APAC Travel Trends and the Digital Transformation in Hospitality

From Recovery to Innovation: Asia Pacific’s Travel Trends and the Digital Transformation in Hospitality

In 2024, the Asia Pacific travel industry is experiencing a significant recovery, with tourism figures drawing close to pre-pandemic levels, as reported by Reuters and TTG Asia. The region is positioned as the primary engine for travel growth, with a Skift report projecting a robust 20% increase in travel revenue over the previous year, significantly outstripping Europe’s modest 5% gain. Destinations within the region are strategically emphasizing sustainable tourism and high-quality experiences to effectively manage the surge in travel demand. As the year progresses, the tourism landscape exhibits a blend of cautious optimism and a clear evolution in traveler behavior, signaling a nuanced and promising outlook for the Asia-Pacific travel sector.

2024 Asia-Pacific Regional Performance and Trend:

• Across Asia-Pacific, RevPAR grew about 40 per cent year-on-year, with the whole region outperforming 2019 by 10 per cent.
• Leisure demand drives occupancy, with sustained corporate and group travel increases.
• Tokyo, Bali, and Shanghai are top performing destinations.
• Anticipation of increased travel demand due to Asian travelers’ interest in cultural and ancestral heritage. In Southeast Asia, countries like Malaysia and Thailand are among the top destinations that are benefiting from this trend.
• Travelers in Southeast Asia are increasingly seeking luxury and distinctive travel options, gravitating towards upscale cruises, train holidays, and eco-friendly diving excursions
• Economic factors and travel costs have led to a preference for domestic travel over outbound travel in some Southeast Asian countries, such as Japan. Additionally, there is a trend of substituting domestic travel for outbound travel, particularly notable in markets like Japan and within Southeast Asia itself.

2024 Outbound Outlook for Asia-Pacific:

• Generally positive trends expected for 2024.
• Top source markets: China, Hong Kong, and India.
• China’s reopening has sparked a recovery in international travel, with expectations of an 80% surge in outbound travel in 2024 and further growth in 2025, signaling a full recovery in the Asia-Pacific travel volumes by 2025.
• India’s travel industry is booming, with projections to become the third-largest domestic and fifth-largest outbound travel market by 2027. Indian cities are becoming major contributors to regional tourism growth, with enhanced flight connectivity fueling the trend.
• Outbound travel lagging pre-pandemic levels by 16%.
• Airfares to Asia are notably more expensive, now 45% higher than in 2019. However, this has not deterred the increase in airline seat capacity from China, which has seen a dramatic 497% increase year-over-year, signaling a positive forecast for Chinese outbound tourism.

2024 Destination Strategies and Forecasts:

• Destinations focus on cultural tourism and managing over tourism for sustainability.
• Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, China, and Malaysia are ramping up their capacity and attractiveness for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE). The race to become Asia’s premier MICE destination is highly competitive, with various locations and key industrystakeholders joining forces to offer an exceptional MICE experience that caters to the needs of business travelers.
• Emerging trends include more bookings in advance, especially for cruises and luxury travel, while keeping an eye on rising airfares and cautious spending due to economic uncertainties.

2024 Lunar New Year Performance:

• Travel bookings surge to destinations like Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, with increases of more than 30% compared to 2019. This surge also included increased Chinese tourist arrivals to Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, and South Korea.
• Chinese tourists are increasingly opting for independent travel over group tours, preferring personalized experiences. Theirs is an increase in car rentals and bookings for scenic experiences abroad, indicating a preference for more personalized and experience-based trips.
• The casinos and hotels thrive in Macau and hotel occupancy across the region have significantly benefited from the influx of Chinese tourists.

Adapting to Dynamic Booking Patterns for Hoteliers:

In 2024, Asia-Pacific hoteliers navigating the rebounding travel market can benefit from integrated distribution and revenue management solutions like DerbySoft’s Property Connector and Revenue Management System. As tourism approaches pre-pandemic activity, these tools are useful for adapting to the latest booking trends and varied traveler demands. Here are some key advantages:

1. Real-Time Dynamic Pricing: Adjust prices in real-time based on current demand from various market segments, including leisure, corporate, and groups, ensuring rates are competitive and aligned with market trends.
2. Predictive Market Analysis: Utilize predictive analytics to anticipate shifts in hotel demand, enabling proactive pricing strategies for advance bookings.
3. Segmentation and Personalization: Create segmented pricing, packages and channel distribution strategies to cater to the diverse needs of travelers, from those seeking cultural trip to high-end and unique experiences.
4. Distribution Optimization: Ensure rates and availability are synchronized across all channels, enhancing visibility and booking potential, especially for domestic and regional travelers.
5. Agile Response to Market Conditions: Quickly adapt pricing strategies in response to economic uncertainties, competitor actions, and ensuring offerings remain attractive and profitable.

In conclusion, the travel industry in Asia Pacific is on a promising rebound in 2024. Hoteliers eager to capitalize on this upswing can leverage DerbySoft’s advanced technology solutions to enhance their market reach, optimize booking processes, and customize offerings, ensuring they are well-equipped to succeed in a dynamic market.

About DerbySoft

At DerbySoft, we are dedicated to Enabling Hospitality Commerce. Our mission is to converge the diverse elements of hospitality, creating a unified and efficient ecosystem of connectivity services, high-performing AI-driven marketing services, and an end-to-end content platform. Our world-class services are designed to deliver seamless, frictionless commerce, accelerating the pace at which hotels can connect, grow, and optimize profit.

Operating as a Travel Commerce Accelerator, we consistently push the boundaries of

innovation to unlock new opportunities. Our team of hospitality industry veterans is passionate about uniting people and technology and committed to enhancing every aspect of hospitality, making it more accessible, efficient, and enjoyable for all. Our approach is centered on making hospitality better – not just for today, but for years to come.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA, DerbySoft’s cutting-edge technology is trusted by the

World’s leading hotel companies in 197 countries. To learn more, visit DerbySoft.com.