Tourism

Afghanistan, long marred by decades of conflict, is witnessing an unexpected and slow revival in tourism since the return of Taliban rule, according to the latest report by the Associated Press. The current rulers, whose government has not yet been recognized by the international community, are actively encouraging foreign visitation, touting the revenue and cultural exchange potential for a nation in deep economic and social flux (apnews.com).

For Thai readers, the story offers a gripping lens into how economic desperation, societal transformation, and international isolation can upend even the most unlikely sectors—like tourism—in conflict-ridden nations. As Thailand’s own tourism industry serves as the economic backbone and a major conduit for cultural dialogue, the Afghan situation is a case study in how travel and tourism can become both a form of soft diplomacy and a crucible for ethical debate.

Leisure travel is set to become a $15 trillion powerhouse by 2040, according to a landmark study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), signaling an era of unprecedented opportunity—and challenge—for airlines, hotels, and tour operators worldwide. The report forecasts that the sector will triple in value from $5 trillion in 2024, driven by shifting demographics, fresh travel motivations, and groundbreaking use of digital technology in planning and experiences. These profound shifts carry particularly significant ramifications for Thailand, an established tourism hub in Asia primed to benefit—and compete—in this new global travel order.

Desperate for relief from pain and promising a chance to turn back the clock, affluent medical tourists are now spending up to $60,000 for unproven stem-cell injections in offshore clinics—a trend that experts warn is driven by hype, hope, and significant regulatory gaps. High-end patients from Silicon Valley and beyond are boarding flights to destinations like the Bahamas, Panama, and Costa Rica, seeking these exclusive therapies that remain illegal or tightly restricted in the United States due to safety concerns and a lack of clinical validation. This new “luxury medical tourism” is quickly becoming a global industry, raising major questions about risk, reward, and responsibility for Thailand, one of the world’s leading medical tourism hubs.

A recent study unveils that Aspen, Colorado—renowned for its ski slopes and luxury lifestyle—has overtaken iconic metropolises like New York City as the most expensive tourist destination in the United States, spotlighting shifting trends in travel costs and expectations for both Thai and global tourists. According to a comprehensive cost analysis by GOBankingRates and highlighted by Travel + Leisure, a three-night trip for two adults to Aspen will cost an average of $2,708, factoring in hotels, flights, and meals, representing the pinnacle of pricey travel in 2025. (Travel + Leisure)

Tourists seeking an experience beyond the ordinary are increasingly looking to Mongolia, where vast steppes, nomadic traditions, and untouched nature offer a unique journey unlike anywhere else in Asia. According to travel advisers highlighted in a recent Business Insider article, Mongolia’s tourism is gaining attention as a rare destination for those eager to wander off the beaten path and engage deeply with authentic local culture and dramatic landscapes. This trend holds special appeal for adventurous Thai travellers and those in search of meaningful, sustainable tourism.

As global travel rebounds with unprecedented force, new research warns that the benefits of mass tourism may be shadowed by serious costs—both for beloved destinations and their residents. In 2024, a staggering 1.4 billion people traveled internationally, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, accounting for roughly one in six people worldwide. For many communities, this surge has been a mixed blessing: while it has brought economic prosperity, it is also overwhelming town centers, fracturing local cultures, inflating living costs, and jeopardizing the pristine sites that first drew visitors from afar (UNWTO).

A growing number of globetrotters are bypassing hotels and short-term rentals in favor of a new travel trend: house-sitting tourism. This emerging phenomenon allows travelers to secure free accommodations by caring for someone else’s home—and often their pets—while the owners are away, creating win-win scenarios for both sides and reshaping how people experience destinations worldwide (USA Today, BBC, Business Insider).

The evolution of house-sitting tourism has been fueled by rising global travel costs and the proliferation of digital platforms connecting homeowners with would-be house sitters. With platforms like TrustedHousesitters reporting a 14% increase in membership between 2023 and 2024, now exceeding 240,000 global users, the model has shifted from a niche option for pet lovers or retirees to a mainstream choice embraced by solo travelers, remote workers, millennials, and baby boomers alike (USA Today).

Eco-tourism is emerging as a critical ally in the fight to save endangered sea turtles in the Florida Keys, turning tourist curiosity and compassion into vital support for veterinary care and conservation. At the famed Turtle Hospital in Marathon, veterinarians face mounting financial pressures, yet visitor engagement is proving key to their continued success in saving countless marine lives. This model, blending wildlife education and tourism, holds profound lessons for conservation initiatives in Thailand and around the world.

As protests against mass tourism flare up once again across Europe’s most visited destinations, the continent is experimenting with ambitious new strategies to strike a balance between tourism and residents’ quality of life. Policymakers, tourism boards, and local communities from Switzerland to Spain and Germany are rolling out innovative programs to fight overcrowding, preserve natural and cultural heritage, and rethink the very nature of travel in a post-pandemic age. The struggle underway in Europe offers vital lessons for Thailand, which faces its own battles with overtourism in places like Phuket, Chiang Mai, and the islands of the Andaman and the Gulf.

A newly published study in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications has unveiled a significant connection between an individual’s childhood socio-economic status and their likelihood of seeking out wellness tourism as adults. The research deploys advanced analytical methods to deepen our understanding of this emerging trend, offering insights that may inform how Thailand’s tourism industry strategises for a post-pandemic future and addresses wider issues of health equity.

The report, titled “Relationship between childhood socio-economic status and wellness tourism intention: a combined PLS-SEM and NCA methods” (nature.com), highlights the psychological and social factors that drive people to invest in travel experiences tailored for health and wellbeing. By leveraging both Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA), the study provides a robust framework to map out how early life experiences impact adult travel preferences.

