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Most-Visited Southeast Asia Tourism Countries in 2022

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B rutal Covid lockdowns and complex vaccine mandates crippled SE Asia’s tourism industry. In 2022, Thailand led the charge on a tourism resurgence in the region. Other countries that drew plentiful tourists in 2022 included Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s tourist sector has struggled. Planning a trip to Southeast Asia in 2023? Here are the countries most visited by tourists last year.

Color map of Southeast Asia

In 2019, the SE Asian tourism industry was booming. When Covid hit, most countries locked down in April 2020 . 2021 was the most brutal year.

Phuket Airport Covid lockdowns in April 2020

2022 brought a resurgence. Thailand led the way with 11.2 million tourist visitors (1) . That’s well below 2019’s 39.9 million.

Even so, numbers are trending in the right direction. Here’s a look at tourist visitor numbers for the top 5 SE Asia travel destinations:

State Of SE Asia Tourism In 2023

Four of the top five tourist countries in SE Asia have dropped Covid mandates. That means no more proof of vaccination or testing upon entry. The Philippines is the exception: vaccination status is still checked; unvaccinated travelers need to test negative.

Entry rules in four out of the top 5 countries are similar for North American, EU, and UK passport holders : visa-free entry for 30 days. Vietnam is the exception, with complex, inconvenient entry rules that have kept visitors away.

Find below a summary of key Southeast Asia tourism statistics and trends.

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Thailand: Booming Marijuana Hotzone

Entry requirements: visitors can enter for 30 days with a ‘visa on arrival’. Covid restrictions: dropped (Jan. 2023); proof of vaccination / PCR tests not required (7) .

Thailand’s tourism industry is bouncing back. The government is also taking steps to boost growth further. To speed customs processing, entry forms are no longer required. Then, in June 2022, the government legalized marijuana for ‘therapeutic’ and culinary uses.

Marijuana being sold on the street in Bangkok legally

Starting March 31 this year, visitors will get 45-day visas on arrival (8) (instead of the current 30-day limit). On the downside, starting in June, all visitors will be required to pay a $12 entry fee (400 TBH) on arrival.

Absolutely! Thailand offers easy entry requirements, affordable luxury, legal marijuana, great beaches, amazing food, and fun-loving, hospitable locals. I’ve been to Bangkok twice this year for solo adventures and had a blast each time.

While tourist numbers are up, they’re still a fraction of what they were in 2019. As a result, there’s a lot of enthusiasm in the air to keep the tourist party train going.

Soi Cowboy scene with laughing Thai woman

These days, expect great prices, enthusiastic locals, and enough tourists around to keep things fun without getting overcrowded. Check out my single-guy trip report:

Solo Introvert Travel: 5 Single Man Days In Bangkok

Singapore: Futuristic Disneyland

Entry requirements: 30-day visa-free entry for citizens from most G8 countries. Covid restrictions: dropped (February 2023).

In 2022, Singapore’s tourism reached S$13.8 billion — about 50% of 2019’s tourism revenue (9) . Per the Singapore Tourism Board, tourists spent mostly on accommodation, shopping, and higher flight fees into the country.

Is Singapore Worth Visiting In 2023?

Hong Kong is the most expensive Asian country to visit; a business trip there now averages USD$ 520 per day. Singapore is the second-most expensive, averaging $515 per day (10) .

  • Hong Kong: $520/ day for a typical business trip
  • Singapore: $515 per day
  • Tokyo: $424 per day
  • Shanghai: $392 per day
  • Seoul: $280 per day

Singapore is super-clear and orderly; English is widely spoken. Most activities here involve eating rich foods, shopping for luxury goods, or sightseeing. Popular attractions include the Zoo, Night Safari, Botanical Gardens, and Chinatown.

Bottom line: in 2023, Singapore is a nice but pricey break from the chaos of SE Asia’s wildest spots. In my experience, a 3-4 day stint here is plenty. After that, I find the super-orderly dynamic feels a bit sterile and restrictive.

Indonesia: Bintang Bogan Chaos

Entry requirements: 30-day visa-free entry for citizens from 86 countries. Covid restrictions: dropped (Dec. 2022).

Every year, Indonesia draws the most visitors from Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia. In 2021, only 3,196 Aussies visited the country. In 2022, that number soared to 654,464 bogans causing a ruckus (4) .

Bintang Bogans

Early this year, Indonesian President Joko Widodo outlined a plan to lure 7.5 million tourists to Indonesia this year (11) . The country will host 110 festivals and 65 sports, music, and creative events this year.

