Travel across South-east Asia is expected to continue to rise, with 96 per cent of travellers from the region planning a trip within the region in the next 12 months. According to Hilton’s South East Asia Pulse Check, the next phase of growth will be driven not just by greater travel frequency, but by travellers’ willingness to spend more on trips that feel worth their time and budget.
Nearly six in 10 travellers from the region (59%) plan to increase their spending on South East Asia trips, making it the strongest growth signal in the survey. By comparison, 50% plan to visit more destinations per trip, 43% expect to take more trips, and 41% anticipate longer stays. Taken together, these findings suggest that the next wave of travel growth will be driven not just by more frequent travel but also a desire to make each journey more meaningful.
Growth signals are driven by different motivations across the region. While Vietnam-based travellers are most likely to travel more frequently (55%) and visit more destinations per trip (60%), Thailand (69%) and Indonesia (68%) show the strongest spending signals, with around two-thirds of travellers in these markets expecting to spend more per trip.
Meanwhile, Philippines-based travellers are most likely to take longer trips (51%), signalling a preference for deeper, more immersive travel experiences.
Youthful catalysts
Across South-east Asia, younger travellers – Gen Z and Millennials – are poised to drive travel growth in distinct ways. Fifty-four per cent of Gen Z travellers plan to travel more frequently, visit more destinations per trip (58%), and take longer trips (47%), while 63% of Millennials intend to increase their travel spending per trip.
On the other hand, older travelers plan to maintain their travels, with Gen X and Baby Boomers indicating that they plan to maintain their travel frequency (59% and 66%), trip length (60% each), and number of destinations visited per trip (50% and 62%).
In particular, Vietnam leads the region in younger travellers’ appetite for exploration, with around six in 10 Gen Z and Millennials located in the country planning to travel more frequently (61% and 59%), while nearly two-thirds expect to visit more destinations per trip (65% and 64%).
Meanwhile, Thailand-based Gen Z travellers stand out for spending intent, with 73% planning to spend more per trip; whereas younger travellers based in the Philippines look to take longer trips, with 56% of Gen Z and 58% of Millennials planning to extend their stays.
Value drivers
Even as travel budgets rise, travellers from the region remain discerning about where they spend. Value for money (51%) is the top consideration when choosing a destination in the region, followed closely by food and culinary experiences (47%), showing that travellers seek memorable local experiences without compromising on value.
Even though these priorities resonate across other surveyed markets, food and culinary experiences (49%) take precedence over value for money (36%) for Vietnam-based travellers.
Travellers from South-east Asia also seek experiences that reflect what matters to them, with respondents in Indonesia preferring nature and outdoor adventures (35%); in Malaysia, beach escapes (32%); in Thailand, wellness (35%); and in Vietnam, family-friendly destinations (32%).
Accessibility and convenience also play a bigger role in some markets. In the Philippines, 40% of travellers consider visa-free access an important factor when choosing a destination, while in Singapore, 36% prioritise short travel times, highlighting a stronger preference for destinations that are easy to reach.
Familiarity is fine
Travellers from South-east Asia are also balancing a desire for discovery with the pull of familiar favourites, seeking out new destinations while continuing to return to places they know and love. More than half (54%) typically visit multiple cities or areas within a country on a single trip, reflecting a strong appetite to experience more destinations in one journey.
They are also not leaving familiar favourites behind. Nearly half (46%) prefer a mix of revisiting destinations while exploring somewhere new, compared to 43% who plan to focus primarily on new destinations and just 11% who intend to revisit mainly familiar places.
This appetite for exploration is particularly strong in the Philippines and Indonesia. Philippines- (70%) and Indonesia- (62%) based travellers are most likely to explore multiple cities or areas within a country on a single trip. Separately, they also show the greatest interest in exploring new destinations on future trips within the region (52% and 49% respectively).
The balance for discovery and familiarity is also reflected in the destinations travellers are choosing. Bangkok (41%), Singapore (38%), and Bali (34%) are the top three destinations that travellers from South-east Asia want to visit over the next 12 months, underscoring the enduring appeal of the region’s iconic destinations that continue to offer fresh experiences.
Beyond the region’s gateway cities, destinations such as Pattaya, Phu Quoc, and Penang also rank among the top 10 destinations of interest, pointing to traveller appetite for leisure hotspots beyond the most familiar urban centers.
Social media inspiration
Digital tools are now shaping every stage of the travel journey, from inspiration to itinerary building. Social media remains the stronger source of inspiration, with travellers from the region saying it influences where they travel (78% vs. 63% for AI) and the experiences and activities they choose during a trip (72% vs. 63%).
At the same time, AI is emerging as a meaningful planning companion, coming closest to social media when choosing accommodation (67% for social media vs. 61% for AI). This shift points to a more digitally assisted travel journey, where travellers are not only discovering destinations online, but increasingly looking for tools that help them translate inspiration into the right stay.
Reflecting this evolution, Hilton recently introduced the Hilton AI Planner, a generative AI-powered digital concierge on the group’s website that helps travellers explore Hilton’s global portfolio, compare properties and amenities, and receive curated recommendations through a conversational interface.
YouTube (75%) and TikTok (71%) are the region’s leading travel inspiration platforms, with TikTok dominating among Gen Z (84%). This suggests that even as travellers embrace AI to research and plan their trips, they continue to rely on visually rich content from creators, communities, and fellow travellers to inspire where they go and what they do.
Experience-led appeals
The Hilton study also point to a more expansive role for hotels in the travel experience. While value for money (67%) and location (59%) remain the top booking considerations, travellers from the region are also placing emphasis on quality dining (47%) and family-friendly amenities (45%). This suggests that accommodation is increasingly expected to contribute to the trip itself – through food, ease, comfort, and experience, rather than simply providing a place to sleep. For families and groups, this includes practical innovations such as confirmed connecting rooms by Hilton, which allows guests to book and instantly confirm connecting or adjoining rooms, giving them added peace of mind that their party can stay close together.
