BANGKOK 8 October 2024: As Thailand’s tourism sees a resurgence and the industry prepares for the upcoming high season in Q4, Airbnb releases Thailand travel data for the first half of this year.
Airbnb data shows an increasing interest among Airbnb guests in travel to Thailand, with combined domestic and international bookings surging over 30% in H1 2024 compared to H1 2023.
Airbnb data shows growth across all travel group sizes, with the most significant growth being in group travel. Airbnb guests travelling as groups to Thailand increased by almost 40% in H1 2024 compared to H1 2023.
“Thailand’s appeal as a world-class tourism destination remains strong amongst Airbnb travellers worldwide. It’s particularly encouraging to see the significant growth in those travelling together as small groups in the first half of the year, as well as more guests staying longer in the country,” said Airbnb’s General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan Amanpreet Bajaj.
“This continued growth reflects Airbnb guests’ eagerness to explore and experience Thailand – both the established destinations as well as seeking out new experiences in lesser-known destinations. Airbnb will continue to work with industry stakeholders and support the Thai government in driving interest in travel to Thailand amongst Airbnb guests globally and supporting sustainable travel dispersal.”
The top countries of origin of international Airbnb guests travelling to Thailand in H1 2024:
- USA
- China
- Germany
- Russian Federation
- UK
- Korea
- France
- Australia
- Singapore
Notably, Airbnb has strong appeal with legacy markets such as the US and European countries while regional markets such as China, Korea, Australia and Singapore also remain strong.
More people are staying longer
Thailand’s appeal as a destination for long-term visitors isn’t something new — the climate, diversity of places from beaches to mountains to cosmopolitan visitors, delicious cuisine and Thai hospitality all contribute to the steady growth trend.
However, the recent Destination Thailand Visa has been introduced specifically to increase long-term stays amongst remote workers, digital nomads, and freelancers. Recognising the appeal of Thailand for digital nomads, Airbnb previously collaborated with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to create the ‘Live and Work in Thailand’ digital information guide. In Airbnb’s latest data, there’s a clear trend of more people staying longer in Thailand – in H1 2024, long-term stays by Airbnb guests in Thailand grew over 20% compared to H1 2023.
Top Thai destinations amongst Airbnb guests
Travel habits among international and domestic travellers are similar. In H1 2024, Bangkok was the most booked destination in Thailand by Airbnb guests. For international Airbnb guests, Phuket was the second most booked destination, followed by Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Surat Thani. Thai travellers preferred Pattaya over Phuket.
While the most booked are established destinations, many global travellers seek to explore lesser-known destinations in Thailand. Airbnb search data revealed that the top emerging Thai destinations trending on Airbnb are Mae Hong Son, Trang and Satun.
“Airbnb search data revealed that the top emerging Thai destinations trending on Airbnb are Mae Hong Son, Trang and Satun.”
This was a total surprise, I wonder how accurate that data is. I get that people are looking for more “off-the-beaten-track” destinations, but I would never have guessed these ones were the top trending.