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Recovery in Asia Pacific for travel’s third-largest sector – tours, activities and attractions – is now well underway, with consumers putting experiences first in their travel planning and spending.
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Travel experiences in Asia Pacific have returned to rapid growth as the region reopens to regional and long-haul travel, finds new research from Arival, released ahead of its Arival Activate event in Bangkok. Tours, activities and attractions – travel’s third-largest and fastest growing sector – will reach US$67 billion in 2024 and surpass the pre-pandemic peak to reach $75 billion in 2025, according to its The Outlook for Experiences 2019-2025 research.
“The Asia Pacific region has borne the worst of the pandemic, with a broad regional shutdown in cross-border travel well beyond other parts of the world,” said Arival CEO Douglas Quinby. “But demand for travel in the region is now accelerating as many borders have reopened, encouraging travelers to return. As we saw when other regions reopened, travelers put experiences first in travel planning and spend. The challenge now will be for the global industry to get ready for the rapid influx of demand from across Asia Pacific.”
Online bookings will surpass 30% of all tours, activities and attractions booking worldwide in 2025, up from 17% in 2019, according to Arival research. However, online booking volume across Asia Pacific will more than triple during the same period as younger travelers shape travel’s rebound. Online marketplaces and mobile-ready operators across the region will be best positioned to benefit.
“The large, experience-hungry cohort of Gen-Z and millennial travelers in Asia are putting experiences first and they are willing to pay for it,” said Arival’s Quinby. “But operators must be ready. This means more small-group, immersive experiences that get travelers off the beaten. And it must all be discoverable and bookable on mobile, with plenty of Instagram- and TikTok-worthy moments.”
The Arival Activate event takes place in Bangkok from June 12-14, and is expected to bring together hundreds of tours, activities and experiences professionals from across the region.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
