than the overall average of 1.6 trips.
Safety, weather, and food emerged as the top three factors considered by Taiwanese citizens when choosing a leisure travel destination, both domestically and internationally. Safety was reported as somewhat or very important by 90% of the participants, with over 70% seeing this as very important. Among people aged 51-60, over 80% rated safety as a very important factor.
The expenses and weather conditions were more significant for individuals aged 41-60. Conversely, food played a more prominent role in the decision-making of those aged 16-40.
When it comes to domestic travel, the average expenditure is around $10,390 NTD, with 33% of the participants spending between $5,000 and $10,000 NTD per trip. Overseas travel sees an average expenditure of $36,307 NTD per trip, with 37% reporting spending between $20,000 and $40,000 NTD per trip. Generally, older age groups tend to spend more on travel than younger ones.
A majority of Taiwanese leisure travelers (75% for domestic and 78% for international travel) prefer to travel with family. Younger groups are more likely to travel with friends. As for travel style, over 80% opt for independent travel when traveling domestically. For international leisure travel, the preferences were evenly split between group travel and independent travel.
Within Taiwan, Hualien (19.8%), Taitung (19.6%), and Yilan (19.1%) are the preferred domestic leisure travel destinations for the next six months. When it comes to international travel, Japan was the clear favorite with 60% of respondents planning a trip there, followed by South Korea (29%) and Thailand (14%).
The post-COVID era has seen a resurgence in leisure travel activity in Taiwan with safety, weather, and food being paramount considerations. With this understanding, businesses can tailor their strategies to effectively meet the needs and preferences of travelers in this new era.
Z.com Engagement Lab will continue to track the travel habits of the Taiwan public and update survey data, monitoring market trends and changes in consumer demand.
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