The positive benefits of vacations – such as improvements in mental well-being as well as personal and professional relationships – can be experienced without the physical act of travelling.
As one of the world’s leading full-service online travel brands, Expedia has launched the ‘Travel from Home’ virtual tours series to fulfil Singaporeans’ wanderlust during the stay home period. Featuring an inspiring catalogue of virtual activities and experiences curated with Expedia Local Expert partners around the world, the ‘Travel from Home’ series brings together nature, cultural, educational and entertainment experiences for Singaporeans to continue relishing the joys of travel while prolonging their ‘Vacation State of Mind’ at home.
According to Expedia’s 2019 Vacation Deprivation Study[1], the positive benefits of vacations – such as improvements in mental well-being as well as personal and professional relationships – can be experienced without the physical act of travelling. This mindset and mood of positive effects, called the ‘Vacation State of Mind’, can also be prolonged by using the following techniques as revealed by the study:
With Expedia’s new ‘Travel from Home’ virtual tours series, aspiring travellers can now go from reminiscing memories of past trips to exploring new destinations and enjoying new experiences within the comfort of their homes. With all the best virtual activities and experiences that online travel has to offer now available on Expedia.com.sg, Singaporeans can choose to go on virtual museum tours, find intriguing new skills to learn, participate in ‘live’ guided visits by locals in-the-know, and explore the must-see sights, places and faces of the world’s most dynamic cities.
Here are four ways to explore the world with Expedia’s ‘Travel from Home’ virtual tour series:
1. Take a Trip Back in Time
History junkies can step back in time to retrace the historical moments and monuments from around the world. Take a virtual trip to look at ancient Rome’s gladiatorial glory, relive the tragedy of Pompeii or simply marvel at the pomp of the Palace of Versailles and majesty of the Papal City. There is an entire universe out there waiting to be unearthed.
2. Explore the Arts
Culture vultures can immerse themselves in the world of arts and architecture, with virtual visits to some of the world’s national museums and architectural marvels. Those who prefer a guided experience can also participate in art-historian led tours to many of the world-acclaimed international galleries.
3. Cook Up a Storm
Aspiring master chefs will discover a veritable menu of culinary experiences to tantalise their senses, as both seasoned chefs and local home-cooks inspire you to embrace their distinct culinary cultures. Learn the secrets of pasta like ‘mama’ used to make, perfect the original Italian Tiramisu, or transport yourself to the streets of Barcelona and meet Natalia and her family as they teach you the tricks of whipping up delicious Spanish tapas.
4. Keep the family entertained
This school holiday, enjoy being educated and entertained with a virtual world of cultural experiences for the entire family. Enthuse the kids with immersive storytelling from the heart of Paris, or buckle in as a family and take a virtual drive through the streets of Berlin. Turn it up a notch and find out who’s the most musically inclined at home with a live concert and music quiz or work out a sweat a home with interactive dance lessons from Greece.
“With social distancing and the lack of face-to-face interaction taking a toll of people’s mental wellness, Expedia hopes to bring back the little joys of travel with our ‘Travel from Home’ virtual tour series. By taking a virtual step and immersing yourself in a vastly different world out there, you never know what you may bring back. From new knowledge to new perspectives and new skills, we hope that Singaporeans can continue to be inspired by travel and engage the world with confidence despite being physically at home,” said Lavinia Rajaram, APAC Head of Communications, Expedia.
Since its test launch, Expedia’s ‘Travel from Home’ series has received positive feedback with an overall engagement rate of 56%. Nature and outdoor related activities have been the most popular among visitors, followed by museum tours. In addition, 54% of the visitors use a mobile device to experience the content[2]. “We are excited to see a similar uptake in Singapore as consumers continue to look for ways to stay inspired and motivated until their next overseas vacation,” added Rajaram.
[1] The 2019 Vacation Deprivation® Study was conducted on behalf of Expedia by Northstar Research Partners in October-November 2019. Covering the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe using an amalgamated group of best-in-class panels, the study was conducted with over 11,000 full-time working adults in 19 markets globally. Asia Pacific markets that were featured in the study include Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. In Singapore, about 300 working adults were included in the study.
[2] Statistics are based on the dates between 27 April – 10 May 2020 across the US, UK, CA and SG Expedia ‘Things to do from Home’ landing page.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
