Trip.com Group Witnesses Double-digit Cross-border Growth for May Labour Day Holiday

• Trips to two or more cities increase by 60% compared to last year
• Triple-digit growth in alternative stays – popular among travellers in South Korea, Hong Kong SAR and Thailand
• Strong cross-border travel from China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam

SINGAPORE, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Labour Day holiday continues to be a peak travel period for many destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, with holiday-makers from Japan, Vietnam and the Chinese mainland seizing longer holiday public breaks for domestic or overseas getaways. Meanwhile, travellers from South Korea, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore and Thailand can enjoy a long weekend by combining the public holiday with annual leave.

Asia Tops the Charts, with Evolving Taste for Nature-based Alternative Accommodation

According to Trip.com Group's latest booking data, Asia-Pacific travellers are exhibiting a stronger interest in travelling closer to home this Labour Day holiday—be it domestically or regionally. The top five cross-border destinations include Japan, China, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia. Overall, Asia-Pacific key markets have seen close to triple-digit growth for domestic travel, and strong double-digit growth in cross-border travel this May holiday season.

Accommodation preferences are also evolving. Travellers are expanding beyond traditional hotels, leading to a surge in demand for apartments, villas, and inns. Alternative stays have seen triple-digit booking growth in markets such as South Korea, Thailand, and Hong Kong SAR.

Bookings are increasingly concentrated in destinations surrounded by nature—scenic lakes, mountains, national parks, and beaches are driving interest. Japan has emerged as a favourite for these types of stays, thanks to its hot springs, views of Mt. Fuji, and access to Hakone National Park.

Travellers are increasingly turning to coastal locations for villa stays, especially where sea views and beach access are front and centre. This shift is particularly noticeable among Chinese mainland, Japanese, and South Korean travellers. Bali, for example, is experiencing a notable uptick in villa bookings.

In line with this shift, searches for nature-based breaks and Instagrammable destinations have recorded triple-digit growth, highlighting a growing desire for aesthetically appealing escapes that offer tranquillity and a deeper connection to the natural environment.

Regional Travel Takes Off: China and Japan Lead the Way, South Korea and Vietnam Travel Growing

The Labour Day holiday remains a powerful driver of cross-border travel across Asia, particularly in China, with a five-day holiday from 1-5 May, while Japan celebrates its 'Golden Week' holiday from 29 April to 6 May. Trip.com Group data shows strong cross-border travel from China and Japan compared to 2024.

Top regional destinations for Chinese travellers include Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, while Japanese travellers are flocking to South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and the United States.

Notably, both South Korea and Vietnam have the opportunity to holiday for longer. Vietnam will celebrate a five-day holiday from Wednesday, 30 April to Sunday, 4 May, for Reunification Day and International Workers' Day, while South Korean travellers, on the other hand, can utilise two days of annual leave to get six days off between 1 May and 6 May.

As such, booking data shows a substantial increase in domestic and cross-border bookings for both markets. Vietnam is witnessing an increase of over 190% in domestic bookings, with cross-border bookings exceeding 150%.  The trend is similar for South Korea, with domestic bookings surging by nearly 190% and cross-border travel up by over 150%, indicating the impact of this extended May holiday.

A Rise in Multi-City Destinations and Flights Over Six Hours

Making the most of the holidays is an ever-appealing trend across Asia, reflected by multi-destination stays. Bookings for trips to two or more cities have increased by 60% compared to last year.

Asia-Pacific multi-city itineraries are designed around clusters of closely connected cities within a single country. Travellers from Malaysia, for instance, are choosing to explore both Chengdu and Chongqing during trips to China, while visitors from Hong Kong SAR are pairing visits to Kyoto and Osaka in Japan. Chinese tourists are also embracing this trend, favouring Japan and commonly combining Osaka and Tokyo into one seamless journey.

