A massive spike in travel searches followed hot on the heels of the announcement of South Korean boy band BTS’s world tour destinations and dates, with Booking.com noting a 7,000 per cent increase in searches for Kaohsiung, Taiwan alone.
In this episode of TTG Conversations: Five Questions, Laura Houldsworth, managing director for Asia Pacific at Booking.com, details the impact big-name musicians, music festivals and regional acts have on travel and tourism, the factors needed for concerts to truly contribute significantly to the host destination, and what Booking.com has been doing with industry partners to stimulate fan travel.
Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, Malaysia is positioning itself to capture a surge in intra-regional travel, with industry leaders seeing an opportunity to draw visitors from within Asia.
At the policy level, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry is recalibrating its strategy for Visit Malaysia 2026 to focus more on markets less affected by Middle East airspace disruptions, such as Asia and South-east Asia, while alternative transit options that bypass the Middle East are also being explored, said the ministry’s deputy secretary-general, Chua Choon Hwa.
Malaysia steps up regional marketing and rerouting strategies to capture travel demand shifting away from the Middle East
He added that the ministry is reviewing its approach to attracting European travellers who typically transit through the Middle East. Efforts are underway to identify alternative routing options, including the use of selected airlines that allow travellers to bypass Middle Eastern transit points.
Nigel Wong, president of the Malaysia Association of Tour and Travel Agents, said the association is stepping up efforts to promote Malaysia across key source markets including South-east Asia, China and India. Initiatives include expanded sales missions, participation in trade shows and industry events, as well as direct engagement with overseas counterparts.
Early shifts in travel patterns are already emerging, as the war in the Middle East has prompted travellers to reconsider itineraries involving the region, opting instead for destinations perceived as safer.
Arokia Das Anthony, executive director of The Essence of Asia Tours & Travel, said that two Indian groups originally planning holidays in Dubai this month have redirected their trips to Malaysia.
He added that six more leisure groups from India are confirmed to visit Malaysia between April and June, all of whom had initially intended to travel to the UAE.
He said: “Malaysia is attractive because of its value for money proposition, easy availability of Indian food and strong direct air connectivity, making it an easy switch for Indian travellers.
“We are running promotions with our Indian counterparts. While this means working with thinner margins, we are banking on higher volumes to drive overall returns.”
Thailand will host its first major Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) event in Phuket province from April 21 to 24, 2026. The tourism sector expects the conference to generate commercial benefits across the country.
“It is an event that will put Thailand on the map, announcing to the world that we are ready as a destination to welcome sustainable tourism,” said Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor, who has championed sustainable tourism, ‘value over volume’ and zero waste initiatives since taking office in 2023.
The GSTC 2026 gathering will be a critical business catalyst for sustainable tourism; photo by TAT
“GSTC is more than an event; it is a stage for peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and a platform for further development as a sustainable destination,” she added.
The national tourism body aims to register no fewer than 600 attendees. The event will also convene more than 50 global experts in sustainable tourism among its speakers.
Thapanee outlined the broader economic objectives tied to the summit.
“The event will also help us to focus on resilience and quick recovery, and foster the sustainable dispersion of tourism around the country, while facilitating business matching opportunities to propel local entrepreneurs towards collaboration with foreign partners. Phuket will be a flagship for sustainable tourism – a success that will resonate across Thailand,” she stated.
The summit sessions will take place at the Royal Phuket City Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town. Phuket governor Saransak Srikruaneth noted that the province is currently focusing on waste management as a prototype for the upcoming event.
Meanwhile, the GSTC mandates strong destination commitment prior to site selection. Randy Durband, GSTC’s CEO, detailed the criteria for securing the bid.
“First of all, in terms of selecting, we really want a sponsor and host for our conference – it’s not just about looking at the publicity of hosting our international organisation. We don’t want that. We want someone who has a destination that’s truly working towards sustainability,” Durband said.
“They don’t have to be perfect, but there’s a serious, strong effort to improve things, and mechanisms in place. We want to see strong evidence, not just that they’re very serious about improvement, both in the private and public sectors, but that they’re also encouraging and supporting the industry and the people. That’s crucial.”
He added that this year’s conference will also focus on hospitality. Durband highlighted the organisation’s relationships with Thai hotel groups as a key driver for the hospitality agenda.
BWH Hotels continues to expand its Asia-Pacific footprint across Japan, Australia, and Vietnam, following a series of signings held at Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit on March 25.
The proceedings began with the finalisation of an Area Development Agreement with DHP Hospitality Co., a partnership established to accelerate the brand’s growth across Japan’s primary urban and leisure destinations.
