Contrary to the belief that fliers are demanding in-flight WiFi, only 4% of Singaporean travellers are determined to use the internet on planes, according to Expedia’s "The Future of Travel" study.
While that statistic was for vacationers instead of business travellers, the number for business travellers wasn't much different.
Only 10% of business traveller respondents are picky about in-flight WiFi – the rest prefer to remain disconnected on planes.
The statistics are an interesting contrast to some other recent surveys that asked similar questions: A recent study by Skyscanner among Singaporean travellers revealed that 42% of travellers would pay for in-flight internet. Globally, a vast majority of travellers are inclined to use in-flight WiFi, according to a Honeywell study.
Meanwhile, a study by American Express among 1,500 business travellers (US, UK, Australia) reported that 60% of them prefer to disconnect while on flight.
The WiFi statistic is only one detail from the study, however. Expedia also analyzed the overall behavior of Singaporean travelers. The study of 301 respondents was conducted online between August 20 and September 12, 2013 by Harris Interactive on behalf of Expedia.
Here are the study's highlights, broken down by leisure and business sectors:
Leisure travellers
Singaporean travellers go on a holiday an average of three times a year, lower than the global average of 3.8. While 95% of them take at least 1-2 holidays a year, only 34% take at least 3-4 vacations a year.
Despite being one of the countries with the highest smartphone penetration rate in the world, 21% still do not use their smartphones when on a holiday.
Airfare is the most important factor when making trip reservations for 68% of respondents. However, hotel room price (60%) and hotel location (57%) are what they consider next. (We reported in Tnooz about a study by Hong Kong-based hotel management institute that proved that hotel location impacts tourist activity in a destination.)
Email addresses (56%) are the most frequent type of information that Singaporean holidaygoers save online to streamline the booking process.
63% of respondents are likely to make their holiday reservations through a personal computer, and when it comes to smartphones or tablets the number stands at 35%.
86% say their travel decisions are influenced by travel reviews. A recent report by Martiz says that 60% of users value travel review content higher compared to star-rating display.
64% travellers have not posted a negative review in the past year.
Business travellers
When it comes to those on the move for their jobs, 57% of the Singaporean travellers said they have extended a business trip into a personal holiday in the past year. This is interesting, because a Google study among 1,500 business travellers in the US also reported that 57% of business travellers extend their trips for leisure holidays. The line between business and leisure trips are definitely getting thinner.
Room service (38%), high-end meals (29%) and hotel room upgrades (24%) are additional business expenditures.
Respondents indicated that they take 2.1 business trips per year, a figure that is almost half the global average of 3.8 trips per year.
64% stay for at least three days when they are on a business trip.
Male business travellers are more idle on planes during business trips – they are half as likely to work with on-board WiFi as their female counterparts.
72% work the same or more hours on their business trips than on their regular working days.
74% of respondents use their mobile devices for travel purposes.
56% of respondents said that the hotel location influences the most in their business travel decisions. Interestingly, a luxurious hotel stay even at the company's expense comes only as the sixth influencing factor.
NB: No WiFi image via Shutterstock.