Flights over six hours are the fastest-growing flight segment, compared to last year. Long-haul journeys among South Korean travellers are reaching triple-digit growth, and Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese travellers are seeing strong double-digit increases.

As these long-haul trips rise in popularity, travellers are also opting to visit more than one destination per journey. Japanese tourists are opting for a blend of London and Barcelona, combining British heritage with Mediterranean vibrancy. Chinese travellers are exploring London and Edinburgh, capturing a north-south sweep of the UK. At the same time, South Korean visitors frequently pair London with Paris for a classic European twin-city experience.

Engaging Experiences and Gourmet Stops

Travellers continue to flock to Asia's most dynamic urban hubs, with Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Hong Kong SAR, and Bangkok emerging as the top cities. The surge reflects a consistent appetite for destinations that seamlessly blend vibrant street life, deep-rooted traditions, and must-try food experiences. Food-related searches have seen a notable uptick across the region, with almost 20% growth in culinary searches. Popular cuisines and local delicacies are increasingly influencing destination choice. Japanese cuisine is seeing the highest search volume for food in Osaka and Tokyo, representing the local food scene of these two popular cities.

At the same time, event tourism is rising. Concert tour bookings show double-digit growth for the May holiday. Notably, Japanese tourists are attending domestic music events, such as concerts by the Korean boy group Tomorrow X Together. Chinese mainland consumers favour events in South Korea, like HIPHOPPLAYA FESTIVAL 2025 and domestic events, such as the Beijing Strawberry Festival. Travellers departing from Hong Kong SAR are keen to catch homegrown talent Eason Chan, at his FEAR and DREAMS World Tour in Tokyo—all signalling travellers' increasing interest in combining cultural experiences with their travel plans.

The 2025 Labour Day holiday illustrates the growing complexity and choice being embraced by modern travellers—from nature-rich retreats and food-led journeys to long-haul, multi-stop adventures—highlighting a new era of discovery in global travel.

About Trip.com Group

Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world, with the mission "to pursue the perfect trip for a better world". Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com.

Follow us on: X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

• Trips to two or more cities increase by 60% compared to last year
• Triple-digit growth in alternative stays – popular among travellers in South Korea, Hong Kong SAR and Thailand
• Strong cross-border travel from China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam

SINGAPORE, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Labour Day holiday continues to be a peak travel period for many destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, with holiday-makers from Japan, Vietnam and the Chinese mainland seizing longer holiday public breaks for domestic or overseas getaways. Meanwhile, travellers from South Korea, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore and Thailand can enjoy a long weekend by combining the public holiday with annual leave.

Asia Tops the Charts, with Evolving Taste for Nature-based Alternative Accommodation

According to Trip.com Group's latest booking data, Asia-Pacific travellers are exhibiting a stronger interest in travelling closer to home this Labour Day holiday—be it domestically or regionally. The top five cross-border destinations include Japan, China, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia. Overall, Asia-Pacific key markets have seen close to triple-digit growth for domestic travel, and strong double-digit growth in cross-border travel this May holiday season.

Accommodation preferences are also evolving. Travellers are expanding beyond traditional hotels, leading to a surge in demand for apartments, villas, and inns. Alternative stays have seen triple-digit booking growth in markets such as South Korea, Thailand, and Hong Kong SAR.

Bookings are increasingly concentrated in destinations surrounded by nature—scenic lakes, mountains, national parks, and beaches are driving interest. Japan has emerged as a favourite for these types of stays, thanks to its hot springs, views of Mt. Fuji, and access to Hakone National Park.

Travellers are increasingly turning to coastal locations for villa stays, especially where sea views and beach access are front and centre. This shift is particularly noticeable among Chinese mainland, Japanese, and South Korean travellers. Bali, for example, is experiencing a notable uptick in villa bookings.

In line with this shift, searches for nature-based breaks and Instagrammable destinations have recorded triple-digit growth, highlighting a growing desire for aesthetically appealing escapes that offer tranquillity and a deeper connection to the natural environment.

