On average, Singaporeans reached their 'tripping point' just 23 days after the introduction of the Circuit Breaker in April, according to a study by Expedia.

The tripping point – as coined by the travel brand – refers to the moment at which day-to-day responsibilities become too much to bear, resulting in a strong desire for an escape and an intense need for a break from the routine.

Close to a third (30%) reached that point immediately within the first week, 27% reached it between 8 to 30 days, and 16% reached their tripping point between 31 to 90 days. The top factors that drove them to their tripping point include:

  • A need to get out of the house for a change in scenery (42%);
  • A need to be alone and free to do what I wanted (28%);
  • The want to indulge in activities that I usually wouldn't at home (26%); and
  • A need to see family or friends in other destinations (25%).

However, 50% of the respondents confessed that they felt bored, upset, or stressed due to the inability to look forward to their next holiday. When asked about the steps that they would take to manage these overwhelming feelings, Singaporeans said that they would:

  • Take personal time to look after themselves (43%);
  • Take up a new hobby (37%);
  • Spend more quality time with family (37%); and
  • Get into exercise (36%).

Desire to travel during Circuit Breaker

Once the Circuit Breaker took effect, it took Singaporeans slightly more than a month – an average of 36 days – before cabin fever kicked in, with searches for travel increasing towards the month of July. It was evident that staycations were top-of-mind as more than 32% of the searches made in July was for hotels in Singapore, followed by Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, London, New York, Sydney, Bangkok and Shanghai.

When asked what they missed most about travel amidst the closure of international borders during the COVID-19 pandemic, almost half (45%) said that they missed exploring a new place and culture. This was followed by the ability to take a break from work (43%), enjoying a different climate (41%), spending quality family time overseas (40%) and trying local food overseas (39%).

Once the Circuit Breaker ended, Singaporeans took half the time – 17 days on average – to book a trip away from home. Of those who have booked a trip, over half of them (52%) booked a staycation and a third (31%) booked an overseas trip, while 17% booked a staycation as well as an overseas trip.

Luxurious trip within APAC tops wish list for next big holiday

Although international leisure travel remains on pause, this has not stopped Singaporeans from dreaming about their next overseas holiday. When thinking of their next trip, nearly a third (31%) said that their dream trip would be a luxurious and pampering trip. This was followed by outdoor activity (22%), kids club getaway (18%), and solo adventure (11%) trips.

In terms of their ideal destination for their next big holiday, 36% said that they would most likely travel to an Asia Pacific destination that is within a 7-hour flight away. In addition:

  • 14% would most likely explore Singapore;
  • 14% would travel within Europe; and
  • 10% would travel to somewhere in Malaysia.

According to flight search data on Expedia.com.sg between 1 September and 24 October 2020, destinations such as Hong Kong, London and Tokyo topped the list of cities Singaporeans are searching for their year-end holidays this year.

Post-trip quarantine could kill interest to travel

While Singaporeans dream of travelling once more, over half (53%) said that concerns about post-trip quarantine are preventing them from booking a trip in late 2020 or early 2021. In addition, concerns about the cleanliness of hotels/airports/vacation rentals (46%), being stuck in a foreign country (45%) and not being able to cancel flights/accommodation easily (36%) were among their other top worries.

Sourced from Expedia