Agoda has unveiled its 2025 Travel Trends report, highlighting the key factors set to shape the travel landscape in Asia in the coming year. The survey reveals a strong focus on relaxation, family-oriented trips, and the discovery of new destinations as primary motivations for travellers.
Conducted in October, Agoda surveyed 1,081 respondents from 11 markets – Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
The findings reveal that travellers are prioritising quality time with loved ones and seeking a break from daily routines. The survey also highlights a growing interest in exploring new destinations, with theme parks standing out as a popular choice – one in eight respondents plans to visit a theme park on their next trip.
Here are seven key insights from the survey.
1. Travelling with family tops the list
For many travellers, family time equals quality time. More than a third of travellers (34%) plan to travel with family in 2025. Indonesians are the most fervent family travellers of all, with no less than 58% expecting to go on a multi-generational trip with loved ones. Indians follow closely with 30% opting for family trips. This trend is followed by couples (23%), and solo travellers (19%) in terms of most popular travel groupings across Asian travellers.
2. Relaxation is the top travel motivation
Relaxation is the top travel motivation for many, with 75% of survey respondents citing it as their primary reason for traveling. The desire to escape the daily grind is the leading motivation across regions, followed by visiting family and friends (38%) and cultural exploration (35%).
3. Tech assisting in travel planning
Technology is increasingly shaping travel plans, with 80% of travellers planning to use travel apps and 12% expressing interest in virtual reality tours. While tech-savvy travellers globally are embracing these tools, a notable percentage, particularly in India, report high usage of travel apps for booking trips.
4. Journey more, spend smart
Budget remains a key factor in travel planning, with 65% of travellers intending to spend less than US$250 per night on accommodation. While budget considerations are particularly important for Indian travellers, 87% of travellers globally expect to take the same number or more trips in 2024, with more than half (52%) planning international journeys.
5. Travelling on and off the clock
In addition to traditional business trips, which 28% of respondents expect to take, the survey highlights the rise of digital nomads – borderless workers who work remotely. One in 25 respondents plans to work remotely in 2025, with a focus on combining work and leisure as more companies adopt flexible work arrangements. In the region, the Philippines leads, with one in 14 travellers expecting to work while travelling.
6. Many ways to discover new destinations
More travellers (84%) expect to visit new destinations in 2025, with travel inspiration coming from a variety of sources, including personal interests and hobbies (71%), great value deals (56%), and recommendations from friends and family (33%). Social media also plays a role, with 20% of travellers drawing inspiration from online platforms. Loyalty programmes and value deals are becoming increasingly important when planning trips, reflecting the growing partnerships between banks, credit card companies, and travel platforms to offer better deals.
7. Theme parks are a reason to travel
Asia’s theme parks, including Disneyland in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, Lotte World in Seoul, Universal Studios in Osaka and Singapore, and Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, are major year-round tourism draws. Over one in eight travellers (13%) expect to travel specifically to visit a theme park in 2025. The UAE and Singapore are among the most popular destinations for those seeking thrilling theme park experiences, with many travellers planning trips centred around attractions like rollercoasters and amusement rides.
