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Sunday October 12th, 2008

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More than 67.5 Million Outbound Travelers from Asia Pacific in First Half of 2006
	MasterCard International has announced the results of its MasterIndex of Travel report, forecasting continued growth of outbound travelers from across the Asia Pacific region in the first half of 2006.
Of the 12 key markets covered, outbound travel from the Philippines and Malaysia is predicted to show the strongest year-on-year growth at 13.5% and 11.2% respectively. Strong growth is also expected from Australia (9.5%), China (9%), Japan (8%) and Korea (7.8%). Besides a six month forecast of outbound travel for 12 markets (Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand), the MasterIndex of Travel also comprises a survey of business and personal travel trends among the urban middle class across13 markets (with Vietnam included since 2004). 'Our latest outbound travel forecasts are consistent with our analysis of the long term outlook of outbound travel - it has been firmly entrenched in Asia Pacific as part of the urban middle class lifestyle,' observed Dr. Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, economic advisor to MasterCard International in Asia Pacific. Dr. Hedrick-Wong further pointed out that 'Personal travel has not only taken off in Asia, but the market is undergoing a dynamic process of segmentation. Observed trends in personal travel suggest that Asian travelers are coalescing into distinct market segments, each underpinned with different lifestyles and unique preferences, and businesses will be successful only if they can meet the challenge of market segmentation.' Released twice a year, the survey report shows that intra-regional travel continues to increase in popularity. An increasing number of the respondents polled (84%) named destinations in Asia Pacific as their top choice for personal travel, above those in Europe (34%) and the United States (17%). For business travelers, 86% traveled for business within the Asia Pacific region, a 25% increase from a year ago. Mirroring findings from the previous report, Japan (28%) and Australia (24%) are the most popular travel destinations in Asia Pacific for personal travelers, while China (27%) and Singapore (20%) remain key destinations for business travel. The results also highlight the growing trend of women travelers as Asia's new spending powerhouse. Females (40%) are traveling more than males (34%) for personal trips, with such travels skewed towards older respondents. A total of 5,404 consumers from 13 markets participated in the survey (with Vietnam as the additional market included in the survey component). Fieldwork was conducted between 15 October and 4 November 2005, with a sample of 400 or more consumers in each of the markets. Other findings from the report include: Personal Travel - Thais (75%), Singaporeans (64%) and respondents from Hong Kong (61%) continue to top the list of personal travelers in the past 12 months, as they have for the past 3 surveys. - Similar to the previous report, travel agents (40%), word of mouth (40%) and the Internet (33%) remain key sources of information. - The concerns of personal travelers remain relatively unchanged from the previous survey. Security and safety issues (53%) continue to be the biggest area of concern, ahead of losing of a passport (33%) and language barriers (25%). - General sightseeing and visiting scenic spots (55%) remain the region's top priority activity for travelers in the region, followed by shopping (47%) and rest and relaxation (38%). - Local souvenirs/antiques/arts & crafts (54%) and apparel and personal effects (53%) continue to be the most preferred shopping purchases, followed by food (34%) and luxury items/jewelry/branded goods (25%). Business Travel - The markets with the highest percentage of respondents traveling for business remain fairly consistent, with Thailand (35%) heading the list followed by Singapore and Indonesia (32% each). Over the past couple of years, the incidence of business travel is on the rise in Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Korea, New Zealand and Hong Kong. - Business travelers in Japan (63%), Vietnam (61%), New Zealand (44%), Thailand (34%), China (32%), Taiwan (31%) and Indonesia (30%) needed to travel more compared to the previous period. - Singapore Airlines (17%) continues to be the most preferred airline for business travelers, as it has been since the inauguration of the MasterIndex of Travel in 2003. Thai Airways (10%) and Air China (9%) are the next most preferred carriers. - Regionally, business travelers prefer international 4-star hotels (37%) followed by 3-star hotels (22%) and international 5-star or higher end hotels (18%). Market Specific Highlights from the MasterIndex of Travel H1 2006. Australia Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 9.5% year-on-year growth • 2.44 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were the Internet (44%), followed by travel agents (32%) and familiarity with the place (12%). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (62%), followed by running out of cash, and not being able to get the right kind of food and water (14% each), and language barriers (10%). