A recent online poll of over 6,000 travellers conducted by research firm Nielsen has found that Australia and Japan take the top spots for holidaymakers looking to visit the Asia Pacific region, with China coming in third place, knocking out its special administrative region of Hong Kong.
Those polled were asked which destination would top their list for their next holiday. Australia was the answer returned by 17 per cent of respondents, while 16 per cent chose Japan, such as holidays in Tokyo. China took nine per cent, the same percentage amassed by holidays in Hong Kong just one year ago.
“With the allure of visiting new places, beautiful natural scenery, affordability and great food the predominant factors in what motivates people to pick a destination, the all-round tourism products in these destinations puts them high on any traveller’s list,” explained Ross Jackson, head of cross-border business at Asia Pacific Visa, sponsors of the survey.
According to the survey, British holidaymakers were the second most likely group to choose Australia over other destinations in the region, with many opting for holidays in Sydney and Melbourne. Japan was also the second choice for travelling Britons.
Such long-haul destinations have grown in popularity for 2010 after a relative slowdown in 2009, with more travellers choosing to head to exotic destinations for new and unique cultural experiences, such as those found in the Asia Pacific region.
The survey included participants from the United Kingdom, the United States, India, China, Malaysia and more.
