1 in 4 across AsPac looking to hop on a plane for a getaway MasterCard survey

MANILA, Philippines –  One in four consumers across the Asia-Pacific is looking to get his or her passport stamped and leave for a vacation in the coming six months, according to the findings from a MasterCard survey.

Japan continues to rank as the most popular travel destination, followed by China and Australia for respondents in the Asia-Pacific.

The latest survey was conducted from Sept. 13 to Nov. 11 this year and involved 10,502 consumers from 24 markets across the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.

Data collection was via Internet surveys, personal, telephone and computer-aided telephone interviews, with the questionnaire translated to the local language wherever appropriate and necessary.

The Index and its accompanying reports do not represent MasterCard’s financial performance. Spending on travel continues to hold strong in the Middle East region, with 36 percent of respondents looking to pack their bags and head off for a vacation.

The survey also reveals consumers’ continued interest in traveling to destinations within the region. A considerable 88 percent of would-be travelers in the Asia-Pacific said they are looking to explore close to home.

In the Middle East, 56 percent of respondents planning trips are looking to do so within the region. In contrast to this trend of favoring intraregional destinations, the majority of respondents in Africa are looking to visit Europe (68 percent) and North America (49 percent).

Of the 24 markets surveyed, respondents in Hong Kong (58 percent) appear to be the keenest on taking a trip, followed by UAE (47 percent) and Kuwait (46 percent).

“It is encouraging to see most markets maintaining a strong appetite for travel, especially with continued interest for trips to destinations within the region,” said Yunsok Chang, group executive, Global Products and Solutions, Asia —Pacific, Middle East, and Africa, MasterCard Worldwide.

“With consumers prioritizing travel as an important part of life, we seek to provide cardholders with solutions and privileges that offer them peace of mind and make traveling more enjoyable,” he said.

“We recently launched the Travelex Cash Passport MasterCard in a few markets to offer cardholders the convenience of a prepaid card loaded with foreign currency, allowing them to lock in a favorable exchange rate before setting off for their vacations. We look forward to continue providing cardholders with innovative and convenient solutions to make their getaways all the more special,” he added.

MasterCard also has a range of offers lined up for this coming travel season, including the following tie-ups and promotions:

• Lufthansa Airlines: MasterCard cardholders can enjoy discounts of up to seven percent for economy air tickets purchased online, when departing from one of 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific, to any destination.  

• Starwood: MasterCard cardholders, who are members of Starwood Preferred Guest, stand a chance to earn one free Weekend Night Award at more than 250 Starwood Hotels worldwide, including Sheraton, Westin and St. Regis. To qualify, guests simply need to use their MasterCard cards to pay for at least three stays in any of the participating hotels.