Notables planned include F1 Powerboat, the U-20 FIFA World Cup, the FIBA World Cup, the ANOC World Beach Games, the MotoGP, and the World Superbike (WSBK) race.

Indonesia is made up of over 18,000 islands, with only around 6,000 inhabited. The opportunities to explore here are endless. On the downside, Indonesia has scored the most polluted air in the region for several years running.

Bogans looking for a ‘curry and a fight’ will love the chaos. Kuta Cowboys (local gigolos) are also well-employed by legions of lusty Aussie and Kiwi lasses (12) . It’s so wild that the government is trying to crack down.

Last year, the government began issuing fines for Bogans caught ‘bonking’. In 2023, dress and conduct codes are being put in place (13) . There’s also talk of banning foreigners from renting scooters. In short, the tourist experience here is a special type of madness that might not be for everyone.

Vietnam: Stunted By Regulations

Entry requirements: complex. Visa waivers for some countries, e-visas for others. Covid restrictions: dropped (May. 2022).

Vietnam welcomed 18 million foreign tourists in 2019. In 2022, that figure rebounded to just 3.6 million, around 1/5 of pre-pandemic levels. Lifting all Covid restrictions in May 2022 didn’t help much.

Notably, while Thailand streamlined its entry requirements to lure tourists, Vietnam remains convoluted:

  • Visa waivers: visitors from 13 nations (11 in Europe and two in Asia) can stay for 15 days.
  • ASEAN nations: visitors from 9 ASEAN countries can stay visa-free for 30 days.
  • E-Visas: visitors from 80 countries have to procure online e-visas before arriving.

To goose tourist numbers, Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh recently ordered officials to relax visa rules (14) . Proposed measures include fixing smelly toilets, granting more visa waivers, and extending stays for up to 30 days.

Is Vietnam Worth It In 2023?

Vietnam has amazing food, beautiful women, good beaches, and plenty of cultural attractions. But in 2023, the clunky entry rules are a deterrent. For instance, Canadians must apply for an e-visa on an old and clunky website .

Inconvenient entry rules are just a start. The streets of most major cities are jammed with unending seas of very aggressive drivers. Another issue for tourists is that English is only sporadically spoken. This leaves tourists susceptible to scams.

In fact, the Government of Canada website warns Vietnam is a ‘high risk’ country for scams (15) . These include:

  • Frequent thefts in tourist areas (markets, beaches, sleeper trains).
  • Criminals have posed as airport taxi drivers to rob tourists by forcing them to withdraw ATM cash.
  • Getting duped into ‘too good to be true’ gambling scams.

Also, Vietnam is heavily censored. Local authorities may review your phone or search your hotel room without your consent.

Philippines: Covid Rules Still Enforced

Entry requirements: 30-day visa-free entry for citizens from most G8 countries. Covid restrictions: visitors must show proof of vaccination or a negative antigen test.

The Philippines is the only country on the SE Asian tourist trail still demanding proof of vaccination for entry. Unvaccinated tourists are also welcome, but they need insurance and proof of a negative test to clear customs.

In 2022, the country attracted 2 million tourists. This year, the Department of Tourism targets 4.8 million (16) . The plan to reach those numbers: marketing at travel trade fairs.

Is The Philippines Worth It In 2023?

On the plus side, the country offers amazing scenery, friendly people, and cheap prices. English is widely spoken. This clip of Bohol shows off one of the country’s top beach destinations:

Downsides include perhaps the slowest Wi-Fi in the region, corruption, extreme poverty, and many signs of environmental degradation. If you can handle those, the stunning scenery and friendly people make a trip here well worth it.

Out of the most visited SE Asia countries of 2022, these are my top picks for travelers in 2023:

