Read on for more highlights from Expedia's 2018 Year in Review, including trending places, local and international destinations, as well as hotels Malaysians booked to stay at in 2018.
2018: The Year We Stayed Close to Home
Expedia crunched flight data from 2018 to determine the top travel spots, and it was clear that Thai travellers are choosing to explore local destinations, which may not be surprising as Thailand has a lot to offer - from adventure seekers to laid back sandy beaches, and a delightful culinary experience - there is something for everybody.
These popular destinations garnered more than 50 percent growth year on year from 2017.
Trending Destinations 2018
Rank Destination
1 Sakon Nakhon, Thailand
2 Nakhon Phanom, Thailand
3 Nan, Thailand
4 Buri Ram, Thailand
5 Loei, Thailand
6 Roi Et, Thailand
7 Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
8 Phitsanulok, Thailand
9 Narathiwat, Thailand
10 Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
Based on air travel demand on Expedia.com from January 1, 2018 – November 1, 2018 compared to the same timeframe in 2017
Other international destinations that Thais hopped on the plane for include: Hong Kong, Tokyo, Osaka, Singapore and Taipei
Hotels continue to be top choice of accommodation for Thais
We looked at accommodation types that saw increased demand this year, and the results show that Thai travellers prefer the comfort of staying in a hotel or traditional resort, instead of roughing it out at other alternative lodging options. Despite the numerous long weekends and public holidays, Thais only stayed an average of 1.9 days at hotels.
The Top 5 hotel properties that Thai travellers enjoyed and booked to stay the most are:
1. Sotetsu Fresa Inn Ueno-Okachimachi, Tokyo
2. APA Hotel Asakusa Tawaramachi Ekimae, Tokyo
3. The Neelawat Riverside, Phunphin
4. V Hotel Lavender, Singapore
5. Amari Don Muang Airport, Bangkok
If you want to experience these properties next year, beat other Thais to it by booking through Expedia's mobile app – simply because it give you extra mobile-only discounts for hotels, and you can double your Expedia Reward points.
Busiest and least busy days to fly
Expedia's flight data confirms that travelling ahead of the holidays is bound to be hectic. However, the least busy travel days of the year also falls around the holidays and as for Thais, the most popular booking month is on April and the least popular booking month is May.
So, what's on your travel wish-list for 2019? Need some inspiration? Check out our Expedia Travel Blog for some travel inspiration, tips and more!