Singapore,
16
January
2019
|
04:05
Europe/Amsterdam

From riad to ryokan: How authentic and alternative accommodations are fuelling the curious global traveller

A race to be the first, a desire to live like a local, and a continued focus on value for money – Booking.com reveals what’s driving travellers into original homes, tree houses, boats and beyond

  • From accommodations that float, to stays up in the trees, unique property types are a growing trend, with over one third of global travellers (37%)* planning to book a stay in an alternative accommodation in 2019
  • Living like a local is key for almost half (49%)** of global travellers, who believe that staying in a home-type accommodation lets them see areas of a city or parts of a country that they wouldn't have otherwise explored
  • Keeping a close eye on the travel budget is a top priority, with almost half (45%)** of global travellers stating that staying in a home-type accommodation allows them to feel that they are getting the most value for their money

SINGAPORE – 16 JANUARY 2019 – Ever dreamt of staying in a lodge to observe wildlife in its natural habitat? Or of spending a holiday in an idyllic country house to reconnect with nature? With research from Booking.com uncovering that almost one-fourth of global travellers (22%)* plan to stay in one of the aforementioned types of accommodation in 2019, you are not the only one.

Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travellers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, conducted research and coupled it with its own data and insights to reveal what inspires travellers to look further than the familiar and leap into the unknown by selecting alternative places to stay for their next vacation.

 

Desire to be different

Holidays are an opportunity to break up your normal routine, to try something new and, sometimes, even let it change your outlook. So, it is no surprise that over one-third of global travellers (37%)* plan to stay at least once in a unique accommodation like a castle or treehouse in 2019.

Yet, travellers do not only want to feel inspired themselves, they also strive to impress their friends. That is why many travellers are turning to alternative accommodation types as a way of expressing their individuality, with 26%** of global travellers expressing that they like statement accommodation that is unique so they can seem like a trendsetter.

Live like a local

With 30%* of global travellers planning to book a stay in a villa or holiday home in 2019, and an equal share of travellers (30%) saying they would book an apartment, these accommodation types can also offer an inspiring change of perspective.

It allows travellers to explore the local surroundings of their destination and embrace a home away from home. It gives them the opportunity to find hidden gems only locals would know about and almost half (49%)** of global travellers agree that staying in a home-type accommodation lets them see areas of a city or parts of a country that they wouldn’t have explored otherwise.

Budget Friendly

Aside from allowing travellers to explore destinations like locals, alternative types of accommodation can also offer the opportunity of more affordable travel. And with so much of the world waiting to be discovered, this is one major incentive that almost half (45%)** of global travellers agree with, stating that staying in a home-type accommodation allows them to feel that they are getting the most value for their money.

Olivier Grémillon, Vice President at Booking.com, explains: “We are seeing a clear trend among travellers to try unique types of accommodations and we understand that the perfect stay may look different for each of them. So, whether it’s an icy igloo, a cosy cabin or luxury villa you’re after – Booking.com offers more than 5.8 million instantly bookable homes, apartments and other unique places to stay to make sure that your next special experience is just a few clicks away.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

*Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of 53,492 respondents across 31 markets. In order to participate in this survey, respondents had to be 18 years of age or older, had to have travelled at least once in the past 12 months and be either the primary decision maker or involved in the decision making of their travel. The survey was taken online and took place between October 16th and November 12th, 2018.

**Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of adults who have taken a trip in the last 12 months/plan to take a trip in the next 12 months. In total 21,500 respondents were polled (including 1,000 each from Australia, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, China, Brazil, India, US, UK, Russia, Indonesia, Colombia and South Korea; and 500 each from Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Croatia, Taiwan, Mexico, Netherlands, Sweden, Singapore and Israel). Respondents completed an online survey between 10th August to 30th August 2018.

About Booking.com

Established in 1996 in Amsterdam, Booking.com B.V. has grown from a small Dutch start-up to one of the largest travel e-commerce companies in the world. Part of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), Booking.com now employs more than 17,000 employees in 198 offices in 70 countries worldwide.

With a mission to empower people to experience the world, Booking.com invests in digital technology that helps take the friction out of travel. At Booking.com, we connect travellers with the world’s largest selection of incredible places to stay, including everything from apartments, vacation homes, and family-run B&Bs to 5-star luxury resorts, tree houses and even igloos. The Booking.com website and mobile apps are available in 43 languages, offer over 29 million total reported listings, including more than 5.8 million listings of homes, apartments and other unique places to stay, and covers more than 144,000 destinations in 229 countries and territories worldwide.

Each day, more than 1.5 million room nights are reserved on our platform. So whether traveling for business or leisure, customers can instantly book their ideal place to stay quickly and easily with Booking.com, without booking fees and backed up by our promise to price match. Via our customer experience team, customers can reach Booking.com 24/7 for assistance and support in over 40 languages, any time of the day or night.

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