Travel in the last decade has undergone a profound transformation, no doubt fueled by the rise of social media. Celebrating its 9th anniversary, Klook takes a look at what travel means for Millennials and Gen Zs through its regional trend report, Travel Pulse, and how it curates experiences for this new generation of travelers.
Understanding the Next Generation of Travelers
Offering insights into interests, preferences and behaviors of Millennial and Gen Z travelers in Asia Pacific, the Klook Travel Pulse study revealed that experiences had become the new travel currency. Experiences are the #1 consideration factor when planning a holiday, with 90% of those surveyed actively seeking out unique and memorable experiences on their travels.
Klook's mission is to bring the world closer together through experiences, curating over half a million experiences for travelers all across the world. And Klook is bringing this to life through a seamless user journey, covering every aspect of the travel journey.
Bridging the Gap Betweeen Play, Stay, Move
This year, Klook launched bundles like the Klook Pass, allowing users to experience popular attractions in their travel destinations with convenience and value. Beyond expanding the range of destinations, Klook is also looking to curate more passes across its categories to cater better to its users.
As such, Klook has introduced pillars such as Stay and Move, to complement its core Play offering. These initiatives offer a seamless and well thought out end-to-end consumer journey, from discovery to booking and finally enjoying in-destination.
Through Stay+, Klook extends its accommodation offerings to include hotel packages bundled with attractions and activities for convenient all-in-one experiences. Move sees the booking platform expand its on-ground transportation options with subway passes for greater intra-city mobility and rail passes for cross-country travel in Japan and Europe.
Transforming Thailand: A Case Study
In Thailand, Klook has seen some of its strongest business performance to date with eight consecutive months of positive growth. Bookings have increased as much as 1200% compared to the same time period last year. As demand grows, so must its offerings.
In a recent panel session held during Klook’s 9th birthday celebrations, key tourism operators from Central Pattana, Chaophraya Cruises and Divana shared their secrets to success through the experiences they offer.
- All-in-one attraction that offer the best of Thailand in one location
- Central Pattana developed a new concept called Central Hatyai, an all-in-one attraction of Thailand's greatest hits from street food and Michelin-starred restaurants to iconic souvenirs such as elephant pants and mangos. With multiple offerings in one centrally-located mall, the attraction combines the country's world-class offerings and convenience to cater to tourists' demands.
- Tailoring offerings that cater to different markets
- India remains a significant source of inbound travel to Thailand. Chaophraya Cruise expanded their cruise programme to offer dedicated cruises for the growing number of Indian tourists, in response to their travel preferences and behaviors. The cruise operator now offers three cruises tailored to suit the preferences of Indian travelers, offering a mix of sightseeing, party and even dinner cruises.
- Improving facilities and packages that cater to a growing wellness tourism sector
- Spas and massages have always been popular draws among tourists to Thailand with many making spas a requisite stop in their trips. Increasingly, the industry has seen a rise in wellness tourism, attracting tourists in search of traditional and non-invasive treatments. Popular spa and massage franchise Divana expanded its focus beyond relaxation to encompass healing through traditional medicine. The company has since opened its first outpost outside of Bangkok in Chiang Mai with plans to expand to Phuket in the near future.
Being Experiences-First for Customers
Putting the customer first, Klook and its key tourism operators are constantly evolving and curating new experiences to cater to users and customers. With a goal to offer an end-to-end experience that encompass travel inspiration before flying, to in-destination discovery and instant access, Klook is working to provide these modern travelers who are constantly seeking spontaneity and convenience with everything they need at their fingertips.
