The Vacation State of Mind: Enjoy Travel, Without Travelling

Expedia’s latest Vacation Deprivation® Study revealed that the benefits of tapping into past vacation memories and sharing experiences with friends and family can help to prolong a Vacation State of Mind 

Singapore, 28 April 2020 – Staying home has become the new norm as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, wanderlust is really hitting home with Singaporeans, who are turning to reminiscing and sharing memories of past trips and experiences with friends and family as they bide their time before their next holiday adventure.

Diving deeper into the vacation deprivation sentiments of working adults across the world, Expedia’s 2019 Vacation Deprivation® Study revealed that the benefits of vacations, which include a positive impact on mental well-being as well as personal and professional relationships, can be experienced without the physical act of travelling.

Following a survey of 11,000 full-time workers across 19 markets, including 300 respondents in Singapore, the study found that close to seven in 10 Singaporeans (67%) felt deprived of vacations in 2019, up from 63% in 2018 and 57% in 2017.

 EMBRACING THE VACATION STATE OF MIND

Vacations are widely known to have a positive impact on the mental welfare of individuals. 93% of working adults in Singapore indicated that taking regular vacations is important for general health and well-being. In addition, 88% feel rejuvenated and have a better outlook on life and 82% said they regularly take vacations to improve mental wellness. This psychological condition and positive effect is what we call a Vacation State of Mind.

COVID-19 and the accompanying travel restrictions have momentarily put a stopper to vacation plans of Singaporeans. An Expedia poll of 1,000 Singapore residents, conducted between 4 and 27 March 2020, showed that confidence in travel has been shaken by the outbreak, with over eight in 10 respondents expressing concern over their travel plans being affected if they booked a flight or a stayed at a hotel. Over half (50.4%) of the respondents had also indicated that their travel plans have already been changed or cancelled due to the pandemic.

While there is uncertainty about when Singaporeans can make their travel arrangements once again, the yearning for that much-needed getaway can be lessened with techniques that prolong the Vacation State of Mind. 79% of respondents said that they have tapped into their vacation memories to relax when they’re feeling stressed at work, 73% looked at photos from holidays on their phones when feeling overwhelmed, and 71% surrounded themselves with pictures, mementos and souvenirs from their vacation.

“In a world of ‘faster is better and bigger is best’, at some point the true meaning of ‘living’ can be lost. Fostering a Vacation State of Mind can provide relief from the growing feeling of vacation deprivation and encourage family connections and positive emotional responses through reliving fond memories created on previous holidays,” said Lavinia Rajaram, APAC Head of Communications, Expedia. “We believe in the power of travel in bringing people together, and we will do our best to provide great experiences for Singapore travellers when they are ready to start travelling again.”

These ‘vacation top-ups’ were even more common amongst millennial parents. Despite scrolling through social media feeds being routine in everyday life, millennial parents found that speaking with family and their children were just as effective at reconnecting with happy holiday memories

VACATIONS TOP-UPS ACROSS ASIA PACIFIC

Across the Asia Pacific region, the most effective vacation ‘top-up’ techniques were engaging in dialogue with others on vacation experiences. Speaking with family (52%), travel companions (50%), and friends (47%) clearly triggered happy memories.

Respondents from India (69%) and Thailand (57%) would listen to music from the vacation, while those from Malaysia (63%) and South Korea (56%) enjoyed browsing through printed photos from their trips, which served as mementos from their wonderful travel experiences.

5 EASY WAYS FOR SINGAPOREANS TO PROLONG THEIR VACATION STATE OF MIND

Summarising the findings from the study, here are 5 easy ways for Singaporeans to prolong their Vacation State of Mind while embracing the current stay home season:

 About the 2019 Vacation Deprivation® Study

The 2019 Vacation Deprivation® Study was conducted on behalf of Expedia by Northstar Research Partners in October-November 2019. Covering the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe using an amalgamated group of best-in-class panels, the study was conducted with over 11,000 full-time working adults in 19 markets globally. Asia Pacific markets that were featured in the study include Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. In Singapore, about 300 working adults were included in the study.

 About Expedia.com.sg

Expedia.com.sg offers travellers a wide selection of hotels, activities and travel services at attractive rates. With hundreds of thousands hotel partners worldwide and comprehensive choices of flight inventory made readily available on Expedia.com.sg, travellers can book everything they need for a holiday – rooms to meet every budget, activities of every kind and travel services to complement.

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