Familiarity a major factor in travel decisions: survey

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International tourists are less likely to consider exploring unfamiliar tourist destinations, opting to travel to locations that they are more familiar with, according to an international YouGov survey.

The YouGov survey of over 17,500 people, commissioned by the Saudi Tourism Authority, was carried out in 15 countries across Asia, Africa, America, Europe and the Middle East. While results vary between geographies, the study reveals that 66% of tourists prefer travelling to countries that provide familiarity, while 67% tend to travel to destinations that they have previously visited or have heard about through their network, such as family and friends.

There are some global differences in the findings with 90% of tourists from Middle Eastern countries seeing familiarity with the destination as a key factor in making travel decisions, while British (62%), French (75%), Chinese (68%) and Japanese (74%) tourists feel more comfortable travelling to places that they know less about.

As a result, the destinations with developing tourism potential, but less spending power for international promotional efforts, will lack the ability to generate awareness about them – clearly an important factor in travellers’ choice of destination.

On the other hand, the challenge for more developed tourism destinations, is to drive tourists away from hotspot locations and encourage them to explore their lesser-known regions.

Resonating with previous studies which found that 80% of tourists visit just 10% of the world’s tourism destinations, the stark findings of this survey not only emphasise tourists’ preference for familiar destinations but also shed light on the need for more sustainable tourism practices worldwide.

Fahd Hamidaddin, Chief Executive Officer and a Member of the Board of the Saudi Tourism Authority, said: “The findings of this international survey give us great insight into the trends and habits of global tourists and how important a sense of familiarity is to them when choosing destinations.

“However, familiarity does not mean that destinations need to compromise their authenticity, as the research also supports the notion that visiting new places deepens our appreciation of diverse cultures and fosters mutual understanding. When we travel, we are agents of good – we export our own cultures and return home with new discoveries, new ideas and new perspectives.

“I hope that, by highlighting how travel has the power to broaden perspectives, we will inspire more people to opt for less familiar destinations. I look forward to discussing the results of this survey with my peers during World Tourism Day in Riyadh this week to explore how, collectively, we continue to make all corners of the world inviting and accessible for all.”

The results support recent news reports from nations, such as Croatia and France, who have implemented measures to better control high volumes of tourists in their most popular destinations.

The city of Dubrovnik, Croatia, has implemented a “Respect the City” campaign to manage tourism and minimise its impacts, while French Tourism Minister Olivia Gregoire asserted that France needed to better manage influxes during peak season that threatened “the environment, the quality of life for locals, and the experiences of its visitors”.

Of tourists that have ventured to new destinations, 83% report that the experience changed or broadened their perspective, providing compelling evidence of the profound impact of tourism in connecting people and enhancing mutual understanding.

Commissioned by the Saudi Tourism Authority, the global survey was conducted ahead of this year’s World Tourism Day (WTD), which was hosted in Riyadh from September from 27 to 28.