  • Thailand: easy entry rules, legal marijuana, great prices, and world-class beaches make this the best destination of them all.
  • Singapore: this super-orderly island city-state is the priciest SE Asia tourist destination. Good for those into fancy sightseeing spots, luxury shopping, and luxurious cuisine.
  • Indonesia: Bogan brawlers and Kuta Cowboy gigolos give this place a hedonistic, raunchy, ‘anything goes’ type of feel.
  • Vietnam: inconvenient entry rules, super-dense traffic, and tons of tourist scams hinder the experience.
  • Philippines: beautiful beach enclaves are broken up by large swaths of crushing poverty and environmental degradation.
  • James Guild. ‘Southeast Asia’s Post-Pandemic Tourism Revival’. March 21, 2023, https://thediplomat.com/2023/03/southeast-asias-post-pandemic-tourism-revival/ , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • ‘Number of international tourist arrivals in Thailand from 2015 to 2022’. February 15, 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/994693/thailand-number-international-tourist-arrivals/ , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • ‘Singapore Tourism Statistics 2023’. February 2023, https://www.budgetdirect.com.sg/travel-insurance/research/singapore-tourism-statistics , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • ‘Tourism in Indonesia’. Last edited 25 March 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Indonesia , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • ‘Tourism in Vietnam’. Last edited 2 April 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Vietnam , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • ‘Tourism in the Philippines’. Last edited 19 April 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_the_Philippines , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • Tommy Walker. ‘Thailand Reverses New COVID Vaccine Rules for Visitors’. January 9, 2023, https://www.voanews.com/a/thailand-reverses-new-covid-vaccine-rules-for-visitors-/6910820.html , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • Donald Wood. ‘Thailand Drops New Entry Rules, Adds Tourist Fee’. January 13, 2023, https://www.travelpulse.com/News/Impacting-Travel/Thailand-Drops-New-Entry-Rules-Adds-Tourist-Fee , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • Chew Hui Min. ‘Visitor arrivals in Singapore creep back to pre-pandemic levels as tourism sector rebounds’. January 17, 2023, https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/tourism-visitor-arrivals-receipts-2022-singapore-tourists-3209721 , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • Goh Chiew Tong. ‘Traveling to Asia for work? This city is its most expensive business destination’. March 21, 2023, https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/22/hong-kong-retains-spot-as-most-expensive-business-destination-in-asia.html , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • VNA. ‘Indonesia accelerates tourism growth in 2023’. January 30, 2023, https://vir.com.vn/indonesia-accelerates-tourism-growth-in-2023-99433.html , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • ‘Travel to Bali Trilogy: The Conclusion. Temples, Waterfalls, and Kuta Cowboys’. July 16, 2022, https://jenniferspath.org/travel-to-bali-travel-blog/ , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • Carly Bass. ‘Bali gets tough on ‘Aussie bogans’ with new campaign teaching tourists etiquette’. March 8, 2023, https://au.news.yahoo.com/bali-tough-aussie-bogans-new-campaign-teaching-tourists-etiquette-013331116.html , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • Mai Ngoc Chau. ‘Vietnam Looks to Ease Visa Requirements to Woo More Tourists’. March 16, 2023, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-16/vietnam-looks-to-ease-visa-requirements-to-woo-more-tourists , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • ‘Vietnam travel advice’. March 16, 2023, https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/vietnam , (accessed 24 April 2023).
  • Zacarian Sarao. ‘1.15 million international tourist arrivals in Q1 2023’. March 15, 2023, https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1743455/dot-records-over-1-1-million-international-tourist-arrivals-in-2023 , (accessed 26 April 2023).

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Covid gave Southeast Asia a break from overtourism. Now what?

BANGKOK —Beaches brimming with sunbathers. Coves crowded with boats and snorkelers. Trails busy again with hikers and their porters.

More than two years after the coronavirus pandemic brought international travel to a halt, most countries in Southeast Asia have reopened their borders with minimal requirements for vaccinated travelers. Millions arrived over the summer, fueled by pent-up wanderlust. The return of these tourists is a relief for an economically battered region — but it comes with its own costs.

While the pandemic crippled Southeast Asia’s $393 billion tourism industry and erased millions of jobs , it also allowed many of its natural landscapes and heritage sites to recover from years of being trampled and polluted. Now, some government officials and community leaders are pushing against a return to the unbridled tourism that scientists warned for years was causing irreparable environmental harm. At the same time, those who rely on tourist revenue are desperate to welcome back visitors — as many of them as possible.

Welcome to summer travel. It’s hell.

“The industry is very much in flux right now,” said Liz Ortiguera, chief executive of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, a nonprofit that advocates for sustainable travel. A growing number of governments and businesses are asking for ways to make tourism less destructive, she said, but as the pandemic fades, the revival of some ecologically damaging mass tourism is “a given.”

A month after Thailand closed its borders in 2020, a herd of dugongs — among the most endangered marine mammals in the world — were seen floating serenely in the shallow waters off the country’s southern coast. Leatherback turtles took the place of tourists in Phuket, nesting on the beaches at rates that shocked local scientists.

