Taking an at-home vacation in Hong Kong helped residents avoid “vacation deprivation”

In spite of COVID-19 travel bans, creative Hong Kongers kept their “vacation deprivation” blues at bay in 2020 with a vacation in Hong Kong rather than abroad. These Hong Kong staycations helped to ward off the absence of recreational travel.

Expedia’s latest 2020 global “Vacation Deprivation Survey” shows that Hong Kong’s holiday deprivation rates had decreased more than in previous non-COVID-19 years for the very first time in five years, dropping by 11%.

A vacation in Hong Kong keeps the travel blues away

Northstar Research Partners, an international business consultancy, conducts the yearly “Vacation Deprivation Survey” on behalf of Expedia. The survey was carried out all over North and South America, Europe and Asia-Pacific from November 18 to December 9 among 9,200 respondents across 16 locations. The study was undertaken in Hong Kong using a sample of 300 participants.

Hong Kong has one of the lowest vacation deprivation rates (59%) out of all the regions surveyed during the year where the planet came to a standstill, increasing attitudes of travel confusion and contributing to a worldwide increase in vacation deprivation.

COVID-19 has greatly disrupted the travel arrangements of Hong Kongers. With travel restrictions in motion last year, three out of every four people surveyed said that because of coronavirus they had postponed their travel. A fifth of study participants said that they had invested their next holiday on a vacation in Hong Kong rather than traveling abroad.

With COVID-19 affecting how people are spending their holidays, actual holidays seemed somewhat distinct from 2019, significantly affecting how vacation time is spent. 58% of those surveyed in Hong Kong stated they remained at home during their previous holiday, with more than one third (34%) saying they were saving vacation time for upcoming trips.

However, cabin fever vacations tended to pick up the slack. Aspiring Hong Kong travelers fended their feelings of vacation deprivation by finding local destination experiences, with one in five claiming their previous travel was a staycation and 47% having taken some sort of holiday within a month of the study.

The study showed that 78% of Hong Kongers said they had less satisfaction in life because of the lack of travel in 2020. As a replacement for travel, they pursued happiness by staying involved and healthy by loving cooking (44%), working out (38%), playing video games (40%) and merely remembering previous journeys (26%).

Holidays are claimed to positively affect mental well-being and interpersonal relationships, with 79% of Hong Kong study participants acknowledging they believe to have a much more optimistic approach to the world after enjoying a holiday. Similarly,  88% had more of a desire to just escape to better cope and remain hopeful because of the impact of the pandemic.

More than Japan, Korea and Singapore (its Asian neighbors), Hong Kong is among the world’s highest vacation desires. Where three in four  respondents agreed that they have an unsatisfied holiday checklist.

42% foresee having at least the same amount of trips as past years, with 21% planning to take more while close to one fifth (19%) have already scheduled travels for the upcoming year.

COVID-19 has also raised the importance of vacation time. Aside from reasons that contribute to devoting time to loved ones, families and friends, some 47% of Hong Kong participants claimed they now appreciated holidays in which they are absorbed in adventure, ambitions and personal development and not just taking “time off” work.

During this year, flexibility will tend to be high on the list for passengers. They will voyage carefully, with 41% stating they will postpone travel plans until the second half of this year. If you are in Hong Kong but wanting to itch the travel bug, why not check out some Hong Kong tour packages? Or, plan your own unique vacation in Hong Kong that will allow you to get some holiday time in without putting your health at risk.

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