Ahead of World Tourism Day, Agoda has revealed that many travellers are now leaning towards secondary destinations for their holidays. The digital travel platform has noted a sharp rise in accommodation searches for some lesser-known tourist spots.
Secondary Destinations On The Rise For Travellers
Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/ Aleksandar Pasaric
Secondary destinations generally refer to cities or places within a popular region that don’t usually see a very high number of travellers. But according to Agoda, many tourists in 2025 are now increasingly searching for these destinations to seek unique and offbeat experiences. The platform has recorded a significant surge in accommodation searches for such locales, in some cases even surpassing traditional hotspots. Searches for secondary destinations have grown 15% faster than top-tier destinations compared to the same period in 2023.
The trend is especially visible in Asia’s most popular tourism markets such as India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand. Japan’s marketing push for regional tourism and India’s UDAN regional connectivity scheme are also driving this change. For the uninitiated, the UDAN scheme was launched by the Government of India to help airlines operate flights on underserved regional routes.
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A New Way Of Exploring
Exploring secondary destinations allows travellers to experience new cultures and discover more authentic aspects of a region beyond crowded tourist hubs. As a digital travel platform, Agoda is also playing a key role in promoting Asia’s secondary cities by helping rural properties transition to digital platforms, making them more visible and accessible.
Omri Morgenshtern, CEO of Agoda, shared, “The increasing popularity of secondary destinations provides an opportunity to create a more prosperous travel industry and boost local economies. Agoda is proud to support this transformation by raising the profile of these locations to a global audience, as we know spreading the tourism dollar more widely brings a wide range of benefits to communities.”
Gaurav Malik, Country Director, Indian Subcontinent and Indian Ocean Islands, Agoda, also expressed his thoughts and said, “At Agoda, we’re committed to supporting this trend by making it easier for both domestic and international travellers to discover and book stays in these emerging destinations.”
He further added, “We have seen a remarkable 19% rise in travel to secondary destinations, driven in part by initiatives such as regional air connectivity under the UDAN scheme. This shift gives travelers the opportunity to explore India’s diverse cultural and natural heritage, as well as helps spread the economic benefits to local communities.”
World Tourism Day Offers By Agoda
To celebrate World Tourism Day, Agoda has launched a special sales campaign. Running from September 24 to October 8, travellers can avail up to 60% off on hotel bookings. Exclusive flash sales between September 27 and October 6 will offer up to 70% off, along with special deals on flights and activities. Travellers with Agoda VIP membership will also get early access to deals from September 21 to 23.
Also Read: Akasa Air’s ‘Lock Your Fare’ Lets Travellers Hold Flight Prices And Confirm Booking Later
This recent data by Agoda highlights that travellers are increasingly looking to explore more local cultures instead of sticking to already hyped-up cities.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/ Jeffry S.S. (Representative Image)
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First Published: September 16, 2025 4:51 PM
AloJapan.com