TIME magazine is delighted to recognize
the winners of the 3rd annual
TIME Readers' Travel Choice Awards
Launched in early April, the results represent the highest quality of service and brand recognition from TIME readers across the region.

Contest Period: April 7 to July 3, 2003

Methodology

Questionnaires for this survey were inserted in the Asia editions of TIME Magazine (April 14, 21, 28 and May 12, 26). Readers were required to be residents of Asia and were given the options of responding online, by mail, or via a toll-free fax number. At the close of the survey, a total of 4,570 responses were analyzed, more than half (57%) of which were from online responses.

Incentives for this survey were three Cyber-shot P10 Sony digital still cameras.

Responses

Responses Total Online (as % of responses per market)
Total 4,570 57%
Hong Kong 738 56%
Philippines 724 59%
Singapore 500 70%
Indonesia 453 65%
Malaysia 450 55%
India 425 54%
Japan 314 71%
Pakistan 235 75%
Thailand 233 58%
Taiwan 158 76%
Korea 157 78%
Sri Lanka 65 45%
Mainland China 54 52%
Bangladesh 21 52%
Vietnam 16 88%
Nepal 12 75%
Brunei 11 64%
Myanmar 3 100%

Top line winners for this year include:

Preferred airline Singapore Airlines
Preferred hotel/hotel chain Shangri-La
Favorite business hotel Peninsula Hong Kong
Favorite resort hotel Shangri-La Cebu
Favorite business city Singapore
Favorite holiday destination Bali
Favorite Asian airport Changi, Singapore
Most popular airline frequent flyer program KrisFlyer, Singapore Airlines


Airlines

Preferred airlines

Year 2003 2002 2001
Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines
Cathay Pacific Cathay Pacific Cathay Pacific
Thai Airways Thai Airways British Airways
Japan Airlines British Airways Thai Airways
British Airways Japan Airlines Japan Airlines

Airline frequent flyer program memberships

Year 2003 2002 2001
KrisFlyer KrisFlyer Krisflyer
Asia Miles Asia Miles Asia Miles
WorldPerks WorldPerks Mileage Plus
Mileage Plus Mileage Plus WorldPerks
Royal Orchid Plus Royal Orchid Plus Royal Orchid Plus


Hotels

Preferred hotels/hotel chains

Year 2003 2002 2001
Shangri-La Shangri-La Shangri-La
Marriott Marriott Sheraton
Sheraton Hilton Hilton
Hilton Sheraton Marriott
Holiday Inn Holiday Inn Holiday Inn

Favorite business hotels*

Year 2003 2002 2001
Peninsula Hong Kong Shangri-La Shangri-La
Raffles The Plaza, S'pore Marriott Hilton
Shangri-La Makati Hilton Mandarin Oriental
Ritz Carlton Singapore Mandarin Oriental Sheraton
Shangri-La Hong Kong Sheraton Marriott

*Note: This year, the questionnaire was modified so that individual properties can be recognized.

Favorite resort hotels*

Year 2003 2002 2001
Shangri-La Cebu Shangri-La Shangri-La
Four Seasons Bali Holiday Inn Sheraton
Shangri-La Singapore Sheraton Holiday Inn
Banyan Tree Phuket Hyatt Regency Hilton
Peninsula Hong Kong Hilton Hyatt Regency

*Note: This year, the questionnaire was modified so that individual properties can be recognized.


Destinations

Favorite business cities*

Year 2003 2002 2001
Singapore Singapore Singapore
Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong
Tokyo Tokyo Tokyo
Shanghai Shanghai Seoul
Bangkok Kuala Lumpur Shanghai

*Note: Destinations rated as 'Excellent' and/or 'Good'

Favorite holiday destinations*

Year 2003 2002 2001
Bali Bali Bali
Singapore Singapore Singapore
Bangkok Bangkok Phuket
Tokyo Hong Kong Hong Kong
Hong Kong Phuket Bangkok

*Note: Destinations rated as 'Excellent' and/or 'Good'

Favorite Asian airports

Year 2003 2002 2001
Changi, Singapore Changi, Singapore Changi, Singapore
Chek Lap Kok, HK Chek Lap Kok, HK Chek Lap Kok, HK
KLIA, Malaysia KLIA, Malaysia KLIA, Malaysia
Don Muang, Bangkok Narita, Tokyo Narita, Tokyo
Narita, Tokyo Don Muang, Bangkok Don Muang, Bangkok


Demographics

Of the 4,570 respondents, 72% are male. Nearly a third (32%) of them are below the age of 30 - with an average age of 36 years. Over half (59%) of them are senior managers and professionals.

Male 72%
Female 28%
Under 30 years 32%
30-39 years 28%
40-49 years 19%
50 years and above 21%
Median age 36 years
Top/middle management 47%
Professional 35%
Government 7%


Travel patterns

TIME readers are Asia's mobile elites, with 69% traveling for business in the last 12 months while a similar number (66%) took combined business and leisure trips. Nearly all (92%) of the respondents traveled within Asia. The most popular long-haul destinations were the US (27%), Australia (18%) and U.K. (16%). Two-thirds (67%) of respondents are members of airline frequent flyer programs.

Air trips

Any business trips 69%
Any pleasure trips 85%
Any combined trips 66%
Average no. business trips 5
Average no. pleasure trips 3
Average no. combined trips 4

Destinations

Any Asia 92%
Any S.E. Asia 83%
Top Asia destinations:
Singapore 36%
Hong Kong 30%
Thailand 29%
Malaysia 29%
Rest of China 28%
Europe 30%
USA 27%
South Pacific 20%

Hotel Nights

Any hotel nights for business 72%
Any hotel nights for pleasure 88%
Any hotel nights, combined trips 69%
Average nights for business 13
Average nights for pleasure 9
Average nights for combined trips 10

Hotels/hotel chains used in past 12 months

Holiday Inn 30%
Marriott 24%
Shangri-La 24%
Sheraton 23%
Hilton 21%

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