54% of Singaporeans remain connected on smartphones while travelling
AFP Relax file photo
Singaporeans are constantly on their smartphones, even when they go on a holiday.
A new mobile travel report by KAYAK.sg shows that in contrast to ten years ago, 54 per cent of Singaporeans now remain connected to their smartphones when they travel abroad, as more travellers rely on gadgets and social media platforms to do anything from planning to sharing memories of a trip.
About 89 per cent of Singporean travellers now book their trips online, with 66 per cent booking directly on the website of the hotel or airline. Travel agencies, which were used by 73 per cent of travellers ten years ago, has seen a sharp decline in popularity with visits from only 26 per cent of Singaporeans.
The survey also shows that 61 per cent of travellers consult online travel agencies for inspiration when planning for a holiday, in contrast to a decade back when 58 per cent of Singaporeans sought advice from family and friends and 42 per cent went to traditional travel agents and other offline sources when planning for the next getaway.
Ironically, the Internet and mobile technology has not helped Singaporean travellers save time on travel planning as 40 per cent of those surveyed said they spend more time planning their trips to day compared to a decade ago, mainly due to the wide variety of travel resources available online.
Ten years ago, 67 per cent of Singaporeans preferred to check-in and pick up their boarding pass at the airport. Today, nearly half of travellers — 49 per cent — prefer to check-in and print their boarding passes at home, while another 22 per cent check-in online via smartphone and opt for a mobile boarding pass.
Seventy-six per cent of Singaporean now share their travel experience on social networks compared to ten years ago when 57 per cent did the same through in-person meet-ups.