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were rest and relaxation (42%), general sightseeing and shopping (36% each), and visit historical sites/ museums/ art centers (16%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included apparel and personal effects (44%), followed by luxury items/ jewelry/ branded goods (28%), and local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (22%). • The favorite personal travel destination for Australian travelers was Europe (40%). Survey on Business Travel • 20% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more as compared to the previous period. • China and USA (30% each) were the most frequently visited destination, followed by Singapore (25%) • Majority of business travelers (45%) used the travel arrangement company arranged by the company. • Qantas (45%) was the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by Singapore Airlines (15%) and Air New Zealand (10%). • Three-star/medium priced hotels (45%) were most preferred for business travel, together with international four-star hotels (45%), followed by international five-star spa and resorts (10%). China Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 9.0% year-on-year growth • 15.45 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were travel agents (67%), followed by the Internet (48%) and word of mouth (45%). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (53%), followed by language barriers (48%) and losing one's passport (28%). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were general sightseeing (78%), shopping (61%) and entertainment (47%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (71%), followed by apparel and personal effects (58%), and luxury items/ jewelries/ branded goods (29%). • The favorite personal travel destinations for the Chinese travelers were Europe (36%) and Australia (24%). Survey on Business Travel • 32% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more as compared to the previous period. • Hong Kong (39%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by Singapore (18%) and Japan (13%). • Majority of business travelers (48%) used their company's in-house travel department when making business travel arrangements. • Air China (52%) was the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by China Southern Airlines (17%) and China Eastern Airlines (9%). • International four-star hotels (40%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by three-star/medium priced hotels (31%) and international five-star or higher end hotels (17%). Hong Kong Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 3.0% year-on-year growth • 2.71 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were word of mouth (50%), followed by travel agents (40%) and magazines and newspapers (34%). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (71%), followed by losing one's passport (30%) and language barriers (29%). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were general sightseeing (64%), shopping (48%) and rest and relaxation (35%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (53%), followed by food items (41%) and apparel and personal effects (35%). • The favorite personal travel destination for Hong Kong travelers was Japan (61%). Survey on Business Travel • 24% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period. • China (56%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by Taiwan (15%) and Europe (15%). • Majority of business travelers (59%) used their company's in-house travel department for making business travel arrangements. • Cathay Pacific (61%) was the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by Dragonair (11%) and China Eastern Airlines (6%). • International five-star or higher end hotels (39%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by international four-star hotels (24%) and international five-star spa and resorts (20%). Indonesia Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 2.6% year-on-year growth • 1.99 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were travel agents (65%), followed by word of mouth (34%) and the Internet (17%). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (41%), followed by losing one's passport (35%) and losing one's baggage (18%). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were entertainment (48%), shopping (35%) and rest and relaxation (27%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (65%), followed by apparel and personal effects (48%) and food items (24%). • The favorite personal travel destination for Indonesian travelers was Singapore (50%). Survey on Business Travel • 30% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period. • Singapore (53%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by Malaysia (33%) and Japan (13%). • Majority of business travelers (38%) used their company's in-house travel department for making business travel arrangements. • Garuda Indonesian Airways (56%) was the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by Singapore Airlines (19%) and Air China (3%). • International four star hotels (29%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by three-star/medium priced hotels (26%) and international five-star or higher end hotels (14%). Japan Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 8.0% year-on-year growth • 8.97 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were travel agents (43%), followed by the Internet (34%) and travel guides/books/brochures (24%). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (55%), followed by losing one's passport (34%), and losing one's credit/bank cards (24%). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were general sightseeing (53%), entertainment (33%) and shopping (27%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (41%), apparel and personal effects (39%) and luxury items/jewelry/ branded goods (38%). • The favorite personal travel destination for Japanese travelers was Australia (31%). Survey on Business Travel • 63% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period. • China (42%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by Singapore (26%) and Hong Kong (24%). • Majority of business travelers (55%) used their company's in-house travel department for making business travel arrangements. • Japan Airlines (66%) was the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by ANA (24%) and Singapore Airlines (8%). • International four-star hotels (53%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by international five-star or higher end hotels (24%) and serviced apartments (11%). Korea Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 7.8% year-on-year growth • 5.15 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were word of mouth (61%), followed by familiarity with place (42%) and the Internet (27%). