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Chinese Travelers Post a 137% Increase in International Searches for Upcoming Golden Week Image by Lin Qiang via Unsplash Digital travel platform Agoda has revealed a 137% year-over-year increase in international accommodation searches from China for the upcoming Golden Week. China's second Golden Week of the year takes place from 1 to 7 October. Agoda’s accommodation search data reveals a shift in Chinese travelers’ preferences for Golden Week. This year, Malaysia holds a spot among the top five most-searched destinations by Chinese travelers, alongside Japan, Thailand, South Korea, and Indonesia. Top Outbound Destinations for Golden Week 2024 (Based on Agoda’s accommodation search data) Japan Thailand South Korea Indonesia Malaysia Taking place from 1 – 7 October this year, Golden Week is a prime travel period for Chinese families looking to take advantage of the week-long break. Golden Weeks are celebrated twice a year in China, around Lunar New Year and China’s National ...

Tioman Island by Ingshahz on Unsplash With the North-East Monsoon on the horizon, digital travel platform Agoda shares the top beach destinations that Malaysians are interested in visiting before the rain hits. Agoda’s insights reveal that the coastal paradises of Eastern Peninsula, Malaysia are making waves as the most searched beach destination for those seeking a sun-soaked escape in September or October. Based on Agoda’s accommodation search data, Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu, Desaru, Perhentian Islands, and Tioman Island are the most popular beach destinations for Malaysians in the coming months. An increasing number of Malaysians are searching for getaways in September and October: Agoda noted 30% more domestic accommodation searches than last year. "Malaysia’s coastal destinations are truly in a league of their own, offering travelers stunning landscapes and a perfect mix of relaxation and adventure," said Fabian Teja, Country Director Malaysia and Brunei at Agoda. "...

Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan Top Agoda’s Return Visitor Ranking It turns out that one trip to Thailand just isn’t enough for most of us. Agoda’s latest Return Visitor Ranking reveals that 79% of Malaysian travelers return to their favorite destinations. The ranking, which was compiled from a survey conducted on the Agoda platform earlier this month, shows Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan are leading the pack as the ultimate hotspots for returning visitors, followed by South Korea and Taiwan. When asked about the purpose of their repeat visits, Malaysian respondents cited food as the top reason, with adventure and reuniting with family and friends as well as wellness also being significant motivators. 74% of travelers have visited their favorite destination between 1 to 3 times in the past decade, making up the largest chunk of repeat visitors. 14% of travelers have even visited their favorite destination ten times or more. Fabian Teja, Country Director Malaysia and Brunei at Agoda shar...

Agoda returns with Cheapest Destinations rank for the next six weeks Digital travel platform Agoda reveals its latest list of the most affordable destinations for travelers. Travelers looking for some of the best deals in Asia for August and September are best off in Hat Yai, Thailand. While in Malaysia, Kuching offers the most competitive room rates during this period. With several long weekends and holidays in August and September across Asia, including Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations within the country, Agoda highlights some of the most popular Asian tourist destinations to enjoy Agoda’s great value deals. In Malaysia, Kuching is the most affordable tourist destination, with an average room rate of RM 250 based on booking data between 15th June to 7th July 2024. The state capital and largest city in Sarawak retains its ranking as the cheapest destination, having also clinched the title in the previous ranking in April. The destinations with the cheapest average accommodation ...

Agoda helps deal hunters with Cheapest Destinations rank for April and May With many across Asia looking forward to long weekends and holidays in the coming weeks, digital travel platform Agoda reveals the tourist destinations with the cheapest accommodations on average. Travelers looking for some of the best deals in Asia are best off in Udon Thani, Thailand. While in Malaysia, it’s Kuching, Sarawak where travelers can enjoy the most competitive room rates in April and May. On the brink of the holiday-heavy months of April and May, Agoda’s shares some of the most popular Asian tourist destinations to get Agoda’s great value deals. In Malaysia, Kuching continues to hold the crown as the most affordable tourist destination, now offering an even lower average room rate of RM 230 compared to last year’s average of RM 282. The destinations with the cheapest average accommodation rates across eight Asian markets are Udon Thani in Thailand, Surabaya in Indonesia, Hue in Vietnam, Kuching in M...

