Travellers Turn To eSIMs, AI For Trips - Holafly Survey

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Nearly three in 10 international travellers now use eSIMs, digital SIM cards, as their main way of getting mobile data abroad, up from 17 per cent in 2025, according to a survey by eSIM provider Holafly.

The second edition of Holafly’s Global eSIM & Travel Report 2026–2027, based on a survey of 5,220 international travellers in 13 countries, also found that 44 per cent frequently use artificial intelligence to plan their trips, up 13 percentage points from a year earlier.

“A few years ago, managing almost everything from your phone felt like a convenience; today, we simply expect it to work, wherever we are,” said Holafly Head of Strategy, Alfonso Mata in a statement.

The report found that demand for international travel remains strong, with 49 per cent of respondents travelling more frequently than they did two years ago and 75 per cent expecting to take at least two international trips in 2027, up from 67 per cent a year earlier.

Solo travel is also rising, with 24 per cent of respondents travelling alone, up from 20 per cent a year earlier.

The report also covers business travel and how technology and sustainability are influencing travellers’ decisions.

-- BERNAMA