Regional Travel Takes Off: China and Japan Lead the Way, South Korea and Vietnam Travel Growing

The Labour Day holiday remains a powerful driver of cross-border travel across Asia, particularly in China, with a five-day holiday from 1-5 May, while Japan celebrates its 'Golden Week' holiday from 29 April to 6 May. Trip.com Group data shows strong cross-border travel from China and Japan compared to 2024.

Top regional destinations for Chinese travellers include Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, while Japanese travellers are flocking to South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and the United States.

Notably, both South Korea and Vietnam have the opportunity to holiday for longer. Vietnam will celebrate a five-day holiday from Wednesday, 30 April to Sunday, 4 May, for Reunification Day and International Workers' Day, while South Korean travellers, on the other hand, can utilise two days of annual leave to get six days off between 1 May and 6 May.

As such, booking data shows a substantial increase in domestic and cross-border bookings for both markets. Vietnam is witnessing an increase of over 190% in domestic bookings, with cross-border bookings exceeding 150%.  The trend is similar for South Korea, with domestic bookings surging by nearly 190% and cross-border travel up by over 150%, indicating the impact of this extended May holiday.

A Rise in Multi-City Destinations and Flights Over Six Hours

Making the most of the holidays is an ever-appealing trend across Asia, reflected by multi-destination stays. Bookings for trips to two or more cities have increased by 60% compared to last year.

Asia-Pacific multi-city itineraries are designed around clusters of closely connected cities within a single country. Travellers from Malaysia, for instance, are choosing to explore both Chengdu and Chongqing during trips to China, while visitors from Hong Kong SAR are pairing visits to Kyoto and Osaka in Japan. Chinese tourists are also embracing this trend, favouring Japan and commonly combining Osaka and Tokyo into one seamless journey.

Flights over six hours are the fastest-growing flight segment, compared to last year. Long-haul journeys among South Korean travellers are reaching triple-digit growth, and Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese travellers are seeing strong double-digit increases.

As these long-haul trips rise in popularity, travellers are also opting to visit more than one destination per journey. Japanese tourists are opting for a blend of London and Barcelona, combining British heritage with Mediterranean vibrancy. Chinese travellers are exploring London and Edinburgh, capturing a north-south sweep of the UK. At the same time, South Korean visitors frequently pair London with Paris for a classic European twin-city experience.

Engaging Experiences and Gourmet Stops

Travellers continue to flock to Asia's most dynamic urban hubs, with Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Hong Kong SAR, and Bangkok emerging as the top cities. The surge reflects a consistent appetite for destinations that seamlessly blend vibrant street life, deep-rooted traditions, and must-try food experiences. Food-related searches have seen a notable uptick across the region, with almost 20% growth in culinary searches. Popular cuisines and local delicacies are increasingly influencing destination choice. Japanese cuisine is seeing the highest search volume for food in Osaka and Tokyo, representing the local food scene of these two popular cities.

At the same time, event tourism is rising. Concert tour bookings show double-digit growth for the May holiday. Notably, Japanese tourists are attending domestic music events, such as concerts by the Korean boy group Tomorrow X Together. Chinese mainland consumers favour events in South Korea, like HIPHOPPLAYA FESTIVAL 2025 and domestic events, such as the Beijing Strawberry Festival. Travellers departing from Hong Kong SAR are keen to catch homegrown talent Eason Chan, at his FEAR and DREAMS World Tour in Tokyo—all signalling travellers' increasing interest in combining cultural experiences with their travel plans.

The 2025 Labour Day holiday illustrates the growing complexity and choice being embraced by modern travellers—from nature-rich retreats and food-led journeys to long-haul, multi-stop adventures—highlighting a new era of discovery in global travel.

About Trip.com Group

Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world, with the mission "to pursue the perfect trip for a better world". Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com.

