Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider. It revealed insights into the travel behavior of Southeast Asian tourists at the event Trip.Best Roadshow: Southeast Asia Travel Trends Unpacked. The data highlights a major shift among Thai travelers, who are increasingly interested in visiting China's secondary cities, surpassing Japan, led by "Chongqing, Chengdu, and Guangzhou." Travel styles have shifted to emphasize cultural tourism to gain new experiences.
Data from Trip.Best in 2025 shows China emerging as a rising star destination for Thai tourists, with triple-digit growth led by "Shanghai," ranking first with a 334% increase in visits year-over-year, followed by "Hong Kong" with 52% growth. A notable finding is that China's secondary cities (China second-tier cities) have become the fastest-growing destination choice this year, surpassing popular Japanese cities like Tokyo and Osaka.
"Chongqing" has become the fastest-growing destination among Thai tourists, with visits on Trip.Best increasing by 395% year-over-year and bookings surging by 828%, while "Chengdu" saw visits grow by 427%, followed by "Beijing" and "Guangzhou," with visit increases of 252% and 209%, respectively.
Edmund Ong, Senior Director for Southeast Asia and General Manager for Singapore, noted that secondary cities like Chongqing are famous for their bold, spicy cuisine similar to Thai food and unique cultural attractions, making them popular destinations for Thai tourists seeking authentic experiences. Thai travelers are redefining tourism in ASEAN—from traditional sightseeing to deeper cultural immersion and participation.
Meanwhile, data shows a similar rising interest in China's secondary cities among ASEAN tourists. For example, Malaysia's hotel bookings in Chongqing grew by 599%, and Singapore's bookings increased by 381%, supported by China's visa exemption policies for Southeast Asian countries, enabling China to attract more tourists from neighboring nations in the region.
China's Popularity Rises Across the Region
Chongqing's growing popularity among tourists is also driven by social media trends featuring viral images and videos of natural and futuristic architectural sites, such as monorails passing through residential buildings and terraced skyscrapers on mountains. Its geographic proximity makes Chongqing an attractive destination for young ASEAN travelers who can enter China visa-free.
Moreover, reports from various sources agree that in the past one to two years, "China" has been recognized as an emerging star destination in Asia—not only Chongqing but many cities across mainland China are attracting increasing tourist flows.
According toKlook Travel Pulse,China ranks as the second must-visit destination for Millennials and Gen Z travelers, behind Japan. Its appeal partly comes from cultural experiences such as traditional costume photography and performances combining theater, music, and dance.
For example, the ancient-themed (Hanfu) photoshoots are trending among Chinese and foreign tourists, offering opportunities to wear Hanfu costumes with wigs and makeup before sharing photos on social media. Activities like Gong yan in Shanghai include banquet-style meals, costume dressing, and cultural performances. The report also notes that beyond social media trends, China's tourism service quality has markedly improved, with accessible prices and better facilities in hotels and tourist sites.
The interesting trend reflects that "China" is emerging as a "new competitor" to ASEAN tourism destinations and may significantly impact smaller countries that heavily rely on Chinese tourists.
Over the past decade, ASEAN has benefited greatly from Chinese tourist flows, with Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos relying heavily on tourism revenue from Chinese travelers. However, as demand to travel within mainland China surges—fueled by viral social media, infrastructure development, service quality upgrades, and relaxed visa policies—China is becoming a "magnet" attracting tourists within the region, not just a source of outbound tourists.
China's growth as a destination may draw tourism market share away from ASEAN countries, especially younger travelers seeking novel experiences. Cities like Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi'an, and Changsha offer what Gen Z desires: cultural experiences, "viral" locations, convenient transport, and good value.
For ASEAN countries that have traditionally competed primarily among themselves, China's upgraded tourism offerings present a new competitive challenge in the Asian tourism market. Countries dependent on Chinese tourists, such as Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, may face increased risks from several factors, including:
A significant portion of Chinese tourist spending may shift back to domestic travel, while ASEAN tourists increasingly travel to China, creating two-way competition for regional countries—from losing Chinese visitors and from their own populations traveling abroad.
Markets relying on high-volume tourism with little risk diversification may be most affected. ASEAN may need to rethink and reposition its offerings toward unique experiences such as culture, wellness, or nature to compete with China's rapidly growing tourism system.
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