By Lim Wei Chean

BELT-tightening? What belt-tightening?

There is no quelling Singaporeans' wanderlust, going by the crowds who thronged the travel fairs held by travel agents in the past two weekends.

Thousands turned out at the fairs at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre and snapped up tens of million of dollars in packages to Europe, the United States, Japan, Korea and China, exceeding the expectations of the travel agents themselves.

Dynasty Travel's general manager Juliana Gan said: 'We were really worried before this, as business was really quiet. But the turnout at the fair was really surprisingly good.'

Before the fairs, travel agents said they expected business, especially that in long-haul travel, to dip 10 to 20 per cent.

But over the past two weekends, Chan Brothers, SA Tours, CTC Holidays, Dynasty Travel and ASA Holidays, all held their own fairs and the would-be travellers just showed up. Top-selling destinations include Asian countries such as China, Korea and Japan, but trips to places like Europe and the United States also sold fast.

Some travel agents broke the sales records set last year.

The Chan Brothers fair on Feb 15 romped past its sales target of $7 million and smashed the record $8 million in travel packages sold last year; CTC Holidays sold $12 million in travel packages over two weekends this month, 20 per cent more than last year's $10 million record.

SA Tours declined to give final sales figures but said business improved 10 per cent. Its spokesman Ruth Lim said: 'This shows that travel is really essential to Singaporeans.'

A recent Pacific Asia Travel Association survey found that 36 per cent of 5,554 people from 11 nations surveyed would not be changing their travel plans.

Of the remaining 64 per cent who were relooking their plans because of the global recession, over half said they would still pack their bags - even if it was for a cheaper holiday.

And Singaporeans rank among the top six nationalities - the others being the British, Australians, Americans, Indians and the French - who said they will not let economic concerns affect their overseas holiday plans.

Indeed, the majority of those at the fairs described overseas holidays as essential to them - recession or not.

Banking executive Sim Pek Leng, 37, who typically takes two to three trips a year with her mother or sister, said: 'We will still go because we need to rest and relax despite the economic downturn.'

Yesterday, she bought herself, her mum and sister a trip to China's Three Gorges and Yangtze River for 10 days at $1,755 a head.

Civil servant C. S. Meng, 37, spent over $4,000 for a 10-day trip to Europe with his wife. He reckons he is paying 30 per cent to 40 per cent less.

Last year, such a trip with CTC Holidays cost $2,188. Now, it costs $1,688.

Last year, Dynasty Travel sold a 13-day jaunt through New Zealand for $3,488 on Thai Airways. This year, the package not only costs $150 less, travellers will get there on Singapore Airlines.

Madam Cheong Keok Soon, 54, and 14 other friends and family members bought an eight-day package to New Zealand at $2,733 each. She said: 'We're not young any more. So we should experience what we can while we are still able to.'

weichean@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Straits Times.

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