Agoda study reveals Thais making more adventurous choices for domestic travel
Travel booking data reveals a shift towards lesser known destinations, as domestic travel dominated travel agendas, and Thais looked for more off-the-beaten track domestic destinations.
The study was conducted by digital travel platform Agoda, which looked at Thailand’s most booked destinations over the past two years (year-end June 2020 to year-end June 2021).
Agoda’s booking data, however, still shows Bangkok at No.1, followed by Pattaya and Chiang Mai, as the top three most booked domestic destinations.
Agoda compared booking data to identify destination trends and found Khao Lak make the biggest jump, moving up 23 spots to No. 22, Nakhon Nayok moved up 15 places to No. 46, and Sukhothai landed at No. 30, jumping 14 spots. These destinations might not be in the domestic top 10, but they signified Thai travellers’ desire to seek new domestic experiences, Agoda said. Additionally, the top 20 movers included Nakhon Si Thammarat, up from No. 20 to No. 12, while Koh Chang entered the top 20, jumping from 23rd to 18th spot.
New interests
During the past year, when domestic tourism became more popular, Thai travellers got more adventurous in their travels, and this saw new destinations joining the top 50 including Koh Kood (No. 44), Nakhon Nayok (No. 46), Lopburi (No. 49), and Loei (No. 50).
Koh Kood is a beautiful tropical paradise on the Eastern Seaboard, known for its unspoiled beaches and relaxing atmosphere. Nakhon Nayok is the perfect escape for city-dwellers who need a short break away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and like visiting waterfalls, temples, and cafés. Lopburi and the nearby Pasak Jolasid dam, the longest clay dam in Thailand, are popular for more than its famous monkeys, with the Khok Tum community market a popular hang-out. Loei is best-known for its rolling hills and stunning views, attracting many people for a peaceful break.
Top 10 domestic travel destinations
Between June 2020 and 2021, Phuket and Chonburi dropped marginally in the top 10, both slipping one spot. Meanwhile more off-beat destinations like Kanchanaburi knocked Chiang Rai out the top 10 in 2021. Overall, the top 10 destinations continue to be dominated by Thailand’s most popular and well-known holiday beach and coastal destinations, Agoda said.
Conversely the destinations that saw the sharpest dips in ranking for domestic travel were Koh Phi Phi, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Koh Lanta, and Pai, slipping more than 10 spots in the rankings, Agoda said.