SINGAPORE, June 26 — Among Asia-Pacific countries, Singaporean travellers are the most likely to book a long-haul trip to cities like Paris and London, while an ageing population is contributing to a decline in overseas travel among Japanese travellers.

These are some of the conclusions outlined in a new Visa Travel Insights report, which aims to tease out travel trends out of the Asia-Pacific region.

Overall, rising affluence among "a new generation of Asia Pacific consumers” means that the global travel industry can expect to welcome an estimated 90 million new travellers by 2025, analysts predict.

Currently, Asia-Pacific households account for one in three global travelling households, up from out of four in 2006. 

The report also found that travel patterns are changing along with rising income levels in the region.

Travelling further afield

"As household income growth continue to outpace economic growth in most countries in the region, overseas travel is not only becoming more common, people are also travelling more often and looking at further destinations such as Europe and the US,” said Glenn Maguire, Principal Asia Pacific Economist, Visa in a statement.

This is especially true in Singapore, which has the highest propensity for long-haul flights in the region and an average household disposable income of nearly US$137,000 (RM551,614).

Their preferred travel destination? Europe.

Singapore is followed by Hong Kong (US$102,000) and Australia (US$85,000).

Meanwhile, long-haul travel is seen to be virtually non-existent among lower-income segments, particularly in countries like Japan (US$56,000), India (US$28,300) and Indonesia (US$35,000).

While Singaporeans expressed a clear preference for cities like Paris, Rome and London, Indonesians — an emerging market in international travel — are flocking to Middle Eastern countries.

The most popular destination outside their own region? Saudi Arabia.

It’s worth noting that Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world.

Added Maguire: "Outside of Asia Pacific, international destinations boasting cultural and religious characteristics of the new travelling class with the Haj pilgrimage often marks the first international trip made by Asia Pacific’s emerging travelling class.” — AFP-Relaxnews