ASIA. Abacus, Asia’s leading travel bookings company, says that travel reservations are roaring back as 2003 ends on a high.
“Asian travel is a bastion of stability,” said the company.
It added: “Current Abacus travel information is indicating that some of the weakest markets of 2003 are stronger than ever, and those markets that have consistently done well, are proving to be as reliable as ever.”
Since June, monthly bookings in 2003 have surpassed 2002 bookings for the same period. In October, Abacus handled nearly 3 million bookings, a +12% increase over 2002.
The Middle East has seen particularly strong recovery in Asia-related traffic, Abacus said. This time last year, it said, terrorism concerns were a priority for all travellers. The Bali blasts of 12 October were impacting on travel to and around southeast Asia and rumblings of war in Iraq were mounting.
Travellers are adept at assessing risk. This is good – they know their own risk thresholds and adjust accordingly. Travellers reduced travel to the Middle East at the first sign of concern, which is expected. They also tend to return quickly once risk is mitigated. The rapid return to the region reflects this,” said Abacus president and ceo Don Birch.
Other markets continue to thrive in 2003. India and New Zealand, two outbound markets that have a very strong passenger base, continued to travel. Abacus bookings out of New Zealand are up more than +32% over 2002.
“New Zealand is a market experiencing tremendous travel growth. The travel industry is recognising this – Great Britain has made strong efforts to attract travellers to New Zealand. We are also working closely with travel agents there to ensure they are doing everything they can to meet demand,” Birch said.
Travel from India is nearly +40% higher year-to-date than 2002. This is indicative of a very strong and increasing middle class in India, Abacus said.
The southwest Asia region as a whole experienced a strong October. These strong results indicate increased marketing efforts into the region, tapping into Asian markets that were not as vulnerable to SARS and other crises that affected the region in 2003.