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were language barriers (47%), followed by security and safety issues (45%) and losing one's passport (31%). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were general sightseeing (80%), visiting historical sites/museums/art centers (55%) and rest and relaxation (31%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included apparel and personal effects (64%), local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (30%) and food items (22%). • The favorite personal travel destination for Korean travelers was Europe (67%). Survey on Business Travel • 19% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period. • China (43%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by Japan (32%) and Europe (23%). • Majority of business travelers (43%) used their company's in-house travel department for making business travel arrangements. • Korean Airlines (76%) was the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by Asiana (15%). • International four-star hotels (33%) and three-star/medium priced hotels (23%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by international five-star spa and resorts (16%). Malaysia Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 11.2% year-on-year growth • 19.93 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were travel agents (55%), followed by travel promotions/fairs (39%) and word of mouth (33%). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (67%), followed by losing one's passport (59%) and losing one's wallet/pocket book (37%). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were shopping (58%), experiencing different cultures (53%) and rest and relaxation (41%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (71%), food items (52%) and apparel and personal effects (50%). • The favorite personal travel destination for Malaysian travelers was Australia (46%). Survey on Business Travel • 19% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period. • Singapore (48%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by Indonesia (30%) and China (26%). • Majority of business travelers (44%) used their company's in-house travel department for making business travel arrangements. • Malaysian Airlines (63%) was the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by Singapore Airlines (22%) and China Southern Airlines (7%). • Three-star/medium priced hotels (30%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by international five-star spa and resorts (26%) and international four-star hotels (22%). New Zealand Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 4.5% year-on-year growth • 0.96 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were word of mouth (48%), followed by the Internet (20%) and familiarity of place and travel agents (16% each). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (38%), followed by falling sick with no proper medical facilities (22%) and losing one's baggage (11%). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were rest and relaxation (47%), general sightseeing (37%) and visiting family/relatives/friends (36%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included apparel and personal effects (60%), food items (22%) and local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (21%). • The favorite personal travel destination for New Zealander travelers was Australia (43%). Survey on Business Travel • 44% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period. • Australia (68%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by Europe (15%) and USA (14%). • Majority of business travelers (51%) used their company's in-house travel department for making business travel arrangements. • Air New Zealand (51%) was the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by Qantas (19%) and Singapore Airlines (15%). • International four-star hotels (43%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by serviced apartments (18%) and three-star/medium priced hotels and international five-star or higher end hotels (17% each). Philippines Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 13.5% year-on-year growth • 1.38 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were word of mouth (58%), followed by travel agents (25%) and magazines and newspapers and familiarity with place (17% each). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (83%), followed by losing one's baggage (33%) and language barriers and running out of cash (25% each). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were shopping (58%), rest and relaxation (50%) and general sightseeing (42%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included apparel and personal effects (67%), electronic and audio visual products (50%) and local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (42%). • Filipino travelers preferred traveling to Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and the USA (25% each). Survey on Business Travel • 15% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period. • Hong Kong (30%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by China, Japan, Europe and Middle East/Africa (20% each). • Majority of business travelers (50%) used a travel arrangement company arranged by their company for making business travel arrangements. • Philippine Airlines (45%) was the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by Cathay Pacific (25%) and China Airlines and Lufthansa (10% each). • Serviced apartments and local economy hotels (40% each) were most preferred for business travel, followed by international five-star or higher end hotels (20%). Singapore Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 3.9% year-on-year growth • 2.79 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were travel promotions/fairs (61%), followed by travel agents (50%) and the Internet (48%). