(dpa) - A slowing economy and rising costs are not stopping bargain hunters from travelling, with the United States and Europe the top destinations followed by Japan and South Korea, news reports said on Monday.
A record 65,000 people spent 40 million Singapore dollars (30 million US dollars) at the National Association of Travel Agents (NATAS) annual fair, up 14 per cent from last year's 58,000.
NATAS chief executive officer Robert Khoo, previously worried that inflation woes would thwart the inclination to wander, told The Straits Times he expects the final tally to be higher as more deals are finalized in the weeks ahead following the weekend fair.
China, a previously popular destination, failed to attract as much interest. Travel agents blamed a recent spate of natural disasters as well as the hassle over visa requirements ahead of the Olympic Games in Beijing.
In addition to booking early, agents said people are going on more short trips to take advantage of long weekends.
Not all holidaymakers are immune to inflation, the report said.
Teacher Harbachan Singh decided to take one instead of two annual holidays, giving up an annual trip to India in June to make a December trip to Canada with her four children.
"Otherwise, it would have been too expensive," she was quoted as saying.