More M’sians travelling abroad

PETALING JAYA: More Malaysians are travelling abroad for leisure, with nine in 10 people having done so during the past two years, according to a global survey.

They also make an average of three leisure trips overseas, higher than the global average of two, Visa Inc said in a statement.

The 2015 Global Travel Intentions Survey, commissioned by Visa Inc, also noted that business and leisure trips were also on the rise among Malaysians.

“This is a significant increase from the findings in 2013, where 76% of Malaysians travelled overseas in the past two years,” it said.

Visa Malaysia country manager Ng Kong Boon said travelling was the most popular leisure activity among Malaysians.

“Malaysians have been travelling more over the last two years. The bulk (93%) of those travelling are aged between 25 and 34,” he said in a statement.

Based on the survey involving 503 respondents, Visa found that Malaysians mostly travelled within the region, with top destinations being Singapore (41%), Thailand (32%), Indonesia (30%) and Hong Kong (26%).

Currently, Malaysians spend an average of US$1,145 (RM4,961) when travelling, lower than the regional and global average.

“Compared to other types of travellers in Malaysia, pleasure travellers seem to be the most budget conscious. Seventy-two per cent of them choose the destinations for their holidays based on their budget or existing promotions,” it added.

On accommodation, Malaysians are less likely to stay in high-end resorts, compared to fellow travellers in the region and other parts of the world. The bulk of Malaysian travellers will most likely stay in hotels bearing one, two or three stars as they go for convenience, affordability and safety.

“Bonding with loved ones remains the top motivation for travel by Malaysian travellers for their future trips (54%), followed by experiencing cultures (43%) and for rest and relaxation (37%),” it said.