Leadership teams from BWH Hotels and DHP Hospitality Co come together to sign a landmark Area Development Agreement
As for Australia, the group marked a milestone with the signing of The Peninsula Riverside Perth. Joining the WorldHotels Distinctive collection, the property represents the brand’s entry into Western Australia. Simultaneously, the group strengthened its Queensland portfolio through a new agreement for the Best Western Hervey Bay Hotel and Suites, marking the third collaboration in 2025 between BWH Hotels and Seaforth Corp’s Linda and James Anastasiades.
The group’s expansion is further intensified in Vietnam with a triple-signing in Hoi An through a partnership with Fanae Group. This development will include the 105-key WorldHotels An Astoria Hoi An – the first WorldHotels Crafted Collection in the region – alongside the 310-room and 100-villa Best Western Premier An Ocean Wellness Hoi An, and 114-key Best Western Plus An Heritage Hoi An.
The signing ceremony concluded with the introduction of a major residential project in Ho Chi Minh City. Developed in partnership with Phat Dat Real Estate Development Corporation, the Lusso Saigon WorldHotels Residences will feature 1,136 residences, and is set to open in October 2026. Envisioned as a “vertical resort”, the project is designed to incorporate commercial, healthcare, and wellness facilities, including a sky pool, to meet the rising demand for premium branded living in Vietnam.
BWH Hotels’ president and CEO, Larry Cuculic, told TTG Asia that the Lusso Saigon WorldHotels Residences is “not just huge, but it’s magnificent in what it seeks to accomplish… it’s meant for people who want to stay there – a secondary home for vacation”.
This signing builds on a growing residential pipeline in Vietnam, including the Noble Crystal Tay Ho WorldHotels Residences in Hanoi – the brand’s 2024 Asia-Pacific debut – and the mid-2025 signing of Essensia Sky and Parkway Saigon WorldHotels Residences in Ho Chi Minh City. Both projects are currently under construction, with the Hanoi property slated for a January 2027 opening.
A severe fuel bottleneck across Thailand is disrupting tour bus operations and stalling forward bookings, prompting the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) to call for urgent government intervention.
Restricted fuel distribution means groups currently travelling face insufficient supply, particularly on overland routes. This inadequate supply, alongside volatile fuel prices, is severely hampering future sales planning for both travel agents and bus companies.
Fuel shortages across Thailand disrupt tour operations and raise concerns over travel demand ahead of the Songkran holiday period; photo by Oya.Oraya Tepa
“The first issue right now is that bus operators cannot calculate costs in advance, making forward booking and advance planning a major problem,” said Adith Chairattananon, honorary secretary-general of ATTA and owner of Golden Discovery Express.
For his own company’s group tours, Adith noted that operations are already taking defensive pricing measures to protect margins against operational uncertainties.
“We have to mark up the bus fare by 20 per cent in advance because we must communicate directly with the clients that fuel prices are fluctuating, and since we cannot be sure, we need to have a buffer,” Adith said.
He added that while group tours are not yet seeing outright cancellations, bookings are currently being postponed and left pending.
The crisis threatens to derail the upcoming Songkran travel period. Upcountry hotel bookings are slowing without clarity, as domestic travellers are hesitant to confirm plans over fears of empty petrol stations. Some locals are even carrying reserve fuel in their private vehicles to ensure they reach their destinations.
“If the government cannot solve the fuel shortage at petrol stations within the next week, Songkran will definitely be affected,” Adith said.
He noted that this festive travel period is a critical driver for injecting money into the rural economy. A disruption to this seasonal movement will negatively impact the broader economic base during the country’s primary holiday period.
International inbound markets are also reflecting the strain. Flight loads for the foreign market dropped from 60 per cent last week to between 35 and 40 per cent.
To counter the compounding pressures, the private sector is requesting a 15 billion baht (US$459.2 million) stimulus budget from the new government. The trade hopes this will be proposed to parliament as an urgent policy. Last year, the tourism sector generated 2.7 trillion baht, accounting for 13 per cent of GDP and employing four million people.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s worst-case scenario assesses that tourist arrivals could drop from 33 million to 27 million this year.
“A loss of six million tourists means we will lose up to 300 billion baht in the economy,” Adith said.
ATTA is convening this week for its annual general meeting to evaluate the geopolitical impact of the Gulf War on Thailand, featuring insights from geopolitics expert Surachart Bamrungsuk. The association intends to leverage this expertise to push for proactive mitigation measures rather than reactive policies.
“Thailand often waits for a crisis to happen before recovering and restoring, which is more costly than implementing pre-emptive mitigation measures,” Adith concluded.
Raffles Sentosa Singapore has opened Raffles Sentosa Spa, a wellness facility located within the resort’s grounds on Sentosa island.
Set within 100,000m² of landscaped greenery, the spa is housed in a restored heritage building that previously formed part of a British military barracks.
