Kiwis flying solo
New research commissioned by Booking.com has revealed what an adventurous bunch Kiwis really are.
The survey results show that New Zealanders are wholeheartedly embracing the daunting yet exciting prospect of going it alone when they travel. Most Kiwis (65%) have already travelled alone before, while 25% are planning to undertake their first solo expedition in 2017.
While travelling alone for the first time can seem intimidating, most agree it’s a positive experience and 100% worth it. Solo travellers report experiencing feelings of freedom, happiness and excitement.
Of course, a few pre-trip nerves are standard, but those who have travelled alone before believe any anxiety felt prior to their trip soon dissipated, with three in five people stating their nerves have usually been unnecessary.
So, where are these venturesome Kiwis planning on taking their first independent trip?
The top 10 destinations for first-time solo travellers from New Zealand are:
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Australia |
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Bahrain |
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Canada |
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Brazil |
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Argentina |
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USA |
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China |
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Japan |
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Bahamas |
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Bali |
The research, which questioned 500 Kiwis, also found that travelling for the first time dramatically improved confidence, with 68% of people saying they felt more self-assured after venturing to foreign shores for the first time.
Booking.com picked the brains of more than 15,000 globally experienced solo travellers for their most valuable snippets of advice:
- Ensure you know some basic phrases in the local language (18%),
- Pack less than you think you need (18%),
- Carry your passport with you (24%),
- Secure accommodation in advance of arrival (30%),
- ...but most of all, relax and enjoy every minute! (40%)
Pepijn Rijvers, Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com comments:
“Travelling solo can be a fruitful, life enhancing and even a life changing experience. So, for those looking to undertake their very own first time travel experience, Booking.com is here to help. We have over 1.1 million unique properties with over 23 million bookable rooms and more unique places to stay than any other travel company in the world,” says Pepijn Rijvers, Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com.
So why not step out in to the great unknown alone and discover the seemingly life-altering experience that is solo travel!
-Ends-
CONTACT DETAILS
For further information, contact the Booking.com New Zealand Press Office:
charlottec@thisismango.co.nz / 021 0270 1136
NOTES TO EDITORS
Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a nationally representative sample of 1,000 respondents from the USA, Brazil, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Germany, China, India, and 500 respondents from the Netherlands, Croatia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Denmark, Belgium, and Sweden. In total, data from 15,077 respondents (18yrs +) was collected from 11 January to 30 January 2017.
About Booking.com:
Booking.com is the world leader in booking hotel and other accommodations online. It guarantees the best prices for any type of property – from small independents to five-star luxury. Guests can access the Booking.com website anytime, anywhere from their desktops, mobile phones and tablet devices, and they don’t pay booking fees – ever. The Booking.com website is available in over 42 languages, offers over 1.1M hotels and accommodations including 579,898 vacation rental properties and covers over 105,000 destinations in 225 countries and territories worldwide. It features over 112M reviews written by guests after their stay, and attracts online visitors from both leisure and business markets around the globe. With over 19 years of experience and a team of over 13,000 dedicated employees in 187 offices worldwide, Booking.com operates its own in-house customer service team, which is available 24/7 to assist guests in their native languages and ensure an exceptional customer experience.
Established in 1996, Booking.com B.V. owns and operates Booking.com™, and is part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN). Follow us on Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest, like us on Facebook, or learn more at http://www.booking.com.