Follow us on: X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Trip.com Group Witnesses Double-digit Cross-border Growth for May Labour Day Holiday

Trip.com Group Witnesses Double-digit Cross-border Growth for May Labour Day Holiday

Trip.com Group Witnesses Double-digit Cross-border Growth for May Labour Day Holiday

Trip.com Group Witnesses Double-digit Cross-border Growth for May Labour Day Holiday

Trip.com Group Witnesses Double-digit Cross-border Growth for May Labour Day Holiday

• Executive Chair Chung emphasizes customer-focused transformation and ecosystem strengthening to navigate evolving market dynamics and lead new industry standards
• Presents strategic priorities, including agile decision-making, ecosystem competitiveness, and bold collaboration with diverse partners
• Executives discuss AI internalization, digital transformation strategies, and business growth initiatives during candid roundtable with global employees

SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Group (The Group) today shared its 2026 strategic vision with global employees, with Executive Chair Euisun Chung presenting priorities focused on continuous customer-focused transformation, strengthened ecosystem competitiveness, and AI-driven innovation to navigate evolving market dynamics and lead new industry standards.

During his new year remarks, Executive Chair Chung presented five key strategic priorities — customer-focused evolution, agile decision-making, ecosystem competitiveness, bold collaboration, and leading new industry standards — to navigate the evolving global landscape.

Driving Transformation Through Customer Focus

Executive Chair Chung opened by expressing gratitude to employees and customers, acknowledging 2025's unprecedented business environment changes while thanking employees for their exceptional performance and customers for their continued trust. He noted that 2026 will bring both headwinds and opportunities as the global business landscape continues to evolve rapidly.

Chung emphasized continuous transformation driven by customer insights. "When conditions get tough and competition fierce, our greatest strength will be our ability to continuously evolve by staying close to our customers," he said.

Specifically, he encouraged employees to take a moment and assess some fundamental questions: "Did we thoroughly reflect customers' perspectives in our products? Did we ever compromise in the process of planning or development? Can we confidently speak of our quality in front of customers? Through these questions, we can look back upon ourselves squarely and strive for progress, thereby keeping ourselves resilient against any challenges," he said.

Agile Decision-Making Through Direct Engagement

Executive Chair Chung welcomed transformation in work methods and leadership. "Leaders must step out into the field, engage directly with people, and understand the essence of situations firsthand," he said.

He emphasized the importance of speed and clarity in organizational operations. "Above all, what matters most is fast and clear communication, and agile decision-making that is free from formality. Let us work more efficiently," he said, highlighting that by fresh thinking of its approaches, the Group can continue to achieve innovation.

Building Competitive Advantage Through Ecosystem Strength

Executive Chair Chung reinforced the importance of ecosystem strength, noting that Group businesses such as vehicle and humanoid robot manufacturing each involve tens of thousands of components, requiring exceptional performance and quality across the entire production chain.

"The strength of our supply ecosystem directly amplifies our competitive advantage. Sustainable growth is possible only when the whole ecosystem stays healthy," he said.

Bold Collaboration for AI-Driven Transformation

Executive Chair Chung emphasized that as AI technology rapidly develops and competitive dynamics shift, the global manufacturing industry is undergoing a major transition. He highlighted the need to advance through bold collaboration with diverse partners in navigating this AI-driven transformation.

"Looking at the automotive market alone, we've entered an era where core product competitiveness is determined by AI capabilities," he noted. Chung emphasized that Hyundai Motor Group is rapidly building capabilities to compete at the highest level, leveraging world-class product design and manufacturing expertise, plus valuable data from manufacturing sites and user experiences.

He shared his strong belief in the Group's competitiveness in the physical AI field and how this will continue to grow to serve customers. "We possess world-class capabilities in the design and manufacturing of physical products. If we envision a bigger future and boldly expand collaboration with various partners to broaden the industrial ecosystem, I am confident we will deliver greater value to customers," he said.