“The pandemic was an excellent opportunity, in a way, to show what happens when humans are able to give nature a break," Varawut Silpa-archa, Thailand’s minister of Natural Resources and Environment, told The Washington Post.

In 2020, Thailand closed all 155 of its natural parks to visitors for the first time ever. While they were reopened in July, Varawut has ordered that every park shut down for at least a month every year. He has also banned single-use plastics from the parks and said he “will not hesitate” to shut down a destination long-term if tourists wreak havoc. He has little concern, he added, for potential opposition from businesses.

“To be blunt, I really don’t care if they agree," Varawut said. “My job is to preserve nature for our future generations.”

Not all attempts in the region to regulate tourism have been successful. In June, Indonesian officials ran into local opposition after proposing that visitors to the ancient Borobodur Temple in Java be limited to 15 at a time and that tickets for foreigners be raised from $25 to $100 to fund conservation. When the government announced plans to hike ticket prices for the Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara, hundreds of tourism workers went on strike . Price increases for both locations are now on hold .

“The challenge,” said Steven Schipani, a tourism industry specialist at the Asian Development Bank, “is that there’s so much sunk investment.”

The number of annual tourist arrivals to Southeast Asia doubled from 2010 to 2019, peaking just before the pandemic at 137 million . This growth was expected to continue at least until 2030, in large part because of a rising regional middle class. In Southeast Asia, businesses and government agencies made major investments to prepare for and profit off these visitors. Much of that infrastructure — airports, hotels, sewage systems — is still in place, said Schipani.

Asia is slowly reopening to travelers. Here’s where you can go.

“There’s capacity for 140 million people,” he noted. And there’s “immense pressure” to make sure that capacity is fulfilled.

In 2018, then-Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte closed the white sand island of Boracay for six months, saying overtourism had transformed it into a “cesspool.” Since reopening , the island has kept certain sustainability measures in place, though these are now being tested. Over Easter weekend in April, Boracay exceeded its daily visitor cap multiple times, authorities said.

Nowie Potenciano, 44, runs several restaurants and a boutique hotel on the island. The tourists returning to Boracay in recent months have been quite literally “hungry” for new experiences, he said, with many ordering more food than they might have in the past. He’s glad they’re back but doesn’t think things can return to “business as usual" post-pandemic.

“It’s something we’re all still figuring out,” Potenciano said. “How do we maintain the volume of visitors without upsetting the delicate balance of the entire island?”

In 2019, nearly 40 million tourists visited Thailand, and many spent time along its dazzling Southern coast. Research shows that from 2017 t0 2019, at least two locations in the south — Patong Beach and Maya Bay — regularly exceeded their “carrying capacity," which refers to the number of people a place can reasonably accommodate without damaging the environment or local community.

Somyot Sarapong, who works for an ecotourism agency in Bangkok, lived and worked on the Phi Phi Islands in the 1990s but left in 2003 when outside developers started to erect tall, concrete hotels on the beachfront that displaced locally run resorts. When Somyot, 56, returned in 2019 to visit friends, he no longer recognized the place he used to consider a “slice of heaven.” Brightly colored fish, once so abundant, had become hard to spot.

Somyot made another trip to the islands earlier this year before Thailand reopened its borders to international visitors. While swimming in the sea, he saw a swarm of blacktip reef sharks, which had become increasingly rare around the islands before the pandemic.

“It gave me the feeling of my first day at Phi Phi,” he said.

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Somyot wants to see the government do more to stave off overtourism, though some experts in sustainability are skeptical that officials will do what’s necessary.

Thailand is renowned for its hospitality and counted on tourism for 11 percent of its gross domestic product pre-pandemic. Like many countries in Southeast Asia, it lacks the kind of zoning, land use regulations and hotel permitting that would allow the government to effectively manage the impact of tourism, experts say, even if there was political will.

But Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine scientist at Kasetsart University in Bangkok, believes there’s reason to be optimistic.

“When you drive at a very high speed, it’s hard to slow down. With covid, it’s like the car engine stopped," he said. “Now we’re starting again and we can go carefully, slowly."

The pandemic allowed more Thai people to reacquaint themselves with the beauty of their own country, Thon added. When it comes to protecting it now, he added, “we have a much, much better chance than before.”

Regine Cabato reported from Manila. Wilawan Watcharasakwet contributed reporting from Bangkok.

tourism in southeast asia statistics

tourism in southeast asia statistics

Southeast Asia Faces GDP Loss of 8.4% in 2021 as COVID-19 Roils Tourism

01:36 pm | 19 July 2021

Tourists boarding a boat.

