TRAVELLERS will enjoy high cost savings if their trips, especially vacation packages, are planned for the second half of this year, according to a collaborative report of the Expedia group and Airlines Reporting Corporation.
The Travel Check-Up: Air Travel Trends for the First Half of 2015 has found that air ticket prices declined about seven per cent for travellers originating in Asia-Pacific as compared to the average of two per cent across North America and Europe.
In Asia-Pacific, Malaysian travellers heading to Australia and Thailand enjoyed the largest ticket price decline, at 22 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
Additionally, based on data on package deals booked for travel between June and September 2015 that included air and hotel, the report determined that travellers can save up to US$648 across all destinations.
Of travellers’ favourite cities worldwide offering major package savings, London tops with 30 per cent or US$1,424 savings.
As regards length of stay, one clear trend is Asia-Pacific travellers are reducing their stays significantly in Europe this summer and shifting travel plans to North America, likely due to the Chinese yuan gaining strength against the US dollar.
The report also found some great deals for Singapore travellers heading to other Asia-Pacific cities, with Thailand’s Phuket offering the greatest savings at 20 per cent.
Greg Schulze, senior vice president, Expedia Global Tour & Transport, said: “An analysis of air industry data suggests that, with smart planning, the second half of this year will be an optimal time to explore the world.”
The full report can be downloaded here.
