Visa and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) have released findings from their latest Travel Intentions survey. The 2010 survey shows Australia and Japan have cemented their status as the most sought-after holiday destinations for the next two years, with 40% of the 6,714-respondents surveyed in this year’s research saying they would consider travelling to Australia or Japan in the next two years. The survey asked respondents from 13-key Asia Pacific travel source markets (Australia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Mainland China, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States) about past and future travel plans.
The survey indicated that most travelers prefer organizing their own trips by booking their own airlines and accommodation. However, travelers from Mainland China, which is fast becoming a major generator of tourism revenues for the region, still prefer packaged group tours. Travelers from Australia tend to take the longest breaks – nearly one quarter intends to spend more than 20-nights whereas the average traveler is happy with three-to-five nights. Australia was the favorite destination for vacationers from New Zealand, UK, US, and Japan, while Japan won out with travelers from South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Hong Kong.

Said Greg Duffell, chief executive officer, PATA: “One of the most heartening features from this year’s report is the relatively wide spread of Asia Pacific destinations under consideration by the 13-source markets studied, including the long-haul sources of the UK and the USA.”