Booming travel trends in Asia

In 2024, the Asian tourism market is expected to continue to boom with many new trends, including the rise of Chinese tourists and visa exemption policies.

Skift, a US-based travel market research company, predicts that the Asia-Pacific region will play a key role in the growth of global tourism this year. Tourism revenue in this region could increase by about 20% and many new trends will emerge.

One of the biggest changes is the rise of China , the number one source market in the Asia-Pacific region. Last year, despite high expectations, Chinese tourism did not recover well after the country opened up to tourism. However, Skift’s 2024 report shows that outbound trips by Chinese people will increase by 80% this year and by another 46% by 2025.

Related to China’s rise is the trend of visa-free tourism . Visa-free travel has a significant impact on tourism as it makes it easier for tourists to visit a country, reducing costs. Countries with liberal visa policies often see an increase in visitor numbers.

Tourists at the Grand Palace, Thailand in 2023. Photo: Reuters — Tourists at the Grand Palace, Thailand in 2023. Photo: *Reuters*

Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore have all exempted visas for Chinese tourists. All three Southeast Asian destinations saw positive signs during the recent Lunar New Year holiday, with Chinese arrivals and spending levels surpassing pre-Covid-19 levels.

Not only China, Southeast Asian countries are also interested in visa exemption for visitors from India. A report from Skift indicates that by 2027, India will become the world's third largest inbound tourism market and the world's fifth largest outbound tourism market.

This year, major events also affected Asian tourism, such as the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, India, or performances by world-famous artists in Singapore such as Coldplay and Taylor Swift.

Tourists in Asia-Pacific are ditching cash . Research from the multinational payment card corporation Visa shows that the number of cash-using tourists in the region has dropped by 60%. At the World Expo 2025 in Osaka next year, the organizers also set a cashless rule, accepting only payments via apps and cards. An estimated 28 million people will attend this 6-month fair.

Asian travelers are also changing their travel preferences, with 77% of those surveyed saying they want to “ invest more in experiences ” during their trips. Hotel Management magazine’s “Asian Traveler Profile” study also found that Asian travelers are investing more in their trips. About 69% of Asian travelers are willing to spend more when traveling internationally, especially those from India (79%) and China (76%).

Hoai Anh (According to Skift )

Source link