Travellers 'willing to pay to experience culture'

Experiencing foreign cultures is the one aspect of holidays that travellers are most willing to pay for, according to new research.

A survey by Visa and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) found that 57 per cent of people would be happy to extend their holiday budget for an experience that would introduce them to a different culture.

The poll also revealed that good customer service and visiting exotic holiday destinations are high on the list of things that travellers are willing to pay extra for.

Greg Duffell, president and chief executive of Pata, said that this interest in exotic holidays is helping to attract more people to the Asia Pacific region.

Meranda Chan, a spokesperson for the travel association, said: "As time is precious, people want to make the most out of their holidays and so are willing to spend more to have a unique experience that goes off smoothly.

"It is now easier than ever to travel to a wide range of destinations and people are using this opportunity to learn more about different cultures."

According to a survey released by Pata earlier this year, people from Britain, Australia, Singapore, North America and France are among the most likely to continue travelling this year despite the economic crisis.