Asia-Pacific's Autumn Travel Boom Sees Rising Demand for Emerging Destinations

Trip.com Group's latest data shows strong growth in emerging destinations across Asia-Pacific, with travelers moving beyond traditional hotspots and exploring a broader range of cities.

Fastest-Growing Cities in Asia-Pacific
- Year-over-year booking growth for autumn travel:
- Chiang Mai, Thailand: +84.3%
- Surabaya, Indonesia: +63.1%
- Busan, South Korea: +62.7%
- Manila, Philippines: +55.1%
- Jakarta, Indonesia: +38.1%
- Travelers from Mainland China are a major driver of this growth, showing increasing interest in affordable, short-haul trips and lesser-explored destinations.

South Korea's Strong Momentum
- South Korea is experiencing robust travel demand across multiple destinations:
- Busan: +62.7%
- Seoul: +37.1%
- Jeju City: +31.4%
- This suggests travelers are expanding beyond Seoul to experience a wider variety of destinations within the country.

Japan Dominates Autumn Foliage Tourism
- Japan secured 11 of the world's top 12 autumn foliage attractions in Trip.Best's 2026 rankings.
- Top-ranked locations include:
- Arashiyama (Kyoto) - #1 globally
- Kiyomizu-dera Temple (Kyoto)
- Tōfuku-ji Temple (Kyoto)
- Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (Tokyo)
- Osaka Castle Park (Osaka)
- The results highlight Japan's continued strength as a premier destination for seasonal travel experiences.

Gen Z Driving Travel Growth
- Among all generations:
- Gen Z recorded the fastest growth in flight bookings, achieving double-digit year-over-year increases.
- Boomers and Gen X also posted double-digit growth.
- Millennials remained the largest traveler segment, accounting for nearly half of hotel and flight bookings.
- Travelers are also taking longer trips:
- Average hotel stays in Mainland China have increased to slightly more than two nights.
- 62.7% of bookings included two or more cities, indicating growing interest in multi-destination itineraries.

Social and AI-Driven Travel Discovery
- Interest in autumn travel inspiration is surging on Trip.com's community platform, Trip.Moments:
- Autumn-viewing posts: +203% year-over-year
- Comments: +616% year-over-year
- To support trip planning, Trip.com is expanding its AI-powered Trip Discovery Agent, which helps users discover and compare destinations directly within the app.

Bottom Line
- SupxxivenessThe data points to three major trends shaping autumn travel in Asia-Pacific:
- Growing interest in emerging regional destinations rather than only traditional tourist hubs.
- Strong demand for nature- and experience-driven travel, especially Japan's autumn foliage destinations.
- Increasing influence of Gen Z travelers and AI-powered travel discovery tools in shaping booking behavior.