Asia’s regular stream of public holidays is supporting steady growth in the Asia-Pacific travel industry, as travellers across the region look to maximise their leisure time. According to Agoda, long weekends are driving a rise in short-stay travel within the region, offering hoteliers a chance to capture increasing demand.
Agoda recorded an 80% month-on-month increase in accommodation searches from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore ahead of the Hari Raya long weekend. Top destinations included Japan, Thailand, China, South Korea and Taiwan.
A similar pattern was observed during Thailand’s Songkran long weekend, with Hong Kong, Osaka, Shanghai and Seoul among the most searched cities. During Vietnam’s recent Liberation Day and Labour Day long weekend, Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul ranked highest in search volume.
Several long weekends remain across Asia-Pacific in 2025, offering ongoing travel opportunities in countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Notable holidays include Deepavali in Malaysia on October 20, the Philippines’ National Heroes Day on August 25, Singapore’s Mid-Autumn Festival on October 6, and multiple significant dates in Thailand such as Queen Suthida’s Birthday in early June and King Vajiralongkorn’s Birthday in late July. These holidays present prime occasions for travellers to take short breaks and for hotels to capture increased demand.
Hotels can tap into rising demand for long weekend and short-stay travel by creating targeted packages that appeal to regional travellers. By aligning offers with public holiday periods and consumer preferences, properties can increase bookings and drive revenue.
Effective strategies include content marketing that highlights local attractions for weekend visitors, launching extended stay deals in partnership with travel platforms, and offering extras like late check-out or attraction tickets. With wellness travel on the rise, hotels can also attract premium guests through curated experiences such as spa retreats and local culinary packages designed for quick getaways.
“The opportunity for hotels and airlines to secure bookings and incentivise travellers to extend their trips and add ancillary items to boost revenue over long weekends has never been greater,” said Andrew Smith, senior vice president of supply, Agoda.
“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.”
