Taiwan's annual travel market is worth an estimated NT$340 billion (US$10.37 billion), with nearly 71 percent of respondents to a recent survey saying they travel to relieve stress, pollsters said upon the release of their research yesterday.
The survey was conducted by the Global Views Monthly journal to explore Taiwanese travel activities and preferences. The telephone poll targeted residents between the ages of 20 and 60 in all 23 cities and counties on Taiwan proper.
A total of 815 valid samples were collected in the survey conducted from June 12 through June 14. Among the randomly chosen respondents, 747 have made overnight domestic leisure trips in the past three years and 392 have made overseas pleasure trips during the same period. The poll has a confidence level of 95 percent.
On Taiwan's demographic map, the number of citizens aged between 20 and 60 is about 9.38 million. Of them, 66 percent have made leisure trips either at home or abroad, or both, the survey showed.
Extrapolating from the findings of the survey, including the duration of their journeys and average spending, pollsters estimate the value of Taiwan's annual travel market at NT$340.2 billion.
The survey showed that 70.9 percent of the respondents said they define the most important function of travel as "rest and relieving of stress," while only 33.7 percent cite "broadening knowledge horizons and gaining a better understanding of the world" as the top purpose of travel.
As to what makes an ideal trip, 95.7 percent said an ideal tour package should allow for "full mental and physical relaxation"; 94.2 percent said ideal pleasure trips should be "slow-paced and not hectic"; while only 8.6 percent said an ideal tour package should include as many tour destinations or tourist attractions as possible.
By age, more than 60 percent of those aged between 40 and 60 said fine-quality meals and lodgings are key elements that make for an ideal trip, while only 38 percent of those aged between 25 and 29 cited fine-quality meals and lodging as important elements.
The survey also found that nearly 70 percent said they prefer to take part in package tours organized by travel agencies, but 16.8 percent said they prefer "half self-help" travel, with travel agencies reserving air tickets and hotel rooms for them; and another 11.2 percent said they most like to go backpacking.
Among young adults, referring to those aged between 20 and 24, 37 percent said they don't like package tours organized by travel agencies and would only go backpacking or conduct "half self-help" tours.
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