Southeast Asia may suffer  an 8.4% loss to its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021  as tourists continue to put off travel plans during the pandemic, according to a United Nations report. The region is forecast to see an 82% drop in inbound tourist expenditure this year.

The joint report from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) assumed the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) problem will be around for a few more years. It urged countries to come up with measures that would restore travelers' confidence, mitigate socioeconomic impacts on related livelihoods, and prepare the travel and tourism sector for the long term.

As of 14 July, COVID-19 has  infected 187.5 million people globally and contributed to 4 million deaths.  In Southeast Asia, 36 million has been infected, with 516,608 deaths.

The UN report’s forecast is based on a scenario of tourist arrivals falling 74% on average globally this year, consistent with the decline in 2020. In many developing countries highly dependent on international tourism, arrivals fell by 80% to 90%. The report said Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, Oceania, North Africa, and South Asia are among the regions most affected by the fall in global tourism. North America, Western Europe, and the Caribbean are the least affected.

With a more optimistic scenario of arrivals decreasing only 63%, the report sees a lower loss for Southeast Asia of 5.6% this year. A deeper 75% decline in arrivals that takes into account vaccine rollout across countries is expected to cause a loss of 7.1%.

According to estimates of the World Travel and Tourism Council, the sector’s total contribution to Southeast Asia’s GDP  reached $380 million in 2019, about 12% of the total .

Step up vaccination

The UN report stressed the need for countries to speed up vaccination, noting it has slowed the spread in some countries, such as Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

It noted that in most developing countries, access to and distribution of vaccines remains a challenge, with the virus continuing to spread at an alarming rate in India, Brazil, and in many countries where tourism is important for people’s livelihood, such as Maldives and Seychelles.

“Tourism is a lifeline for millions, and advancing vaccination to protect communities and support tourism’s safe restart is critical to the recovery of jobs and generation of much-needed resources, especially in developing countries, many of which are highly dependent on international tourism,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

The UN agencies said the crash in international tourism due to the pandemic could cause a loss of more than $4 trillion to the global GDP for 2020 and 2021.

UNWTO estimates that 100 million to 120 million direct tourism jobs are at stake due to the fall in tourist arrivals.

In Southeast Asia, the report estimated losses in employment of unskilled labor of between 11.6% and 7.7%.

The report said recovery will depend to a large extent on the rollout of vaccines, the removal and coordination among countries of travel restrictions, and rebuilding travelers’ confidence.

The report considered other sectors that supply food, beverages, accommodation, and transport to the tourism sector.

Policy recommendations

To mitigate the impact of the pandemic and boost recovery, the report recommended the following measures:

Restore travelers’ confidence.  The report noted tourists’ concerns about health and the risk of cancelled travel plans and becoming stranded overseas. These could be addressed by rolling out vaccines globally as soon as possible. “It is also an economic priority,” it said. Vaccinating 40% of the global population by year’s end and 60% by mid-2022 is an aspirational goal that could cost $50 billion, it noted, citing estimates from the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organization, and WHO. “Nonetheless, the estimated benefits far exceed the costs.”

Better coordination and communication on travel requirements is critical, it added, citing tools such as the destination tracker and travel pass being developed by UNWTO and the International Air Transport Association. Developing cheap, fast, and reliable testing could also facilitate travel. A common protocol or standard for testing on departure may remove the need for quarantine on arrival.

Mitigate the socio-economic impacts on livelihoods.  Using fiscal measures to support tourism businesses and workers is a challenge for most developing countries where tourism is large. Instead of protecting specific jobs in declining sectors, workers should be protected through training.

Strategize about the future.  COVID-19 is likely to be around for some time. “A return to normal before 2023 seems optimistic,” the report said. Governments need to consider the long-term implications of the pandemic on tourism businesses and decide which to support and for how long. They also need to take into account environmental considerations, which could increase costs for long-distance flights. Cruise ships’ popularity may also fall due to extended confinement and will need to be studied. Domestic travel trends will also need to be considered. The report said developing countries dependent on tourism might consider how they can diversify resources away from tourism.

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  • SEA tourism performance in Mar…

SEA tourism performance in Mar 2023: The growth rate of inbound visitors increases considerably, except for Vietnam

tourism in southeast asia statistics

Data from National Tourism Departments in South East Asia in March 2023 showed better signals over the previous two months. In general, there was an increase in inbound tourists compared to January and February, except for a slight decrease in Vietnam (Cambodia hasn’t updated). The growth rate of international visitors of the whole region in March increased by nearly 5 times compared to February.

