A new survey in Hong Kong has revealed that 74% of the participating youngsters love to travel and explore new places and try new and exciting experiences during their travels but more than a third of them do not purchase travel insurance.
The survey by Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance was conducted to ascertain the young people's travel habits and preferences, as well as their level of protection awareness and awareness of risk management and protection.
The survey that was conducted through online questionnaires found that 69% of the respondents plan to travel twice or more in the next 12 months and 22% plan to travel three times or more. The survey found that 74% of the respondents aspire to explore and try unique, novel and exciting experiences during their travels, and about one-third (32%) prefer to explore lesser-known destinations.
Responding to questions about travel-related concerns, 71% of the respondents cited flight delays or cancellations as their top worry; half (50%) of the respondents were concerned about lost or damaged luggage. Yet more than a third (34%) of them lacked protection awareness.
The survey findings revealed that two-thirds (66%) of the respondents would purchase travel insurance to protect themselves and their families, of which 80% considered premium and promotional offers as the main factor when choosing travel insurance. One-third (34%) would not acquire insurance, of which 42% considered it unnecessary, showing that the new generation has inadequate awareness of their protection needs.
Blue Cross CEO Bonnie Tse said, "Today's young people love to travel, seeking out fresh and exciting experiences. However, their lack of protection awareness is concerning. In addition to common travel disruptions such as flight delays and lost luggage, comprehensive travel insurance provides crucial protection and mitigates the risks against accidents, injuries, and illness during the journey.
"As young people grow and progress through different stages of life, their priorities, concerns, and aspirations evolve, and a thoughtful awareness and understanding of risk management becomes increasingly important."
Ms Tse said, " The survey results help us further understand young people's preferences, consumption patterns, habits and protection awareness, and enable us to enhance our product design and marketing strategy. For example, we will introduce more flash sales and collaborate with travel platforms. We will tailor our offerings to the needs and pain points of the new generation, providing better value for money, and creating 'Just Right' protection for them."
Blue Cross business data reflects a growing base of younger customers, with a 108% increase in policyholders aged 18 to 29 and a 164% increase in the number of policies. Moreover, the number of policyholders and policies for the age group 18 to 22 jumped 150% and 191% respectively.
Blue Cross conducted a The survey was conducted during December 2024 and January 2025 and a total of 823 Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above were interviewed to understand the travel preferences, habits and protection awareness of young people.