A Shanghai bookstore renowned for its futuristic interior design, which has been drawing enthusiastic crowds even through the recent summer rainstorms, is being lauded as one of the city’s latest cultural and tourism landmarks. Locals and visitors alike are flocking to the site, which has, since its 2013 opening, become a shining symbol of the dramatic transformation underway in China’s traditional bookstore sector (CGTN).

The emergence of this bookstore as a magnet for both culture-seekers and tourists is emblematic of broader shifts in urban China, where physical bookstores are evolving from mere retail outlets into experiential destinations. Despite the digital boom—e-books, online retailers, and audiobooks—demand for tactile, immersive reading environments persists and appears to be growing, particularly among younger generations and urban professionals seeking communal experiences and creative inspiration.

A landmark international study has found that despite twenty years of climate pledges, the global tourism industry has made scant progress towards reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, calling into question the sector’s commitment and strategies for climate action. The research, carried out by teams at Sweden’s Linnaeus University and Canada’s University of Waterloo, analyzes the effectiveness of climate declarations from leading tourism organizations and governments since 2003. The findings reveal that while climate commitments abound, meaningful results—especially in terms of emissions reductions—remain elusive, raising urgent concerns for countries like Thailand where tourism is a national economic pillar and environmental sustainability is increasingly central to policy and public debate (Skift).

Amid the global resurgence of travel, a new trend is captivating both visitors and Thais alike: nostalgia tourism, which sees travelers gravitating toward places, experiences, and traditions that evoke cherished memories and offer emotional comfort. Recent research and industry reports reveal that this phenomenon is not merely a passing fad but a powerful movement reshaping tourism in 2025 throughout Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region—rekindling interest in historic districts, family-run eateries, traditional festivals, and “retro” vacation spots that promise the warmth of the familiar in a rapidly changing world.

An unprecedented surge in tourism is transforming Luang Prabang, Laos’ ancient capital, into an economic bright spot and prompting experts to ask: can the rest of the country follow its path to prosperity, or will deep structural challenges hold back broader progress? The city’s experience offers lessons not only for Laos but also for neighboring countries like Thailand, where tourism’s impact on development is increasingly debated.

In just a few years, Luang Prabang has witnessed an economic renaissance. As recently as 2012, its central Sisavangvong Road saw only a smattering of foreign backpackers and tourist amenities were sparse. Fast forward to 2025, and the picture has changed dramatically. According to official figures, the city saw a stunning 162% increase in visitors year over year as of April 2025, with the Lonely Planet crowning it Asia’s top travel destination for 2025 (DW). Handicraft markets now line vibrant alleyways, quirky bars spill onto once-quiet streets, and international travelers fill hotels and restaurants that now serve global clientele.

In a development reshaping the Southeast Asian tourism landscape, Malaysia has claimed the top spot as the region’s premier tourism destination, surpassing Thailand for the first time in years, according to official 2024 statistics published yesterday by multiple tourism boards (e.vnexpress.net). Malaysia welcomed an impressive 9.57 million international arrivals so far this year, edging out Thailand at 9.55 million. The new figures highlight shifting regional dynamics and bring pressing questions for Thai tourism’s future.

A new wave of “bakery tourism” is sweeping across the world as travelers transform flaky pastries and artisan breads into sought-after cultural experiences. This movement isn’t fueled by Michelin stars, but by the lure of the perfect croissant. According to recent reporting by the BBC, bakery enthusiasts—or “pastry pilgrims”—now travel long distances, both locally and internationally, to sample artisanal baked goods, share the experience online, and support local bakeries. The trend’s surging popularity raises intriguing questions for Thailand, where café and bakery culture is blossoming and social media is reshaping how Thais think about travel and food.

As international tourism rebounds to near-historic highs in 2024, destinations across the globe, including Thailand, are grappling with the complex challenge of overtourism. Recent insights published by Deutsche Welle reveal that around 1.5 billion people travelled for leisure last year, marking it as the second busiest year for global tourism ever recorded, surpassed only by 2019 (DW). This surge has reignited urgent debates about the sustainability of tourism, with mounting evidence that unchecked visitor volumes can damage local environments, disrupt daily life, and strain vital infrastructures.

International tourists, once a familiar sight at American landmarks and city centers during the peak summer vacation months, are increasingly opting to take their holidays elsewhere, according to the latest news analysis and tourism research. With North America’s iconic destinations now reporting fewer foreign visitors—particularly from Canada, Europe, and other long-standing source markets—the trend signals a shift with broad implications for both the global and Thai tourism sectors (Wall Street Journal via MSN).

The global sports tourism industry is enjoying unprecedented growth, drawing ever-larger crowds and delivering impressive economic returns—a wave Thailand is determined to ride with its new ‘Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025’ campaign. As fresh research and sector analysis unveil new market trends and visitor expectations, Thailand is positioning itself as a regional leader in attracting sports-minded travelers, blending world-class events with rich local culture and hospitality.

Sports tourism—a travel segment centered on either attending or participating in sporting events—has become one of the most dynamic drivers in the broader tourism market. In 2023 alone, sports tourism generated an estimated $564.7 billion globally, and forecasts predict this figure will more than double, reaching $1.33 trillion by 2032, outpacing growth rates in traditional leisure tourism. Reports from leading travel and research organizations, including Research and Markets and Marriott Bonvoy, reveal that approximately 10% of all global tourism can now be traced to sporting events, fan pilgrimages, and sports-related activities (ConsumerAffairs).