A burgeoning segment of travellers is planning their vacations around events and experiences. In Trip.com Group’s Momentum 2025 Report, the findings revealed that 66% of APAC respondents have planned vacations around concerts, and a similar amount indicated a willingness to travel internationally to watch their favourite artists perform.
Many are also prioritising the event over the venue, with cost being a concern. More than half (55%) of Hong Kong respondents mentioned that they would be willing to travel to remote or lesser-known cities for cheaper tickets. This view was shared among respondents in Malaysia, (78%), South Korea (72%) and Japan (60%).
The growing impact of social media may have a hand in shaping this. The report observed that viral content on platforms like TikTok already influences almost half (45%) of travellers' booking decisions, as users seek out choices with more social media appeal.
This can take the form of either upscale accommodations or niche experiences; price-sensitive younger travellers feed into this. Edmund Ong, general manager at Trip.com Singapore, noted how most younger travellers prefer to spend more on their lodgings over their service carrier. “It’s an age of social media; nicer accommodations are much more ‘Instagrammable’ compared to an aircraft cabin,” he said.
The growth of experiential travel is a factor as well, with dark sky gazing (37%), underwater hotel stays (30%), cultural immersion stays (20%) and rural glamping (13%) emerging as micro-trends for 2025.
Meanwhile, Trip.com Singapore reflected on a strong year of growth in 2024, showing a 106% increase in outbound flights from Singapore, with Malaysia, China and Thailand being the top three destinations. Premium cabin booking also went up (95%), as did short-haul flights (105%), mid-haul flights (103%) and hotel bookings (130%).
For inbound travel, Singapore saw the majority of its visitors arriving from China, Hong Kong and Malaysia, with approximately 75% of hotel bookings made through Trip.com going to four- to five-star hotels. About a third of trips to Singapore were also made with family travel in mind, and Universal Studios Singapore, Gardens By The Bay and the Night Safari topped the list of local attractions.