Asia's travel boom is back – here's where everyone's going in 2025
According to the latest figures from UN Tourism's World Tourism Barometer, Asia-Pacific welcomed 13% more international travellers in early 2025 (compared to the same period in 2024), reaching 92% of pre-pandemic levels. It's the strongest the region has been since borders reopened, and we reckon that the momentum is still building.
Northeast Asia (including Japan, South Korea, and China) is leading the charge, with a massive 23% jump in arrivals compared to this time last year.
If we break it down by country though, Vietnam is the Asian destination that everyone's talking about – and flying to. The country saw a 30% jump in tourist arrivals early this year, which is pretty much in line with reports that its tourism-related search growth has overtaken other heavyweights like Thailand and Singapore. Are we surprised? Not at all – the country has long been an underrated gem, with everything from gorgeous beaches along its long coast, stunning highlands in the north, and vibrant cities with growing food, drink, and thrifting scenes.
Japan is another tourism powerhouse, recording a 23% jump in inbound travellers in the first quarter of 2025. This is perhaps to the dismay of residents in hot spots like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, who have been speaking out about the impact of overtourism on their daily lives. We're not stopping you from travelling to Japan, though; but perhaps consider quieter prefectures that offer just as much, but with fewer crowds.
UN Tourism's data highlights two other APAC destinations: Palau, a Micronesian archipelago, which saw a 20% jump in tourist arrivals, as well as South Korea, with a 14% jump in tourist arrivals.
You can see the worldwide statistics on the UN Tourism website.
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