The growth rate of inbound tourists better improves

Considering over 5 countries including Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia, the total number of international arrivals in March reached 5,420,067, an increase of 247,745 arrivals (equivalent to about 4.79%) compared to February. Previously, the number of visitors to Southeast Asian countries in February increased by only 1% compared to January. This is a quite good signal for the region’s tourism industry.

Thailand maintained its leading position in the top most visited destination in SEA with 2,219,040 foreign visitors in March, double higher than Singapore in the second place (118%), and triple higher than the third rank – Vietnam (149%).

However, regarding the number of international arrivals in March 2023, Vietnam is the only destination in the region to see a drop in total international arrivals (895,425 arrivals), down 4% compared to February 2023. Indonesia led in growth between February and March with an increase of 15.39%, followed by Singapore and Thailand.

Recovery and tourism target rate

The “champion” in recovery rate in the previous months, Cambodia, has not yet updated the data for March. Therefore, the Philippines temporarily led South East Asia in terms of recovery rate over the same period in 2019 (66.59%), closely followed by Singapore (65.38%) and Thailand (63.79%). After the 32nd SEA Games event, the host nation Cambodia is expected to make a significant mark on the number of inbound visitors in the coming months.

The 2023 target rate in the region was ranging from 20% to less than 34%. Vietnam still achieved the highest rate as of March (33.74%). Singapore continued to be the country with the lowest target rate (20.78%).

tourism in southeast asia statistics

Top 3 South East Asian destinations with largest numbers of international arrivals in March 2023:

  • Thailand: 2,219,040. Following a slight decrease in February, the number of international arrivals to Thailand in March increased by nearly 5%.
  • Singapore: 1,020,000. The target rate of the country was still the lowest (20.78%).
  • Vietnam: 895,425. Despite having the highest target rate and among the top 3 Southeast Asian countries to receive the most inbound visitors in Q1, Vietnam was the only destination to record a decrease.

Top 3 South East Asian destinations with highest recovery rate in March 2023:

  • The Philippines: 66.59%
  • Singapore: 65.38%
  • Thailand: 63.79%

Regarding aviation, the order of destinations with the highest seat capacity on flights to and from the region has not changed throughout 4 months. According to OAG, in April, Indonesia kept the first rank with 10,148,070 seats, followed by Thailand (6,047,377 seats), Vietnam (5,792,606), Philippines (4,339,133), Malaysia (4,274,854), and Singapore (2,875,056).

Hanoi – HCMC continued to be the busiest Domestic flight route in April with 917,814 seats (decreased by -9.04% compared to the previous month). The second place was the Jakarta – Bali route again (639,101 seats, increased by 16.53%). The third place changed. It was the Jakarta – Sumatera Utara route (516,624 seats) to replace Jakarta – South Sulawesi.

In the top 10 busiest International routes, Singapore, the international air hub of Southeast Asia, appeared 7 times, while occupying the top 3. The Kuala Lumpur – Singapore route was the busiest route in April with 409,946 seats, followed by the Jakarta – Singapore and Bangkok – Singapore routes.

In conclusion, in March 2023, South East Asia’s tourism performance was brighter when the growth rate of international arrivals increased by nearly 5 times in February. Nevertheless, the target rate is generally not very high (between 20-34%). According to UNWTO, in Q1, despite good signs, the Asia-Pacific region is still the region with the slowest tourism recovery pace in the world (54% of 2019 levels). The growth of nations in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be better, especially with the return of China, the main source market of many countries. In addition, the peak season in the summer will also boost the region’s tourism recovery rate. However, as previously mentioned, expecting too much on a country or peak season without the right approach is not a good idea, especially in 2023, the final phase of recovery. Along with festivals and upcoming summer, April-May will see more divergence in tourism performance through growth rates and how each country reaches the target.

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Airbnb: Return of travel in Southeast Asia presents big opportunities for local tourism

tourism in southeast asia statistics

In 2022, solo travel in Southeast Asia grew over 2.6x year-on-year, and group travel in the region more than tripled. Many travelers in Southeast Asia are also staying longer – in 2022, long term stays of over 28 days grew by more than 2.5x year-on-year. New regional survey shows 85 percent of Thais polled are optimistic about the travel rebound in Southeast Asia, and believe it will benefit their community and the broader national economy.

