2 Factors to Shape Asia Pacific Travel and Tourism by 2027
Could the Asia Pacific tourism landscape of 2025-2027 witness a shift where wellness retreats gain prominence over bustling city tours, and sustainable, immersive experiences become the preferred choice over mass-market attractions? This potential future points to a scenario where post-pandemic health priorities, eco-consciousness, geopolitical states, and key outbound markets set to reshape travel demands. It challenges businesses to explore a new era of personalised, mindful tourism, while remaining adaptable to the uncertainties that lie ahead.
In a recent PATA Webinar, "Tourism’s Next Chapter: Beyond Recovery to Future-Ready Growth," Professor Haiyan Song, Associate Dean, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, provided expert insights into these critical trends. This blog post focuses on a few key takeaways from the session, mainly the two factors set to shape Asia Pacific travel and tourism in 2025 - 2027.
Let’s get into it!
The Rise of Wellness Tourism
A significant trend, expected to continue through 2025-2027, is the increasing demand for wellness-focused travel. The pandemic has accelerated this shift, with travellers prioritising health and wellbeing.
This translates to a surge in interest in destinations offering preventative health practices, such as yoga and hot springs, as well as opportunities for digital detox. Consumers, having experienced prolonged online exposure, are seeking escapes that promote mental well-being.
Introducing the right products and services is as important as providing access to wellness-focused destinations. This growing preference presents both challenges and opportunities. One of which is how wellness tourism can be perceived as expensive, which leads to a clear demand for affordable options. Furthermore, travellers are increasingly conscious of sustainability, favouring eco-friendly products and experiences over mass tourism.
As wellness tourism is expected to gain more popularity, here are some strategies that businesses can look into!
Tourism businesses should proactively develop and promote wellness-focused products and services that cater to the growing demand. This could involve creating packages with yoga retreats, spa treatments, or digital detox programmes.
Offer sustainable tourism options to attract environmentally conscious travellers. Promote eco-friendly accommodations, support local businesses, and minimise the environmental impact of tourism activities.
To effectively support wellness tourism, destinations must invest in adequate infrastructure. This includes improving transportation, accommodation, and recreational facilities.
Last but not least, capturing the growing traveller segments requires businesses and destinations alike to adapt their products and services to meet the specific needs and expectations of their target groups.
Here are the top 4 source markets Asia Pacific destinations should keep an eye on*:
China: With over 54 million travellers expected to visit Hong Kong SAR and more than 33 million heading to Macao, China remains a dominant force in the region. Popular destinations like Thailand, Japan, and Korea (ROK) will continue to attract Chinese travellers.
United States: By 2027, the Asia Pacific region could see 47 million US visitors. While Canada and Hawaii remain top choices, Türkiye is gaining traction as an increasingly popular choice for American travellers.
Korea (ROK): Korean travel patterns are expected to revert to pre-pandemic norms, with strong interest in Japan, China, and Vietnam. At the same time, destinations like Thailand and Malaysia are poised to become even more popular among Korean tourists.
Canada: The US is projected to welcome over 23 million Canadian visitors, reinforcing its position as the top destination. However, Canadian interest in Asia Pacific is on the rise, with more travellers eyeing destinations like China, Japan, India, and Hawaii.
For example, based on these projections, Hong Kong SAR and Macao could benefit from developing health programmes tailored to Chinese travellers. Meanwhile, Türkiye may unlock new opportunities in wellness tourism by investing in offerings that align with American travellers' preferences.
*The presented data in this blog reflects the medium scenario. For more on future traveller flows, get a copy of the newly released Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts 2025-2027
Unpredictable Global Geopolitics
External factors, such as trade policies, tariffs, and visa regulations, significantly influence travel patterns within the Asia Pacific region, and are expected to continue to do so through the 2025-2027 period. Price increases and supply chain disruptions resulting from trade policies can impact both inbound and outbound travel. Similarly, currency fluctuations can affect destination affordability, with devaluation potentially boosting inbound tourism.
Environmental and ethical concerns are also reshaping travel choices—travellers are increasingly seeking sustainable products and experiences, reflecting a broader shift towards responsible travel.
To navigate the complexities of global geopolitics and shifting travel patterns, tourism businesses need to stay informed about geopolitical developments and their potential impact on travel patterns. Monitoring trade policies, visa regulations, and currency fluctuations will allow businesses to anticipate and adapt to changes.
This blog is inspired by insights shared during the "Tourism’s Next Chapter: Beyond Recovery to Future-Ready Growth" webinar. We extend our gratitude to Professor Haiyan Song, Associate Dean, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, for sharing their expertise and perspectives on the evolving tourism landscape. PATA Members, access the full webinar recording at the PATA Info Hub.
For a deeper dive into inbound, outbound, and market source data across mild, medium, and severe scenarios for the 2025-2027 Asia Pacific travel and tourism forecast, view and download the full Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts 2025-2027 available at www.pata.org/catalog.