BUSINESS travellers in Malaysia have ranked Singapore as their top destination in the third annual Accor Asia-Pacific Business Traveller Research.
According to research findings, the top three destinations visited by Malaysian business travellers in the first six months of 2012 were Singapore (61 per cent), Thailand (49 per cent) and Indonesia (42 per cent).
These hot favourites are expected to reign in the second half of the year too, as 57 per cent of respondents are planning trips to Singapore, 48 per cent to Thailand and 39 per cent to Indonesia.
The average Malaysian executive took 11 trips in the first half of 2012. The total volume of trips is similar to the regional average, but Malaysian business travellers took slightly more international (six) than domestic (five) trips, compared to the average Asia-Pacific traveller who made more domestic (seven) than international trips (four).
Malaysian business travellers were also found to spend an average of US$105 per night, more than travellers from China (US$98) and Indonesia (US$81). Singaporeans spent the most on accommodation, averaging US$156 per night or US$468 per trip.
Quality of sleep is highly regarded among Malaysian business travellers, with 70 per cent of respondents saying they care most about having a comfortable bed when choosing a hotel, a factor more important than free Internet (56 per cent) and a good quality bathroom (40 per cent).
The Accor Asia-Pacific Business Traveller Research, which surveyed over 2,500 respondents from nine countries in Asia-Pacific, also reported that executives from mainland China led the region in business travel, with the average respondent taking 18 trips, 14 of which were domestic. Singaporeans travelled the least, at seven trips in 1H2012.