List Shared as Digital Travel Platform Launches 1M USD Eco Deals Program To mark the launch of Eco Deals 2024, Agoda’s flagship US$1 million partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the digital travel platform has compiled a list of some of Asia's favored nature destinations across Asia, based on searches made on Agoda in January 2024. Enric Casals, Vice President Southeast Asia, Agoda, shared, “I’m incredibly proud and excited that with this third edition of Eco Deals Agoda pledges to donate up to one million US dollars to WWF’s diverse conservation projects across Southeast Asia. The Eco Deals program helps travelers ‘give back’ to protect for future generations some of the wonders that the world has to offer.” To enthuse travelers about the unique and remarkable beauty to explore throughout Asia Pacific, Agoda looked at some of the top nature destinations across nine markets to come up with ideas to reconnect with nature through ancient forests, deep valleys, and sere...

Since the introduction of bilateral visa-free travel between China and Malaysia on the 1st December 2023, digital travel platform Agoda has witnessed a search increase for travel between the two markets. In the month following the start of the visa waiver, Agoda saw over five times more searches from China to Malaysia compared to the month prior, and over three times more searches from Malaysia to mainland China. This trend continued into January 2024 with searches between both countries continuing to increase. The top destinations in Malaysia gaining attention from Chinese travelers were Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Penang, Johor Bahru, and Langkawi respectively. Malaysian travelers reciprocated with interest in exploring China.Guangzhou topped the list in January, closely followed by Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing. Chengdu, home of the magnificent giant pandas, came in fifth. Enric Casals, Associate Vice President Southeast Asia at Agoda, commented "The increased search activit...

Expands Partnership with WWF and Pledges USD $1 Million for Wildlife Conservation (Left to right) Dr. Kanchana Wanichkorn, Director of Sectoral Development, ASEAN Secretariat; Ms Juliana Kwa, Assistant Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board; Dr. Nguyen Trung Khanh, Chairman of Vietnam National Authority of Tourism; Dato’ Roslan Tan Sri Abdul Rahman, Secretary-General of Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia; H.E. Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, Minister of Tourism and Sports, Thailand; Mr. Omri Morgenshtern, CEO of Agoda; H.E. Suanesavanh Vignaket, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lao PDR; H.E. So Mara, Secretary of State, Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia; Mrs. Martini Paham, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Indonesia; Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, Brunei Darussalam; Ms. Verna Buensuceso, Undersecretary of Department of Tourism, the Philippines. Agoda, the global digita...

Booking data by digital travel platform Agoda reveals Malaysia as one of the three most popular destinations to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year festivities. Malaysia ranks just behind Japan and Thailand. Additionally, Bangkok stands out as the most favoured international city destination for this one of the region's biggest holidays of the year. Agoda’s booking data highlights Singapore, Brunei, China, Indonesia, and South Korea as top inbound markets to Malaysia respectively, marking China's return as a top-five source market for the first time since 2019. The five most popular destinations visited within Malaysia are international favourite Kuala Lumpur, followed by Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Malacca and Penang. Although officially celebrated on Saturday 10 February 2024, the Lunar New Year holiday is extended to a long weekend in many markets across Asia and week-long celebrations for China, Japan (Spring Holiday) and Vietnam (Tet). The holiday, also referred to as Ch...

Agoda, the digital travel platform, unveils its inaugural “2024 Malaysia’s New Horizons” list, featuring five destinations that have captured the imagination of travelers in recent years. This list, derived from search data comparisons, accentuates the growing appeal of emerging destinations in the country that have witnessed substantial growth in interest from both local and international travelers. Enric Casals, Associate Vice President Southeast Asia at Agoda, noted, “While Malaysia's bustling metropolitan areas have traditionally garnered significant attention, we have observed a notable surge in searches for charming smaller towns and cities and other destinations over the past year.” Malaysia Pangkor   45% Kuala Terengganu 40% Miri 33% Kuantan 33% Alor Setar 31% Leading the charge are coastal paradises, with Pangkor Island claiming a 45% increase in search traffic. Nestled within Perak, about 70 km away from tourist hotspot...

