Agoda's latest report details how a recent spate of long weekend holidays is fuelling travel within the Asia Pacific.
Recent findings show a month on month surge of around 80 percent in searches for hotel bookings from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.
These were in anticipation of long weekends caused by major holidays falling on a Friday or Monday.
Where are Asians heading on those three-day weekends?
Agoda said top destinations for long weekends include Japan, Thailand, China, South Korea, and Taiwan.
The popularity of these regional destinations is proof of a growing appetite for short-haul escapes.
At the same time, it presents a timely opportunity for hoteliers to capture demand and grow revenue through tailored offerings.
Relevant recommendations
To help hoteliers maximize this trend, Agoda recommends the following measures:
- Content marketing: Publish SEO-optimized guides like “Top Things to Do in Your City Over a Long Weekend.”
- Long weekend packages: Launch “Stay 4, Pay 3” offers or mini-break bundles via Agoda and loyalty partners.
- Upsell ancillary services: Add late check-out, breakfast, or attraction tickets to help guests get more from shorter stays.
- Tap into wellness tourism: Offer digital detox retreats, spa-and-stay packages, and immersive local experiences that align with Asia’s US$156.85 billion wellness tourism boom.
As Agoda senior vice-president of supply Andrew Smith puts it: "The opportunity for hotels and airlines to secure bookings and incentivize travelers to extend their trips and add ancillary items to boost revenue over long weekends has never been greater."
Smith added that hotels ought to ensure that they use the right data to target the hottest consumers from across the Asia Pacific region and ensure that their service offerings are tailored to their regional tastes.
This would include catering for visitors with large families by ensuring they are able to access larger and joined rooms for family travel.