THAILAND – New data from Airbnb shows the return and evolution of travel in Southeast Asia is presenting fresh opportunities for communities across the region. Nights booked across Southeast Asia on Airbnb doubled in 2022, up from 2020, according to new internal data from the platform. This is an encouraging sign of ongoing recovery in the region, as travel continues to climb back to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Thailand was the #1 most visited country on Airbnb in Southeast Asia in 2022, while top cities in the region included:

  • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Bangkok, Thailand
  • Pattaya, Thailand
  • Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • Phuket, Thailand

The United States also ranked as the #1 country of origin for international Airbnb guests visiting Southeast Asia in 2022, followed by Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany and South Korea.

Intra-Southeast Asia travel remained popular with avid travelers visiting neighboring countries close by. Notably, Singaporeans flocked to Airbnb to book their getaways, with Singapore-Malaysia emerging as the top intra-Southeast Asia travel route on Airbnb, followed by Singapore-Thailand and Singapore-Indonesia.

tourism in southeast asia statistics

Nathan Blecharczyk , Airbnb’s co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, said: “We’re incredibly excited about the travel resurgence currently taking place across Southeast Asia – a region that has always been a popular for travelers the world over, with its tropical climate, delicious local cuisines, spectacular scenery and rich cultural heritage. Airbnb is committed to partnering with local governments and communities to support the region’s travel renaissance in a way that allows local people to access the socio-economic benefits of travel. We’re also focused on relentlessly innovating to help disperse travel and encourage it to return in a way that’s responsible, creates human connection and is economically empowering for locals.”

Airbnb is continually innovating to help disperse travel beyond familiar destinations, so that more communities can benefit from the socio-economic opportunities that tourism offers. Airbnb’s flexible search tools, such as Flexible Dates, are already making a difference on this front, with guests booking through a Flexible Date search on the platform in key cities including Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Metro Manila often more likely to book a stay outside popular areas in the city.

Shifting travel trends across the region

  • Group travel is gaining momentum With a big focus from many travelers on connecting, and reconnecting, with loved ones, group travel in Southeast Asia more than tripled year-on-year in 2022. This comes as family travel on the platform increased 60 percent in 2022 globally compared to pre-pandemic, with more families booking Airbnb stays for their value and space.
  • Solo travel is on the rise Solo travel in the region also grew by more than 2.6x, up from the year prior.
  • Travelers are staying for longer Many travelers across Southeast Asia are staying for longer and more deeply engaging with local communities. In 2022, long term stays of over 28 days in the region grew by more than 2.5x year-on-year.

Regional and domestic travel is back, in a big way

In a new YouGov survey commissioned by Airbnb, data indicated that:

  • 85 percent of Thais polled were optimistic about Southeast Asia’s travel rebound, and believe that the travel resurgence will benefit local communities and the national economy.
  • 35 percent said they were excited to travel within the region more frequently in the future, after not being able to for so long.

When asked what they believe would add to the appeal of local destinations for international travelers, more than half of Thais polled pointed to:

  • Hospitable locals who are willing to make guests feel welcome and point out hidden gems
  • Accommodation with family-friendly amenities
  • An emphasis on local food and culture
  • Ease of access to off-the-beaten-path destinations
  • Availability of accommodation options at every price point

Ahead of major holidays and festivals throughout the region, there is strong travel momentum amongst Airbnb guests to travel within Southeast Asia. Guest searches for Songkran in Thailand increased more than 310 percent year-on-year, and guest searches for the March-April summer travel season in the Philippines surged almost 400 percent. This Ramadan, guest searches increased almost 600 percent in Malaysia, and over 500 percent in Indonesia.

Vicky Karantzavelou

Vicky Karantzavelou

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.

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HOME ARTICLES Tourism in Southeast Asia: Building Forward Better

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A traditional Thai statue is pictured wearing a face mask at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on February 1, 2022, as Thailand resumes its quarantine free-travel scheme for vaccinated travellers. (Photo: Jack TAYLOR/ AFP)

Tourism in Southeast Asia: Building Forward Better

Published 14 Mar 2022

tourism in southeast asia statistics

Sanchita Basu Das

Countries need to mutually recognize each other’s vaccination certificates, harmonize rules on travel procedures, and safeguard public health to manage the pandemic. This will enable the countries to capture new source markets, thus compensating for the revenue loss due to the decrease in Chinese tourists.

