Thais go it alone

According to research conducted by Booking.com, three in five Thais (62 percent) are planning to travel solo for the first time this year.
Whilst travelling for the first time can be a scary prospect, three in four (79 per cent) feel it is worth it to be able to see a new place, and more than half (55 per cent) believe any nerves felt when they travelled somewhere for the first time have usually been unwarranted.
The research reveals that 11 per cent had their first travel experience somewhere outside Thailand and that most are planning to head to far-flung destinations. Among the top international destinations for Thai travellers are Siem Reap in Cambodia, Seoul and Jeju of South Korea, Kyoto, Tokyo and Osaka in Japan, Beijing in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
From cobalt blue seas, adventurous roof-down road trips and delicious cuisine – social media feeds are full of the filtered fantasy of the travel dreams. So it’s no wonder that the research reveals how social media is playing a hugely important role in deciding where to go for a first-time travel experience, especially with 18 to 34 year olds. In fact, about half (49 per cent) of millennials said that they use social media posts to help them remember their first-time travel experiences.
The research reveals how first-time travel ignites the travel bug for Thais with three in five (60 percent) confirming their first-time travel experiences inspired them to try a new or different type of travel experience or accommodation the next time. In fact, almost half are planning to be more adventurous in their next travel plans with three in five (67 per cent) resolving to travel further away from home.
The types of first-time experiences people want to try this year is also broadening beyond the traditional beach holidays or city explorations, with road trips proving to a popular choice (44 per cent), followed by eco tours (39 per cent), spiritual adventures (23 per cent) and volunteering-based trips (21 per cent) selected by wanderlust travellers in their travel plans.