Raffles Sentosa Spa offers personalised wellness programmes, hydrotherapy facilities and dining within a restored heritage building on Sentosa island
The spa offers personalised programmes guided by a consultation process and structured around four areas: movement, nourishment, restorative wellness and connection. These form the basis of five treatment programmes focused on detox, relaxation, physical conditioning, longevity and holistic well-being.
Facilities include 12 treatment rooms, hydrotherapy areas, indoor and outdoor pools, a mud pool, steam room and fitness centre. The spa also features a hair and scalp care service using biotechnology-based treatments.
Dining is available at Le Jardin, which serves a menu based on plant- and protein-focused dishes using locally sourced ingredients.
Raffles Sentosa Spa also collaborates with wellness and skincare brands to support its treatment programmes.
Access is available through memberships, day passes and for resort guests. Memberships start from S$6,800 (US$5,000) per year, while day passes start from S$88.
Thailand’s tourism industry is adapting to challenging conditions ahead of the 2026 Songkran holiday.
Amid global volatility, flight disruptions and high travel costs, both the hospitality and aviation sectors are introducing discounts and increasing capacity to stimulate domestic and regional travel.
Hotels and airlines introduce discounts and additional capacity as Thailand prepares for lower demand during the Songkran holiday period; photo by Pixabay
According to a report by the Bangkok Post, hotel operators have slashed room rates by 20 to 40 per cent to attract guests during the upcoming Thai New Year. Three-star and lower-tier properties are leading the price cuts to retain local guests, while four- and five-star hotels are maintaining their prices.
This pricing strategy comes in response to a drop in European and Middle Eastern arrivals, largely driven by flight connection disruptions linked to geopolitical conflict in the Gulf.
Domestic travel has also been affected by local fuel shortages and rising pump prices, with Thai travellers unable to find fuel or hesitating to book long-distance road trips.
Paisarn Sukjarean, president of the Upper Northern Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, noted that forward bookings for the April Songkran holiday have fallen to 55-60 per cent from 60-70 per cent. In a normal year, the surge of Thai New Year travel pushes occupancy rates to 90 per cent; this year, the hotel sector is targeting around 70 per cent occupancy.
Paisarn added that Chiang Mai’s tourism outlook remains relatively stronger, supported by returning Chinese visitors and growing Asian markets. Chinese forward bookings for Songkran have increased by 10-20 per cent, while authorities are proceeding with a full 12-day Songkran festival.
To ease the financial burden on travellers and encourage domestic movement, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has intervened.
As reported by The Thaiger, CAAT is working with six major airlines to reduce domestic airfares by 15 per cent to 30 per cent on 11 popular routes, including flights from Bangkok to key destinations such as Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi and Samui.
Despite a global increase in aviation fuel costs, the initiative will see the addition of 191 flights and nearly 30,000 extra seats between April 10 and April 15.
Airlines are also increasing capacity, with Bangkok Airways adding two dozen extra flights to Samui, while Thai Airways is deploying wide-body aircraft to accommodate the festival period.
BWH Hotels is preparing for a brand transformation centred on a revamped loyalty programme designed to strip away industry complexities and appeal to a rising demographic of Emerging Explorers.
Joelle Park, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at BWH Hotels, unveiled the multi-year strategy to more than 150 hoteliers, owners and partners during the 2026 Pan Asia Pacific Regional Conference held at Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit on Monday morning, marking 2027 as the pivotal year for the group’s “new story”.
Joelle Park outlines a new loyalty strategy focused on simplicity and hyper-local experiences at the Pan Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Bangkok
The new loyalty programme is set for a soft introduction at the BWH Hotels International Convention in October 2026, followed by a full global launch in January 2027. Key features include three simple tiers – Bronze, Silver and Gold – alongside an unpublished, invitation-only tier for elite frequent travellers. To lower barriers to entry, Silver status will be achievable in as few as five nights. BWH will also ensure that earned points do not expire.
The shift is driven by global research identifying a core target: travellers aged 25 to 45. Park described this group as Emerging Explorers – millennials and Gen Z travellers who are 92 per cent more likely to go off the beaten path.
“These travellers do not want the cookie-cutter chain. They want an independent hotel or a brand that delivers a truly authentic local experience,” Park said. Unlike The Opposition (those strictly loyal to established competitors) or Loyalists (existing BWH customers), these younger travellers are open to trying new brands if the experience feels hyper-local and the digital interaction is seamless.
Moving beyond the strength of its branding, BWH Hotels is refocusing its 4,000-strong portfolio through a hyper-local lens. Park described the move as a shift away from standardised hospitality, trading predictable “chain” stays for an insider perspective and neighbourhood immersion.
