Digital travel platform Agoda reports that Asia's diverse and regular stream of public holidays is proving to be a boost to the Asia Pacific (APAC) travel industry as Asian tourists look to maximize their leisure time.
Per the platform’s latest report, Asian travelers looking to travel long weekends are largely opting to stay in the APAC region, highlighting an opportunity for hoteliers to capture rising demand for more frequent, short stays.
Senior vice-president for supply Andrew Smith opined that 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 said: "Hotels should ensure they are using 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. For example, catering for visitors with large families by ensuring they are able to access larger and joined rooms for family travel."
Long weekends are for travelling
Agoda saw an 80 percent month-on-month increase in accommodation searches from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore ahead of the Eid long weekend.
Destinations of choice for the period were Japan, Thailand, China, South Korea and Taiwan.
There was a similar trend during the Songkran long weekend in Thailand, with Hong Kong, Osaka, Shanghai and Seoul proving to be top choices.
The recent long weekend in Vietnam, which covered Liberation Day and Labour Day, saw Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul being the most searched destinations.
How can hotels make the most out of long weekends?
By proactively offering packages that cater to long weekend stays and micro-vacations, hotels can capitalize on these trends.
Among the strategies proposed by Agoda are:
- Focus on Content Marketing: Publish blog posts or guides about "Top Things to Do in [Your City] Over the Long Weekend." Highlight local events, hidden gems, and places that are within easy reach. Use SEO best practices to ensure content ranks for relevant long weekend searches.
- Launch long Weekend and "maxi-break" packages: Partner with travel platforms like Agoda and loyalty platforms to promote extended stay offers such as "Stay 4 Nights, Pay for 3". This aligns with the growing trend of consumers turning public holidays into mini vacations.
- Push Ancillary items that help guests maximize shorter trips: Include value-adds like late check-out, complimentary breakfast, or tickets to local attractions.
- Design wellness and immersive local packages - With Asia's wellness tourism market projected to hit US$156.85 billion this year, hoteliers can attract high-value guests by offering digital detox retreats, spa-and-stay bundles, and locally sourced culinary experiences that can be enjoyed over a three day stay.
