Since the domestic travel ban was lifted, 56% of Malaysians have started travelling or are planning to

KUALA LUMPUR – Since the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) started, a recent survey has shown that many Malaysians have started travelling again, be it for work or leisure. In the survey by market research firm Vase, it asked Malaysians about their travel habits, locations they have traveled to or are planning to, and the type of holidays they are looking forward to.

The survey found that 56% of Malaysians have already started travelling within Malaysia or are planning to since the domestic travel ban was lifted. While 71% of Malaysians say they currently do not want to travel anywhere due to not feeling safe with the still existing daily COVID-19 cases.

The views and opinions expressed in the survey are an aggregate analysis taken from 1,080 respondents sampled according to Malaysian Census and Malaysian Internet Census data.

In the survey results released on August 10, 46% of Malaysians say their reason for travelling is to visit their family, relatives, or friends,while 39% said to support the local economy, and 27% said because they feel it is a good time to explore Malaysia.

The top states which Malaysians have travelled or are planning to travel to are Penang (31%), Melaka (28%), W.P Kuala Lumpur (25%), Terengganu (23%), and Kedah (22%). Meanwhile, 50% of Malaysians currently select their holiday destinations currently for the local food, 44% for affordable local attractions, and 40% for affordable accommodation.

Majority of Malaysians (70%) book their travel accommodations via an online booking site, while only 11% say they contact the accommodation property directly via email/phone. Top online platforms used for accommodation bookings are Agoda (69%), Booking.com (59%), and Trivago (40%), the survey found.

Safety precautions which Malaysians have taken or are planning to take during their holidays are to follow all SOPs stipulated by the government (85%), going about normally but ensuring they regularly sanitise and keep clean (58%), and not enter any crowded areas (54%).

Those living in the Central region (38%) and East Coast (39%) have travelled or are planning to travel to Penang, while those in East Malaysia (35%) and the Northern region (30%) have travelled or are planning to travel to W.P Kuala Lumpur. Those in the Southern region (34%) have travelled or are planning to travel to Melaka.

Based on the survey, those aged between 35-39 (25%), 40-44 (28%), and 45-55 (22%) select holiday locations that have landmarks which are suitable for children, while those aged 24-29 (27%) say the reason they select a location is because they have never been to the state before and think it is now a good time to visit.