More information about Hyundai Motor Group can be found at: http://www.hyundaimotorgroup.com or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai, Kia Global Media Center (kianewscenter.com), Genesis Newsroom 

• Executive Chair Chung emphasizes customer-focused transformation and ecosystem strengthening to navigate evolving market dynamics and lead new industry standards
• Presents strategic priorities, including agile decision-making, ecosystem competitiveness, and bold collaboration with diverse partners
• Executives discuss AI internalization, digital transformation strategies, and business growth initiatives during candid roundtable with global employees

SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Group (The Group) today shared its 2026 strategic vision with global employees, with Executive Chair Euisun Chung presenting priorities focused on continuous customer-focused transformation, strengthened ecosystem competitiveness, and AI-driven innovation to navigate evolving market dynamics and lead new industry standards.

During his new year remarks, Executive Chair Chung presented five key strategic priorities — customer-focused evolution, agile decision-making, ecosystem competitiveness, bold collaboration, and leading new industry standards — to navigate the evolving global landscape.

Driving Transformation Through Customer Focus

Executive Chair Chung opened by expressing gratitude to employees and customers, acknowledging 2025's unprecedented business environment changes while thanking employees for their exceptional performance and customers for their continued trust. He noted that 2026 will bring both headwinds and opportunities as the global business landscape continues to evolve rapidly.

Chung emphasized continuous transformation driven by customer insights. "When conditions get tough and competition fierce, our greatest strength will be our ability to continuously evolve by staying close to our customers," he said.

Specifically, he encouraged employees to take a moment and assess some fundamental questions: "Did we thoroughly reflect customers' perspectives in our products? Did we ever compromise in the process of planning or development? Can we confidently speak of our quality in front of customers? Through these questions, we can look back upon ourselves squarely and strive for progress, thereby keeping ourselves resilient against any challenges," he said.

Agile Decision-Making Through Direct Engagement

Executive Chair Chung welcomed transformation in work methods and leadership. "Leaders must step out into the field, engage directly with people, and understand the essence of situations firsthand," he said.

He emphasized the importance of speed and clarity in organizational operations. "Above all, what matters most is fast and clear communication, and agile decision-making that is free from formality. Let us work more efficiently," he said, highlighting that by fresh thinking of its approaches, the Group can continue to achieve innovation.

Building Competitive Advantage Through Ecosystem Strength

Executive Chair Chung reinforced the importance of ecosystem strength, noting that Group businesses such as vehicle and humanoid robot manufacturing each involve tens of thousands of components, requiring exceptional performance and quality across the entire production chain.

"The strength of our supply ecosystem directly amplifies our competitive advantage. Sustainable growth is possible only when the whole ecosystem stays healthy," he said.

Bold Collaboration for AI-Driven Transformation

Executive Chair Chung emphasized that as AI technology rapidly develops and competitive dynamics shift, the global manufacturing industry is undergoing a major transition. He highlighted the need to advance through bold collaboration with diverse partners in navigating this AI-driven transformation.

"Looking at the automotive market alone, we've entered an era where core product competitiveness is determined by AI capabilities," he noted. Chung emphasized that Hyundai Motor Group is rapidly building capabilities to compete at the highest level, leveraging world-class product design and manufacturing expertise, plus valuable data from manufacturing sites and user experiences.

He shared his strong belief in the Group's competitiveness in the physical AI field and how this will continue to grow to serve customers. "We possess world-class capabilities in the design and manufacturing of physical products. If we envision a bigger future and boldly expand collaboration with various partners to broaden the industrial ecosystem, I am confident we will deliver greater value to customers," he said.

More information about Hyundai Motor Group can be found at: http://www.hyundaimotorgroup.com or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai, Kia Global Media Center (kianewscenter.com), Genesis Newsroom 

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Presents 2026 Vision: Customer-Focused Transformation and AI-Driven Ecosystem Collaboration