Taiwanese most willing travelers in Asia-Pacific as costs rise: Survey

Taipei, July 1 (CNA) Taiwanese travelers are more willing than any group in the Asia-Pacific region to travel in the second half of 2026 compared to the first half of the year.

That was one of the findings of the 2026 second-half "Asia-Pacific travel pulse survey," the results of which were released by travel booking platform Klook on Tuesday.

The survey questioned people aged 18 to 42 across 10 key markets -- Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, India and Indonesia -- in June 2026 who had traveled in the past six months or planned to travel in the next six months.

The online survey, which examined travel preferences and spending trends, found that despite increases in travel costs due to the Middle East conflict, Asia-Pacific residents remained big on travel, with 95 percent of respondents still interested in vacationing abroad.

Taiwanese travelers reported the highest "travel confidence" in the region, with 86 percent of respondents as or more willing to travel in the second half of the year than during the first six months.

That was 14 percentage points above the regional average of 72 percent, which was up from 61 percent in the first half, according to Klook.

Despite facing higher travel costs, most Asia-Pacific travelers said they had decided to continue to travel but would manage their budgets more carefully through smarter planning, Klook said.

Taiwanese travelers similarly favored searching for deals and booking early, and were more inclined to stick to their original destinations while opting for more affordable flights or accommodations, it said.

Two-thirds of Asia-Pacific respondents said they hoped to explore more places in a single trip, and 77 percent said they also intended to visit nearby towns or lesser-known attractions when traveling to popular cities, according to Klook.

Meanwhile, 73 percent of respondents said they would be willing to travel to second- or third-tier cities specifically for concerts, music festivals or special events, Klook said.

In a separate statement on Taiwan travel trends, Rakuten Travel said Japan remained a top overseas destination for many Taiwanese travelers despite rising costs, and that Hokkaido was emerging as a top destination.

According to Rakuten Travel, bookings for Hokkaido doubled in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, surpassing popular cities such as Tokyo, Fukuoka and Osaka.