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were losing one's passport (61%), followed by running out of cash (44%) and falling sick with no proper medical facilities and losing one's baggage (42% each). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were entertainment (78%), rest and relaxation (70%) and shopping (67%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included food items (75%), local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (68%), apparel and personal effects (52%). • The favorite personal travel destination for Singaporean travelers was Hong Kong (53%). Survey on Business Travel • 17% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period. • China (53%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by Indonesia (33%) and India (27%). • Majority of business travelers (54%) used their company's in-house travel department for making business travel arrangements. • Singapore Airlines (61%) was the most preferred airline for business travel. • International four-star hotels (63%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by international five-star spa and resorts (17%) and international five-star or higher end hotels (10%). Taiwan Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 4.5% year-on-year growth • 4.19 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were the Internet (62%), followed by word of mouth (37%) and magazines and newspapers (26%). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (57%), followed by losing one's passport (52%) and losing one's wallet/ pocket book and falling sick with no proper medical facilities (50% each). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were general sightseeing (77%), experiencing different cultures (73%) and experiencing different cuisines (69%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (66%), apparel and personal effects (61%) and food items (52%). • The favorite personal travel destination for Taiwanese travelers was Japan (56%). Survey on Business Travel • 31% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period. • China (49%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by Japan (24%) and USA (22%). • Majority of business travelers (39%) used their company's in-house travel department for making business travel arrangements. • China Airlines and EVA Air (34%) were the most preferred airline for business travel, followed by Cathay Pacific (10%). • International five-star or higher end hotels (27%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by international four-star hotels (24%) and three-star/medium priced hotels (17%). Thailand Forecast on Outbound Travel for the First Half of 2006: • 3.6% year-on-year growth • 1.61 million outbound travelers forecasted for the next six months Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were word of mouth (35%), followed by the Internet (31%) and travel agents (22%). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (64%), followed by language barriers (19%) and fear of flying (17%). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were general sightseeing (54%), shopping (45%) and visiting historical sites/museums/art centers (39%). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included local apparel and personal effects (60%), souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (51%) and luxury items/jewelries/ branded goods (20%). • The favorite personal travel destination for Thai travelers was Europe (36%). Survey on Business Travel • 34% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period. • Europe (24%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by China (21%) and Singapore (21%). • Majority of business travelers (39%) used a travel arrangement company engaged by their company when making business travel arrangements. • Thai Airways (69%) was the most preferred airline for business travel followed by Singapore Airlines (15%). • International four-star hotels (39%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by international five-star or higher end hotels (27%) and three-star/medium priced hotels (21%). Vietnam No forecast being made for Vietnam Survey on Personal Travel • Key sources of information used by travelers in planning their trips were word of mouth (48%), followed by travel agents (38%) and advertising (33%). • Top concerns for travelers when traveling to a foreign destination were security and safety issues (52%), followed by losing one's passport (45%) and losing one's wallet/ pocket book (34%). • The main activities travelers engaged in when traveling were general sightseeing (67%), experiencing different cultures (52%) and shopping and entertainment (48% each). • Most preferred shopping items for travelers when abroad included apparel and personal effects (64%), local souvenirs/antiques/arts and crafts (57%) and electronic and audio visual products (34%). • The favorite personal travel destination for Vietnamese travelers was Singapore (55%). Survey on Business Travel • 61% of business travelers said that over the last 12 months, there was the need to travel more compared to the previous period. • Singapore (38%) was the most frequently visited destination, followed by China (34%) and Singapore (33%). • Majority of business travelers (71%) used their company's in-house travel department when making business travel arrangements. • Vietnam Air (53%) was the most preferred airline for business travel followed by Singapore Airlines (12%). • Three-star/medium priced hotels (47%) were most preferred for business travel, followed by international four-star hotels (26%) and international five-star spa and resorts (12%).


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