Reuniting with friends and family the main reason for travel, Agoda survey reveals

Father and son traveling by plane

Reuniting with friends and family is the main reason Australians will travel in 2023, according to Agoda’s International Travel Trends survey.

The survey asked travellers to share their top travel goals for the new year, with reuniting with loved ones, wellness and food, arts & culture making the top three, and adventure and celebrating a milestone rounding out the top five.

Australia, Taiwan, and the United States are where travellers will most likely plan a holiday reunion with family or friends, but for travellers from several other countries there are other key motivations to embark on a trip. In South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore for example, it is recharging mentally and physically that tops the list, contributing to the number two spot for wellness in the ‘reasons to travel’ ranking of Agoda’s Travel Trend survey.

Among people from Japan (44%), Taiwan (24%) and Vietnam (23%), the biggest motive is for (re)discovering food, arts & culture. In fact, a staggering 44 percent of Japanese travellers listed this as their main travel goal, the highest number for any travel objective in a single country. Four times more than Philippines, where only 11 percent are looking to travel for food, arts & culture and seeking adventure is the main reason to leave home (30%). Adventure travel also ranks highest among travellers from Indonesia (23%).

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