The Asia-Pacific region is expected to play a major role in this year's tourism growth. The Skift platform predicts that tourism revenue in the region will increase by 20% in 2024 compared to the previous year, due to the expected significant increase in Chinese outbound tourism.
The top travel trends in Asia in 2024, and possibly beyond, will be shaped by a few key factors:
The Rise of Chinese Tourism
China leads the Asia- Pacific region in outbound tourism, and many other destinations rely on Chinese visitors, such as Hong Kong and Thailand. Despite expectations last year, outbound tourism from China did not recover quickly after borders reopened. However, a significant recovery is expected from the Chinese outbound market, which is expected to grow by 80% in 2024 and 46% in 2025.
Tourism booms in India and other hotspots
Indian tourism has been growing strongly and the country is forecast to become the world's third largest domestic and outbound tourism market by 2027. The number of Indian tourists to Vietnam has increased sharply, making India one of the top 10 sources of international (inbound) visitors to Vietnam.
Tourism is also booming in many places in Asia-Pacific, with destinations such as Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Osaka... forecast to be the most popular tourist destinations by 2024.
Airfares increase, tourism demand increases
According to Skift, the average ticket price for flights to Asia has increased by 45% compared to 2019, suggesting that travelers will likely pay more for travel to Asia in 2024.
Against this backdrop, Asia Pacific is seeing a surge in demand for holiday rentals. According to Trip101, a travel consultancy, data from 16 Asian countries shows that the number of holiday rental bookings has increased by 84% from 2022 to 2023.
When it comes to their preferred activities during their trips, Asian travelers are more interested in experiences. According to MMGY Travel Intelligence’s Portrait of Asian International Travelers 2023 study, about 77% of respondents said they want to invest more in their trips to gain new and unique experiences.
Visa exemption and destination competition
Visa-free tourism products are thriving in the region, with Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore all waiving visa requirements for Chinese tourists. These moves have paid dividends for the three Southeast Asian destinations, with both the number and spending of Chinese tourists exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels during the recent Lunar New Year holiday. Many Asian destinations have also used visa simplification for Indian visitors as a “tool” to attract visitors and gain an edge in destination competition.
Even China is keen to attract inbound tourists, removing visa requirements for tourists from some countries. From March 2024, the Chinese government will test visa-free entry for citizens of Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg. By the end of 2023, China will have implemented visa-free entry for five other European countries. Many other Asian and African countries are also included in China's visa-free entry policy on a bilateral or unilateral basis.
According to vov.vn
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