She also challenged attendees to move beyond “TripAdvisor tips” and instead provide hyper-local insights, such as recommending a specific fruit stall across the street or sharing the best way to enjoy a local coconut.
To bring this strategy to life, BWH Hotels hosted a media immersion in Bangkok. Journalists were led out of the hotel lobby for a series of local experiences: a tea-blending workshop at Monsoon Tea Bangkok, a visit to Wat Traimit Withayaram to view the world’s largest solid gold Buddha, and an exploration of Song Wat Road – a riverside district – before ending the evening with Thai dishes at Ega.
“These Emerging Explorers love to discover something, explore, and then share it through a screen. We need to have a role in their lives so that they are telling our story,” Park said.
EHL will introduce a two-year associate degree in international culinary arts, fine-dining experience and restaurant management, with the first intake scheduled for September 2027.
The programme expands the institution’s academic offering into gastronomy-focused education and is designed to prepare students for roles in professional kitchens and food and beverage businesses. It combines training in culinary techniques with instruction in guest experience and restaurant operations.
EHL’s new associate degree will combine culinary training, guest experience and restaurant management, with practical learning in professional kitchen settings
The development reflects wider changes in the hospitality sector, where interest in gastronomy, food culture and culinary tourism has increased in recent years. EHL said there is also growing demand for professionals who can respond to changing customer expectations and deliver experience-led dining concepts.
Research conducted during the programme’s development indicated a preference among students for shorter academic pathways. The associate degree format is intended to provide a direct route into employment while remaining a recognised qualification for further study.
The course is aimed at students aged 18 to 25 and integrates three areas: culinary arts, guest experience and restaurant management. It includes a six-month internship with partner restaurants, along with field trips across Europe’s main gastronomic regions and masterclasses led by visiting chefs.
Teaching will be delivered by a faculty comprising chefs, hospitality professionals and academic staff. Training will take place at EHL’s food and beverage facilities, including training outlets, demonstration kitchens and a Michelin-starred restaurant. Around 60 per cent of the programme consists of practical classes.
Graduates may pursue careers as chefs, restaurant managers, sommeliers or food entrepreneurs, or continue their studies towards a bachelor’s degree.
“The new programme also responds to evolving expectations within the restaurant and hospitality sectors, as well as from future students and consumers. Today’s gastronomy professionals increasingly need to combine culinary expertise with skills in guest experience, beverage culture, sustainability, marketing and business management,” said Patrick Ogheard, dean of EHL School of Practical Arts.
Grab Thailand is advising food service operators to adapt their digital and commercial strategies to capture a highly lucrative demographic – tourists.
“We expect an 11 per cent growth in inbound tourists for 2026,” said Bhuree Ackarapolpanich, director of commercial for Grab Thailand, at a Thaifex HOREC Asia 2026 Academy session.
Grab Thailand’s Bhuree Ackarapolpanich details high-yield inbound tourist dining trends for food service operators at the Thaifex HOREC Asia 2026 Academy in Bangkok; photo by Anne Somanas
This influx presents a major revenue opportunity for the hospitality sector. Data from the platform indicates international visitors exhibit significantly higher purchasing power compared to domestic users.
“Tourists spend almost 1.7 times more than local consumers. These travellers generate a basket size 1.68 times larger than local customers, alongside a 25 per cent higher repeat purchase rate,” Bhuree noted.
User data shows high spending growth among European, the US, and Middle Eastern demographics. Within the capital, orders cluster densely around Sukhumvit, Asok, Pathum Wan, and Rama 9.
To attract this demographic across hot spots like Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Chiang Mai, operators must align menus with precise consumer demand.
For European, the US, Australian, Israeli, and Russian markets, comfort food is essential. These tourists seek safe choices structured as complete meal sets.
Grab data identifies fried chicken as the undisputed leader for Western markets, while Chinese travellers distinctly favour mala dishes and seafood with food presentation critical to facilitate photo-sharing on WeChat and Weibo. South Asian and Japanese tourists prefer the tastes of home, like curries or sushi. Middle Eastern tourists peak from June to August, prioritising burgers.
A distinct consumer group nicknamed the “SEAblings” encompasses travellers from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan, who are highly open to diverse local cuisines.
Beverage sales represent another substantial upselling stream.
“Just like fried chicken, don’t sleep on coffee. Iced Americano remains top even for tourists,” Bhuree explained.
Reaching these consumers requires proper digital infrastructure, along with targeted digital advertising, which is critical to expanding market share.
“Return on ad spend on foreigners is at four times that of Thais,” Bhuree stated.
Success ultimately relies on accurate localisation and clear product details to convert profile views into confirmed orders.
“Prepare your content well and ensure that the English information is there,” Bhuree concluded.
