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AGODA’s digital travel platform spotlights the growing trend of secondary destinations in honor of this year’s World Tourism Day. Agoda has observed a trend of tourists seeking out unique experiences, leading to an increase in searches for accommodations in destinations that are not commonly visited, even beyond the well-known tourist attractions.
This trend not only enhances vacation experiences but also generates new economic opportunities for local communities. Agoda data indicates that interest in secondary destinations grew at a rate 15% higher than that of primary destinations during the same period in 2023.
This shift was evident in several of the most popular tourism markets in Asia, including Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand, whose governments were actively promoting alternative destinations.
In Indonesia, for instance, the government has introduced five alternative tours to complement Bali, including Lake Toba and Labuan Bajo, as part of its strategic initiative to diversify tourism destinations. This initiative is accompanied by substantial investments in infrastructure development, underscoring a commitment to enhancing the tourism sector’s competitiveness and sustainability.
Increased flight connectivity is also expected to encourage the growth of secondary destinations in Indonesia, with new potential routes such as Bangkok-Kertajati, Kuala Lumpur-Semarang, and Singapore-Labuan Bajo.
In line with this trend, secondary destinations in Indonesia demonstrated robust growth, with a 57% surge in search activity during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2023. This represents a 28% increase compared to the primary destination.
As a digital travel platform, Agoda plays an important role in promoting secondary destinations in Asia by facilitating the transition of accommodation in rural areas to digital platforms, thus enhancing the accessibility of these destinations for tourists. Agoda also collaborates with Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) to promote lesser-known destinations through data and marketing campaigns.
According to Omri Morgeshtern, Agoda’s CEO, the rise in popularity of secondary destinations presents a significant opportunity to foster greater equity in the tourism industry while catalyzing economic growth at the local level.
Agoda is pleased to support this initiative by introducing these destinations to the global community. We believe that the distribution of tourism benefits has a positive impact on the community.
To commemorate World Tourism Day, Agoda has initiated a promotional campaign, dubbed the World Tourism Day Sale. From September 24 to October 8, tourists can enjoy hotel discounts of up to 60%, along with exclusive flash sales on September 27 and October 6 with discounts of up to 70%, as well as special offers for flights and activities. [sources/photo special]
