Manila among top destinations for Asian solo travelers; Tokyo popular among both western, Asian solo travelers

Worldwide, most people don’t mind travelling solo if the purpose is to relax and unwind.

This was one of the key findings of a survey commissioned by Agoda, one of the world’s online travel agents (OTA).

Agoda’s “Solo Travel Trends 2018” survey, conducted by YouGov, a global public opinion and data company, found that relaxation and time to unwind as the number one motivator for solo leisure travel globally (61%), which compares to 48% when traveling with friends. Solo travelers surveyed also ranked getting away from routine (52%) and exploring new cultures (45%) as top motivators.

Whether for business, leisure or ‘bleisure’ (a combination of business and leisure travel), independent travelers head to cosmopolitan cities around the world. According to the company’s booking data, Bangkok is the top destination for Asian solo travelers this year, while London is number one for Western solo travelers.

Tokyo is a popular choice for both Asian and Western travelers, hitting the top three for both groups. With various food, culture and accommodation options, from capsule hotels to homes and luxury five-star retreats, the city has a lot on offer for every kind of solo traveler.

Asian independent travelers also like going to Southeast Asian cities like Manila, which ranked seventh. With its curious mix of historical sites, shopping, thriving concert and music scene, and nightlife, there is always something to do for those who visit Manila solo.

Here’s how destinations were ranked by solo travelers across Asia and the West:

Preferred destinations may have to do with the age of Asian versus the Western solo traveler. Asians who travel alone are more likely to be younger – Millennials (41%) and Generation Zers (38%) – while in the West, solo travel is more prevalent among Baby Boomers (39%) and Generation Xers (24%).

Asian solo travelers may well be looking at accessibility and affordability of destinations as their top 10 choices are within Asia. They tend to take shorter trips, too at 1-3 nights stay (46%).

Meanwhile, Western solo travelers are more likely to be prepared to spend as they tend to take longer trips between 4-7 nights (34%) and are twice as likely to be on an extend getaway of 14 nights or more (20% versus 10% for Asian solo travelers).

Unsurprisingly, solo leisure travelers spend more time in front of their laptops and phones than any other traveler type – two hours a day (119 minutes), which compares to 15% more time than when travelers are with friends (100 minutes) and 26% more time than if they are with family (86 minutes).

Asian solo travelers are the most digitally connected and are more than two times as likely to spend four or more hours a day in front of their screens than their Western peers (31% versus 12%).