Classes and workshops, family-friendly and wellness experiences the top experience categories global travellers are booking on holiday, TripAdvisor’s 2019 Experiences Trends Report reveals. In Singapore, classes and workshop saw the most significant growth, followed by wellness experiences and sightseeing tickets and passes.
“Our data shows us that there is a growing appetite for immersive experiences amongst travellers from Singapore, whether it is so they can relax or take home a skill,” says Janice Lee Fang, Communications Director for TripAdvisor in Asia Pacific. “Travellers also want to take in the history and culture of a place through the activities they choose, whether this be a pottery class in Siem Reap or soaking up the vibe in Shinjuku at an onsen.”
The report, now in its second year, highlights trends in the tours, activities, and experiences industry, sharing key insights into traveller bookings globally and travel trends to expect for 2019.
A LOOK AT THE TRENDS:
The hottest souvenir to bring back from a trip is a new skill: travellers are learning different skills during trips abroad enriching their lives beyond their trip. Globally traveller bookings for classes and workshops grew by 90% year-over-year. This was even more so for travellers from Singapore, as bookings for classes and workshops doubled (+102%). French travellers are leading the way worldwide, with bookings rising 137%, over the previous year. Travellers were dusting off their swords and channelling their inner Maximus last year, as a Roman Gladiator School: Learn How to Become a Gladiator became the world’s most booked class and workshop. Samurai School in Kyoto: Samurai for a Day, surf lessons at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, and a Cambodian pottery class were also featured in the top ten.
Health and well-being is high on the traveller agenda, as bookings for wellness experiences soar. Global traveller bookings for wellness experiences jumped 69% year-over year. New Zealanders are leading the way in the quest for wellness, as bookings for wellness experiences by Kiwi travellers jumped a whopping 362% year-over-year. Closer to home, traveller bookings from Singapore for wellness experiences rose 68% over the previous year. A Széchenyi spa experience was the most booked wellness experience among global travellers, while a trip to Thermae-Yu Hotspring in Shinjuku, and Luxury spa in Phuket also ranked among the top ten.
Sightseeing and iconic attractions are a mainstay, but experiences must cater to the whole family. Family-friendly activities have become a firm priority for travellers worldwide as bookings shot up over 200% year-over-year. While tickets and tours to the world’s top attractions, like a Faster Than Skip-the-Line: Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica Tour, remain the most-booked experiences globally, there’s a growing focus among travellers to have such experiences cater to the whole family - even the littlest ones. Experiences like a Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour and Disney on Broadway Behind-the-Scenes Walking Tour are among the ten most-booked family-friendly experiences - these experiences let families see the world’s most iconic sites, while keeping everyone engaged.
THE RANKINGS:
The fastest-growing types of experiences globally:
- Family-friendly (+204%)
- Classes and workshops (+90%)
- Wellness experiences (+69%)
- Cultural and themed experiences (+65%)
- Outdoor activities (+56%)
- Watersports (+47%)
- Food and wine experiences (+47%)
- Private and customised tours (+46%)
- Sightseeing tickets and passes (+45%)
- Cruises and sailing experiences (+44%)
The fastest-growing types of experiences among Singapore travellers:
- Classes & Workshops (+102%)
- Spa Tours (+68%)
- Sightseeing Tickets & Passes (+58%)
- Shore Excursions (+57%)
- Private & Custom Tours (+54%)
- Theme Parks (+53%)
- Cultural & Theme Tours (+49%)
- Shopping & Fashion (+48%)
- Outdoor Activities (+47%)
- Water Sports (+43%)
For travellers wanting to incorporate these trends into their next trip, TripAdvisor Experiences is revealing the top 5 fastest-growing destinations in the world (based on year-over-year booking growth) for…
Family-friendly activities…
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5. Faro, Portugal (+348%) |
Classes and Workshops…
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Wellness experiences…
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1. Reykjavik, Iceland (+637%) |
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The world’s most booked experiences: 2018, Singapore travellers
- Mt Fuji, Lake Ashi and Bullet Train Day Trip from Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Faster Than Skip-the-Line: Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica Tour, Rome, Italy
- Royal Castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Day Tour from Munich, Munich, Germany
- Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, and Bath from London, London, England
- Great Ocean Road Small-Group Ecotour from Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Tuscany in One Day Sightseeing Tour, Florence, Italy
- Half-Day Korean DMZ Tour from Seoul, Seoul, South Korea
- Zaanse Schans Windmills, Marken and Volendam Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Phillip Island Penguin, Brighton Beach, Moonlit Sanctuary from Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Mount Titlis Day Tour from Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Methodology
Fastest growing experiences categories and fastest growing destinations for categories are based on year-over-year growth in bookings from 2017 to 2018. Most booked experiences are based on 2018 bookings.