Tourism is one of the worst affected sectors throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. From 2019 to 2020, international tourist arrivals and tourism receipts fell by 82% and 78%, respectively, in Southeast Asia. This resulted in high job losses in countries across the region. Many of these countries reported that the tourism sector accounted for almost one-third of all job losses . Informal tourism workers such as street food vendors, souvenir sellers, freelance tour guides, and drivers, who form a substantial part of the local tourism value chain, suffered the greatest losses in employment and income. Small businesses experienced partial or complete closure as they failed to operate during Covid-19 lockdowns and travel restrictions.

While the countries of Southeast Asia are showing signs of cautious recovery resulting from vaccination drives and milder restriction measures, tourism is unlikely to go back to its pre-Covid-19 level anytime soon. This is particularly because the region’s travel source countries tend to be highly concentrated. A large proportion of tourists come from within Southeast Asia (36% in 2019), and a big share comes from China (22%). According to a report by the China Tourism Academy , Chinese outbound travel plummeted by 87% in 2020 vis-à-vis 2019. A poll among Chinese travelers highlighted that they prefer outbound destinations that have zero Covid-19 cases. In the foreseeable future, most wish to travel domestically, avoiding international flights. The sentiments mirror China’s recently released five-year tourism development plan for 2021-25, which largely focuses on domestic tourism .

In this scenario, Southeast Asian countries need to transform the tourism economy. The pandemic has presented opportunities to build forward better.

Thailand has already tried to move in this direction. It is focusing on four areas to increase economic resiliency , specifically to: a) diversify its tourism landscape to niche segments that attract higher spending tourists; b) attract visitors to 2nd-tier cities, expand quality services and premium options in less crowded tourist spots, and generate more income for local economies; c) pay more attention to environmental sustainability; and d) increase investment in new tourism destinations, products, and technologies.

Similar intentions are expressed by Indonesia as it aims for quality tourism rather than quantity . It is targeting to attract only 2 million visitors in 2022, which is almost a 90% drop from pre-pandemic times when it was attracting around 16 million foreign tourists a year. Indonesia aims to increase the proportion of long-haul visitors, who can spend more time and money across old and new destinations in the archipelago.

The countries need to build confidence among travelers to stimulate demand. Marketing and communication, in both traditional and new media, will enable travelers to make informed decisions.

The countries will need to work together at the regional level, primarily through ASEAN mechanisms but also in cooperation with countries in the larger Asia-Pacific region. The first order of business is to facilitate cross-border movement of travelers. Countries need to mutually recognise each other’s vaccination certificates, harmonise rules on travel procedures, and safeguard public health to manage the pandemic. This will enable the countries to capture new source markets, thus compensating for the revenue loss due to the decrease in Chinese tourists.

The countries need to build confidence among travelers to stimulate demand. Marketing and communication, in both traditional and new media, will enable travelers to make informed decisions. In addition to national tourism campaigns (such as the Philippines’ More Fun Awaits or Live Fully in Vietnam ), ASEAN should foster cooperation through common digital platforms for sharing information and graphics on safe tourism practices. The Greater Mekong Subregion has designed the Mekong Moments platform that provides photos, videos, and stories of travelers to raise awareness about travel in the member countries.

Consumer reliance on digital means for travel-related services, particularly bookings, was on the rise pre-Covid-19. The pandemic has made the adoption of digital and other technological tools even more crucial. As countries implement contactless technologies or mobile bookings and online payments for tourism related transactions, they should also cooperate regionally on cross-border data flows for information related to vaccine passports or digital health certificates.

Southeast Asian countries should collaborate in sharing best practices and building each other’s capacities. Positive experiences of leading countries can be emulated, notably in government-driven transformation in big data analytics for tourist traffic tracking, responsiveness to shifting tourists’ preferences, and levelling the playing field for small businesses. Some national-level tourism agencies have already started working with online travel agents, telecommunications firms, and financial services companies to make more informed policy decisions. Singapore’s Tourism Board, for example, has partnered with VISA, Mastercard and digital tourism booking platform Klook for the “Singapore Rediscovers” campaign. The Tourism Authority of Thailand had partnered with online travel agent Agoda to support the government’s domestic tourism program. These experiences can be shared and scaled up at the regional level.

As the countries in the region adapt to post-Covid-19 realities, they need to strive for their tourism sectors to recover better. The pandemic brought to the fore the vulnerabilities in the tourism sector. It should also induce Southeast Asian countries to conduct risk assessments and to adopt policies, technologies, and safe measures that build economic resilience against future pandemics and other hazards.

Sanchita Basu Das is an Economist with the Economic Research Department of the Asian Development Bank. She was the Lead Researcher for Economic Affairs in the ASEAN Studies Centre of ISEAS from 2008 to 2018. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

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