Top Asian Travel Trends: Visa-Free Destinations and Boutique Hotels Leading the Way

SENTOSA, Singapore — Recent travel trends indicate that many Asian travelers are focusing their itineraries around boutique hotels, located in visa-free destinations, as reported by various marketing and booking platforms.

These travel trends were a key topic at the TravMedia Summit Asia 2024, which took place on Sentosa Island in Singapore. The discussion was led by Aditi Sawhney, Senior Vice President for Insights, Analytics, Consulting & Innovation at Mastercard.

Panelists included Divika Jethmal, Head of Marketing for Carma in Asia, Edmund Ong, General Manager of Trip.com Singapore, and Ching Yee Wong, Vice President of APEC Communications at Marriott International.

All three panelists concurred that travel demand in the Asia-Pacific region is on the path to recovery, although it remains below the global average. Only Japan and Vietnam have achieved inbound arrival levels, that match the pre-pandemic period.

Wong emphasized that travel has indeed returned, citing the robust performance of the region in the second quarter of 2024. Ong further noted that countries providing visa-free travel have played a significant role in revitalizing their tourism industries.

The prevailing view on current travel trends indicates that travelers are inclined to journey, if they perceive a destination as offering good value for money. Additionally, there is a willingness to extend trips by an extra day, with a growing interest in traveling for experiences such as concerts or sporting events.

Jethmal shared insights from Carma, a media intelligence service, revealing that current travel trends indicate a growing preference for boutique hotels, luxury experiences, bleisure (business and leisure) travel, solo adventures, and personalized trips.

Emerging Travel Trends: Silent Retreats and Inter-City Train Journeys

Among the emerging trends are silent retreats, off-season travel, and inter-city train journeys.

Ong highlighted that the top Asian destinations for the latter half of the year, according to Trip.com accommodations, include Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.

Additionally, a recent study by Carma indicated that the Philippines has experienced a significant amount of social media chatter since mid-September, alongside Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia. Similar patterns were observed in Google search data.

1. Some unexpected predictions suggest that India will emerge as an even larger market for tourist arrivals compared to 2019 figures, while Australia is set to surpass Japan as the leading destination for Asian travelers by 2025.

The panel acknowledged that experiences can significantly influence tourism, as demonstrated by Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour concert in Singapore earlier this year.

During the concert, the highest number of arrivals in Singapore came from the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand, leading to a notable surge in bookings for mid-tier hotels.

The Future of Travel: Hyper-Personalized Experiences and Local Engagement

Wong anticipates that in the next five years, hyper-personalized experiences that engage with local communities will become a significant trend, emphasizing that “artificial intelligence can’t replicate the human touch.”

To support her argument, Wong mentioned that 71% of hotel executives believe enhancing personalization is essential for effective business strategy.

Jethmal highlighted that younger travelers are active on social media, making it a key platform for identifying travel trends.

Additionally, a report from travel company Skift indicated that the Asia-Pacific region is on the rebound, with a full recovery from China still awaited.

Skift’s Asia Editor, Peden Bhutia, noted that 27% of solo travelers fall within the 55 to 65 age range, a demographic that brands should consider since they tend to travel more often.

She also pointed out that younger travelers, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are increasingly utilizing artificial intelligence for planning their travel destinations.