Agoda reveals top destinations for solo travelers ahead of Singles’ Day Travel comes in many forms: With Singles’ Day around the corner, digital travel platform Agoda looked at the most popular destinations for solo travelers. For Malaysia, it’s Singapore in first place, followed by Bangkok and Hat Yai. Singles’ Day, or 11-11, takes place annually on the eleventh day of November. The unofficial holiday originated in China as an answer to Valentine’s Day, celebrating those who aren’t in a romantic relationship. Over the years, Singles’ Day has gained popularity globally. The day is now recognised as one of the most impactful online shopping days with many online platforms, including Agoda, offering special discounts. “At Agoda, we have talked a lot about family travel this year, and now with travel numbers in full recovery we’re also seeing more solo travel,” said Cleland Robertson, Country Director for Malaysia & Brunei at Agoda. “Going on a solo trip is arguably the best gift you ...

Agoda reveals most popular flight destinations for Malaysian travelers As travelers take to the skies once again, digital travel platform Agoda shares the top domestic and international flight destinations of 2023 so far. In Malaysia, the most popular international destination is Singapore with Kuala Lumpur taking the top domestic spot. Thailand’s capital Bangkok is the most popular international flight destination, according to Agoda data. Based on Agoda’s booking data, four of the five most popular international flight destinations are nestled in Southeast Asia, with Bangkok in first place. Singapore in 2nd, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City in 4th, and Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur in 5th also represent Southeast Asia. Seoul, South Korea splits the top five, coming in as third most popular international flight destination. "Many factors contribute to the popularity of Southeast Asian cities”, said Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President of Supply, Agoda. “These cities represent five bus...

Malaysians least likely to include breakfast in their hotel booking, Agoda reveals Breakfast, the most important meal of the day for some, easily skipped by others. And with every new hotel booking the same dilemma: To include, or not to include? Agoda looked at the numbers and ranked the preferences for ten Asian markets. Agoda insights reveal that over the past two months travelers from Taiwan were the most likely to book accommodations with breakfast included. Almost half (46%) of the travelers from Taiwan opted for breakfast included, followed closely by Vietnamese (43%), and Indian travelers (42%). On the other end we find South Korea (29%), Japan (27%), and Malaysia (23%), ranking 8, 9, and 10 respectively on the breakfast requirement popularity table. When comparing domestic with overseas travel, Agoda noticed travelers on an international trip are more likely to opt for some comfort and peace of mind. 37% of international travelers selects the ‘breakfast included’ option on Ag...

Family holiday season is upon us, but it can be a challenge to make special memories with loved ones on a travel budget. Digital travel platform Agoda comes to the rescue by sharing 7 travel hacks to help save big on the next family outing. “We want planning a family vacation, whether it’s with immediate family or a multi-generational trip, to be a fun experience, filled with anticipation, and above all easy to do” says Cleland Robertson, Country Director of Malaysia and Brunei at Agoda. “We help all travelers on Agoda find the best possible deal, no matter the group size or travel purpose. And hopefully the tips below will help just that little bit extra to make sure the family’s travel budget is spent as wisely as possible.” #1: Bundle together, save together While getting on a plane can be quite the adventure for the kids, it may take a sizable chunk out of the travel budget. The best way to save on airfares is by bundling the flight with the accommodation. This often results in add...

Best-for-less itineraries for Malaysian travelers this June © Agoda The numbers are in! According to Agoda’s Travel Trend Survey, people are spending consciously on holidays this year. The majority of travelers in Asia have set a spending range of RM804 - RM2000 per person for travel and accommodation. To help travelers see the world for less, digital travel platform Agoda shares potential budget-friendly itineraries for travel this June. In a recent Agoda’ Travel Trend Survey, conducted by YouGov, respondents from across Asia were asked about their travel budget for this year. A 2023 spending range of RM804 - RM2000 per person was selected most often, including in Malaysia. Never one to shy away from a challenge, digital travel platform Agoda has split the difference, called it RM1400, and came up with two great itineraries for travelers to spend five days taking in the captivating beauty of Sabah or three days traveling abroad – all for under RM1400 a head. “As a platform that is p...