Google study shows 58% of travellers in APAC prefer engaging with apps.

That digitisation was accelerated in Asia Pacific during Covid was not unexpected but what surprised Google’s Hermione Joye was the “massive and unanimous” acceleration of travel app use even in traditional desktop markets in the region.

Sharing the results of a survey Google did jointly with Kantar in which it surveyed 6,000 people across six markets – Australia, Japan, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and South Korea, Joye, the sector lead for APAC, Travel, told WiT, “I did not expect to see traditional desktop markets such as Australia, Japan and South Korea move 10-12%.

Hermione Joye (right): “I did not expect to see traditional desktop markets such as Australia, Japan and South Korea move 10-12%.”

“Our survey found that 58% of people across APAC prefer to engage with travel brands using an app, and in Thailand, India, and Indonesia, this preference was higher, at 67%.”

Results of the study were shared at Google’s annual customer and partner event ThinkTravel, held last week week as a hybrid broadcast from its Singapore offices, a step up from the 100% virtual event it had to hold in 2020.

In an article detailing the findings, Google said, “People said travel apps are more convenient to access on their phone, are more likely to have better deals and promotions, and are easier to browse for travel ideas compared with mobile websites.

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