Fewer Trips, Bigger Journeys: How Thais Are Traveling in 2026

Traveloka’s latest travel insights reveal established favorites, emerging city breaks, and a growing appetite for longer, higher-value trips

Traveloka’s new SEA Index reveals longer stays, higher spending and rising interest in destinations beyond the usual favorites — trends that could also signal new opportunities for hotels, restaurants and tourism businesses. Thai travelers are becoming more selective about where they go, but once a destination makes the cut, they are prepared to stay longer and spend more.

That is one of the clearest takeaways from the first Traveloka SEA Index, a quarterly travel intelligence report drawing on the platform’s search, research and booking data across Southeast Asia. Its Q2 2026 findings point toward a “quality over quantity” approach among Thai travelers, with higher-value international trips growing alongside continued demand for domestic destinations.

For travelers, the data offers clues about destinations that may be about to have their moment. For hospitality and tourism businesses, it provides an early look at where demand is moving — and the types of experiences travelers may increasingly be willing to pay for.

Thipaporn Daungmak, Country Manager, Thailand and Singapore, Traveloka

“Thai travelers are being more deliberate about each journey — staying longer, and investing more once they’ve chosen it,” says Thipaporn Daungmak, Country Manager, Thailand and Singapore, Traveloka.

Seoul and Tokyo Still Lead the Way

East Asia continues to dominate Thai outbound travel, with Seoul and Tokyo firmly established as two of the biggest draws.

Seoul leads Traveloka’s Thailand momentum table with the highest Demand Score of 100. Bookings increased by two-thirds year-on-year, while average stays have extended to 3.5 nights. More significantly for the hospitality industry, Thai travelers are spending nearly five times the average trip amount when visiting the South Korean capital.

Tokyo follows closely with a Demand Score of 96. It remains the biggest international destination for Thai travelers and commands an even larger travel budget, with spending reaching 6.7 times the typical trip allocation.

The figures suggest that established destinations still have considerable room to grow, particularly at the higher-value end of the market. Longer stays potentially translate into more opportunities for hotels, restaurants, attractions and experience providers to capture spending beyond transportation and accommodation.

Taipei Could Be the Next Big Thing

One destination hospitality businesses may want to keep an eye on is Taipei.

Searches from Thailand increased 39% quarter-on-quarter, making the Taiwanese capital one of the strongest emerging outbound destinations in the Index. Average spending for a Taipei trip is already 2.6 times higher than that of a typical trip.

Taipei's momentum is not limited to Thailand. It is one of only four destinations — alongside Osaka, Seoul and Shanghai — to outperform the market average across all five Southeast Asian origin markets analyzed by Traveloka.

The data suggests many Thai travelers are still researching rather than booking Taipei. That makes the increase particularly interesting: search behavior can provide an early indication of where future travel demand may be heading. For travelers considering getting there before everyone else does, this may be a good time to put Taipei on the shortlist.

China’s Secondary Cities Are Having a Moment

Some of the most dramatic growth is happening away from China's traditional tourism heavyweights.

Chengdu, Shenzhen, Kunming and Chongqing occupy four of the top five positions in Traveloka's regional “Breakout” ranking, which identifies destinations growing faster than the overall market across multiple Southeast Asian countries.

Compared with Q2 2025, the four Chinese cities are expanding at between 2.6 and 3.9 times the market pace. Each offers a very different proposition. Chengdu brings Sichuan food culture and giant pandas; Shenzhen offers contemporary urban life and access to the Greater Bay Area; Kunming has its milder climate; and Chongqing combines dramatic topography with a distinctive skyline and energetic city scene.

The rise comes alongside easier travel conditions, including the mutual visa-free arrangement between Thailand and China and China's visa-waiver extension through the end of 2026.

For tourism operators, the trend points toward growing appetite for second-city travel. Familiar destinations still matter, but travelers are increasingly prepared to venture beyond established gateways when access becomes easier and the experience feels distinctive.

Qingdao Is the Wildcard to Watch

Then there is Qingdao.

Thai bookings to the coastal Chinese city jumped 38-fold year-on-year, making it one of the most unexpected findings in the Q2 Index. Across Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam combined, bookings increased nine-fold.

Better connectivity is helping. Qingdao now has 92 weekly round-trip flights connecting it with Southeast Asia, while Bangkok frequencies have doubled to 14 flights per week.

For travelers, Qingdao offers an unusual combination for a Chinese city break: a German-era old town, beaches, a famous brewing heritage and a coastal atmosphere quite different from megacities such as Shanghai or Beijing.

For hotels, airlines, tour operators and destination marketers, its rapid rise is also a reminder of how quickly demand can shift when improved air connectivity meets a destination with a compelling identity.

Sapporo and the Rise of the “Coolcation”

Japan remains firmly in the picture, but interest is expanding beyond Tokyo and Osaka.

Sapporo is the only non-Chinese destination among Traveloka's top five regional breakout cities, growing at 2.4 times the market pace.

Part of its appeal is tied to the rise of the “coolcation,” as Southeast Asian travelers look toward destinations offering relief from tropical temperatures.

That preference could become increasingly relevant to tourism businesses when positioning seasonal packages. Weather itself can become part of the experience, whether that means Hokkaido in summer, mountain destinations or other places where travelers can trade heat and humidity for cooler days outdoors.

[PHOTO: pexels-keeper-17572247]

Domestic Travel Is Moving Beyond the Familiar Circuit

Thai travelers are not abandoning destinations closer to home. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and Phuket remain Thailand's most-booked domestic destinations, but some of the more interesting growth is happening elsewhere.

Nakhon Phanom recorded the highest domestic Demand Score at 92. The Mekong-side destination joins Sakon Nakhon, Trang and Surat Thani among places outperforming the wider domestic flight market.

Pattaya, meanwhile, recorded a Demand Score of 80 and is gaining momentum quarter-on-quarter, driven in part by attractions and family travel.

These shifts present opportunities for regional hospitality businesses. Travelers looking beyond Thailand's established circuit need compelling reasons to stay longer, from locally rooted hotels and restaurants to wellness, cultural, family and community-based experiences.

Solo Travel Is Another Market Worth Watching

The Index also identifies another characteristic that sets Thailand apart: Thai travelers are the most likely to travel solo among the Southeast Asian markets studied.

That matters beyond room occupancy.

Solo travelers have different needs throughout the hospitality journey, potentially creating opportunities for more flexible room products, communal spaces, counter dining, smaller tasting menus, group activities and experiences designed to be comfortable for one person rather than assuming every guest arrives as a couple or family.

For travelers themselves, the trend could also encourage destinations and hospitality businesses to make solo travel easier and more socially accessible.

What “Quality Over Quantity” Means for Hospitality

The bigger story behind the numbers is not simply where Thai travelers are going. It is how they are choosing to travel.

Longer stays and higher spending suggest that value does not necessarily mean finding the lowest price. Increasingly, it can mean deciding that a trip is worth taking — and then investing more in making it memorable.

That creates an important opportunity for hospitality businesses. Instead of competing solely on rates, hotels and resorts can build packages around longer stays and richer experiences. Restaurants can become part of a destination's cultural appeal. Tour operators can turn lesser-known neighborhoods and local traditions into reasons to extend a trip.

The rapid growth of places such as Taipei and Qingdao also demonstrates the value of watching search behavior before a destination becomes mainstream. For businesses, understanding what travelers are researching today could help shape the experiences, partnerships and marketing campaigns they will be booking tomorrow.

And for travelers wondering where to go next, the same data offers a useful hint: Seoul and Tokyo may remain favorites, but the travel map is getting considerably wider.

[PHOTO: Courtesy of Traveloka]