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Thais Opt for Secondary Cities in Asia: Japan, China, S. Korea

Thais Opt for Secondary Cities in Asia: Japan, China, S. Korea

MGR Online•Economy•11d ago

Reader Briefing

Thai travelers are shifting their preferences in Asian travel towards exploring secondary cities in Japan, China, and South Korea, seeking authentic local experiences over traditional tourist hotspots.

  • •Thai travelers are increasingly visiting secondary cities in Japan, China, and South Korea for more authentic local experiences.
  • •Traveloka's Mid-Year Sale 6.6 campaign, running from June 2-6, 2026, offers discounts to encourage future travel planning.
  • •This trend reflects a growing segment of repeat Thai travelers looking for unique, off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Overview

  • •Thai tourists are changing their travel behavior in Asia, focusing more on secondary cities.
  • •Previously popular destinations like Tokyo and Osaka are seeing a shift towards cities like Sapporo, Fukuoka, and Nagoya in Japan.
  • •This shift is driven by Thai travelers seeking deeper immersion in local culture, cuisine, and lifestyles.
  • •Visa exemption policies are encouraging Thai tourists to explore cities like Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen in China.
  • •Beyond Seoul's shopping allure, South Korean cities like Busan, Daegu, Jeju, and Yeosu are attracting tourists for nature and wellness.
  • •Traveloka's Country Manager for Thailand noted the trend from 'checking off popular spots' to 'experiencing local culture'.
  • •Traveloka launched the Mid-Year Sale 6.6 campaign from June 2-6, 2026, offering discounts up to 50%.
  • •The campaign aims to make discovering local experiences easier, more convenient, and more valuable for Thai travelers.

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Key Quotes

Tipaporn Duangmak
"We are seeing an interesting shift in Thai tourists, from traveling to collect popular check-in spots to embarking on journeys to truly experience local culture and experiences."
เรากำลังเห็นการเปลี่ยนแปลงที่น่าสนใจของนักท่องเที่ยวไทย จากการท่องเที่ยวเพื่อเก็บจุดเช็กอินยอดนิยม สู่การออกเดินทางเพื่อสัมผัสวัฒนธรรมและประสบการณ์ท้องถิ่นอย่างแท้จริง

Key Entities

Organization

Travelokaℹ️
A leading Southeast Asian travel platform that has revealed insights into Thai traveler behavior and launched a promotional campaign.

Place

Japan(ญี่ปุ่น)ℹ️
A primary Asian destination where Thai travelers are increasingly visiting secondary cities.
China(จีน)ℹ️
An Asian country seeing increased interest from Thai travelers in its secondary cities.
South Korea(เกาหลีใต้)ℹ️
An Asian destination where Thai tourists are exploring scenic and coastal cities beyond Seoul.
Tokyo(โตเกียว)ℹ️
A formerly primary popular city in Japan now seeing travelers seek alternatives.
Osaka(โอซาก้า)ℹ️
A formerly primary popular city in Japan now seeing travelers seek alternatives.
Sapporo(ซัปโปโร)ℹ️
A secondary city in Japan gaining traction among Thai travelers for local experiences.
Fukuoka(ฟุกุโอกะ)ℹ️
A secondary city in Japan gaining traction among Thai travelers for local experiences.
Nagoya(นาโกย่า)ℹ️
A secondary city in Japan gaining traction among Thai travelers for local experiences.
Shanghai(เซี่ยงไฮ้)ℹ️
A primary popular city in China that Thai travelers are now exploring beyond.
Beijing(ปักกิ่ง)ℹ️
A primary popular city in China that Thai travelers are now exploring beyond.
Chengdu(เฉิงตู)ℹ️
A secondary city in China gaining popularity among Thai travelers.
Guangzhou(กว่างโจว)ℹ️
A secondary city in China gaining popularity among Thai travelers.
Shenzhen(เซินเจิ้น)ℹ️
A secondary city in China gaining popularity among Thai travelers.
Seoul(โซล)ℹ️
The capital of South Korea, traditionally a shopping destination, now seeing less exclusive focus from Thai travelers compared to other scenic areas.
Busan(ปูซาน)ℹ️
A coastal city in South Korea gaining traction among Thai travelers for its scenic beauty and nature retreats.
Daegu(แทกู)ℹ️
A city in South Korea gaining traction among Thai travelers for its scenic beauty and nature retreats.
Jeju(เชจู)ℹ️
A city in South Korea gaining traction among Thai travelers for its scenic beauty and nature retreats.
Yeosu(ยอซู)ℹ️
A city in South Korea gaining traction among Thai travelers for its scenic beauty and nature retreats.

Person

Tipaporn Duangmak(นางสาวทิภาพร ดวงมาก)
Country Manager for Thailand at Traveloka, who commented on the shift in Thai travel behavior.

Timeline

June 2 – 6, 2026(2 – 6 มิถุนายน 2026)
The period during which Traveloka's Mid-Year Sale 6.6 campaign is active.