Hong KongVisas Macau travellers: entry rules now deter 43% of Asia-Pacific flyers from some trips
IATA's annual Global Passenger Survey found 43% of respondents were put off certain destinations by immigration requirements, up from 33% a year earlier. Safety concerns drove 72% of those deterred by geopolitical conflicts.
Immigration requirements are discouraging a growing share of air travellers from visiting certain destinations, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global airline industry body. Its annual Global Passenger Survey also found that geopolitical tensions are shaping travel decisions, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
Key facts
- 43% of respondents said immigration requirements had put them off certain destinations, up from 33% last year
- 72% of travellers deterred by geopolitical conflicts cited safety concerns as their main reason
- 60% of travellers prefer to apply for visas online
- Travellers aged 26 to 40 are especially sensitive to geopolitical tensions and complicated immigration requirements
What did the survey find?
IATA said its annual Global Passenger Survey showed that 43% of respondents had been put off from visiting certain destinations by immigration requirements, compared with 33% in the previous year's survey. Among travellers who said geopolitical conflicts had deterred them, 72% named safety concerns as their main reason.
The airline body said geopolitical tensions were influencing travel decisions, with the effect felt particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
Who is most affected?
Travellers aged 26 to 40 are particularly sensitive to geopolitical tensions and to complicated immigration requirements, according to an IATA official quoted alongside the survey findings.
Nick Careen, IATA's senior vice-president for operations, safety and security, said many travellers continue to face barriers from "complex immigration and visa processes" even as passengers adopt technology to make travel easier.
How do travellers want to handle visas?
Some 60% of travellers prefer applying for visas online, the IATA survey found. The survey did not set out which destinations or nationalities were most often named as off-putting, and no sample size or fieldwork dates were given.
What this means for travellers
The findings point to immigration and visa requirements being a growing factor in where travellers choose to go. Anyone weighing a trip can check the entry and visa requirements that apply to their passport before booking, and note that online visa applications are the option most travellers say they prefer.
IATA has not announced any further steps or changes arising from the survey results.