Hotel and airline bookings in 1Q2021 have recorded exponential growth for several Indonesian OTAs, compared to the same period in 2020, triggered likely by the combination of travel confidence campaigning and sales promotions.
Tiket.com reported that airline ticket purchases in 1Q2021 had skyrocketed by 331 per cent while hotel bookings rose 321 per cent over the same period. Its new ancillary feature, TO DO, saw a 10 per cent pick up in business from 4Q2020 as the number of users expanded by 299 per cent over the past year.
Pegipegi also seen positive performance, with flight ticketing and hotel sales growing by 51 per cent in 1Q2021 over the same time last year.
Ryan Kartawidjaja, head of commercial at Pegipegi, shared that a growth trend was visible since August 2020 but a true spike set in only in early 2021.
He is hopeful of growth exceeding 100 per cent of the end of this year.
Gaery Undarsa, co-founder and chief marketing officer, Tiket.com attributed the stunning sales performance to the successful campaigning of health and safety protocol in travel and tourism as well as ongoing vaccinations.
He said: “Over the past year, the travel industry have been persistent in conducting safe travel campaigns and this has given people the confidence to start their holidays. Discounts, promo packages and (booking) flexibility offered by hotels, airlines and tourist attractions also drive people to travel.”
According to hotel booking data collected by both OTAs, Jakarta, Bandung, Bali, Surabaya and Yogyakarta are the hottest destinations for domestic travellers. Meanwhile, flight ticket performance has revealed Surabaya, Medan, Makassar, Bali and Yogyakarta as top favourites.
The spike in online transactions is also observed by Tauzia Hotel Management Indonesia, which recorded a year-on-year 120 per cent increase in revenue from January to March 2021 through OTA sales. A hotel representative said the positive performance was triggered by successful joint promotions with the OTAs.
Commenting on the increasing slant towards online transactions, Elly Hutabarat, chairman of the Association of the Air Ticketing Companies in Indonesia (ASTINDO), expressed concerns that many travel agents in the country have yet to establish a “decent” website for themselves.
She said that the availability of online marketplaces, such as Blibli, can help the tourism industry to grow and ASTINDO members to connect with consumers directly.
The HSBC Women’s World Championship teed off on April 29 in the spectacular surroundings of Sentosa Golf Club. It is one of the first international sporting events to resume in Singapore since the pandemic.
Bangkok-based See You Again Co travel company has created a vaccine tour package to take private groups and individual travellers to Serbia for a jab against Covid-19, in response to eager expressions of interest from its regular customers.
With rates starting from 100,000 baht (US$3,203) per traveller, the two-week package includes airfare, accommodations, meals and visits to attractions.
Executive director Netnapa Kaewsangtham, who built the company as a specialist in European trips over the last 12 years, told TTG Asia: “(New and regular clients) have been asking us to arrange such a trip because the travel conditions from Thailand to Serbia are not as restricted compared to other (countries).”
Serbia is welcoming foreigners keen to access Covid-19 vaccines as part of her tourism business stimulation. Travellers with visas approved in the US and the UK, toting Schengen visa, or exhibiting no Covid-19 symptoms within 72 hours of travel may enter Serbia without having to perform mandatory quarantine, said Netnapa.
Vaccine tourists may pre-register and select their desired brand of vaccine. Without pre-booking, travellers can obtain their vaccine from public hospitals but will not be given the freedom of choice.
According to Netnapa, more than 5,000 people have expressed interest in the tour at press time.
Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the vaccine tour does not pose any conflict with Thailand’s Tourism Business Act.
Thai residents who go on the tour will need to fulfil a mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days, according to the Department of Disease Control.
While See You Again Co is seeking subsidy for hospitalisation and quarantine expenses from the Thai government, Netnapa believes that most customers who sign up for the vaccine tour will be able to afford these fees.