As “revenge travel” slows amid economic and geopolitical uncertainty, a survey has found some influential factors and traveler sentiments for 2024.

Based on a Feb 2025 survey of 1,200 respondents* (400 from three countries: Australia, China and Singapore) on the travel landscape in three countries by a partnership management platform, some trends have been discerned from the data^.

First, survey data indicates that peer recommendations and word-of-mouth were the most influential factors for travel bookings, trusted by 62.5% of Singapore, 67.5% of Australia, and 75% of China respondents. Review/comparison sites also ranked highly, with 68% trust in Singapore, 59% in Australia, and 72% in China.

Second, in the data, respondents’ distrust of online ads had contrasted sharply with their heavy use:  27% of Singapore and 18% of Australia respondents had cited trusting online ads for travel inspiration, compared to 56% in China respondents.

Other findings
Third, the survey data suggests that affiliate and influencer marketing in the three countries were becoming increasingly important in travel decision-making. In Singapore, 45% of respondents cited trusting affiliates, and 63% cited trusting influencers when planning trips. In Australia and China, these figures were 50% and 68%, and 59% and 75% from the respondents, respectively. Also:

  • Respondents across all three countries reported using a broad mix of digital platforms for travel research and booking, including comparison sites, OTAs, loyalty programs, and social media.
  • Promotions, discounts, and positive online reviews were consistently ranked among the top three booking factors for airlines, accommodations, and travel activities across all countries surveyed.
  • Many respondents reported making travel-related purchases online in the past year: 80.75% in Singapore, 78% in Australia, and 58.75% in China.
  • The frequency of online travel purchases varied, with the largest group in China (37.75%) making four to five online bookings per year, while in Singapore and Australia, the largest groups of respondents made two to three bookings per year.
  • In terms of trust in word-of-mouth recommendations, 48.75% of Singapore, 49% of Australia, and 45.5% of China respondents rated this as a highly-trusted source (4 or 5 on a 5-point scale).
  • Cashback, loyalty, and coupon sites were also used by a significant portion of respondents as sources of inspiration and booking channels.
  • Direct bookings on brand websites were less common than bookings via third-party or referral platforms, especially in China, where only 9.85% reported booking directly compared to 31.85% via third parties.

According to survey report by impact.com, the partnership management platform that commissioned the survey, “peer recommendations and word-of-mouth were the most influential sources for travel decisions among respondents in Singapore, Australia, and China; as were review and comparison sites. Promotions, discounts, and positive online reviews consistently ranked among the top factors driving bookings for airlines, accommodations, and travel activities.

*Aged between 18 and 99, with an equal distribution of male and female travelers that were often incentivized with rewards

^ Only findings from consumer travel survey in Singapore, Australia, and China are reported here; results from the separate 100-respondent e-commerce leader survey are not included, for sharper relevance and focus to DigiconAsia.net