Vietnam received a big surge in accomodation searches from travelers in three Southeast Asian neighbors Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand in the first five months of 2026, according to Agoda.

As competition for foreign visitors intensifies in 2026, countries across Asia are expanding visa-free entry, waiving visa fees, and extending stay limits.

Thailand’s Koh Samui has surpassed Greece’s Páros to become the world’s best island at the 2026 World’s Best Awards survey based on 661,000 votes cast by readers of American magazine Travel+Leisure.

Spain is likely to attract 100 million ​foreign tourists this year with the number of visitors expected to grow during the ‌key summer season helped by uncertainty in the Middle East, Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu said.

Thailand’s cabinet has approved the opening of a new permanent border checkpoint at Sadao on the border with Malaysia, effective from July 11, as part of efforts to strengthen tourism between Southeast Asia’s most visited countries.

Malaysian authorities will continue deploying additional personnel at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the largest in Southeast Asia by land area, to prevent fare overcharging targeting foreign visitors traveling from the airport to the city’s center.

Phu Quoc’s green season, known for brief tropical showers and fewer crowds, gives families a quieter alternative to peak summer travel, with resorts balancing indoor and outdoor activities.

South Korea’s Jeju to Seoul Gimpo has lost its title as the world’s busiest domestic flight route to Japan’s Sapporo – Tokyo Haneda, according to a July report by British aviation analysis company OAG.

Phu Quoc, voted Asia’s most beautiful island by readers of Condé Nast Traveler, recorded tourism revenue of VND31.5 trillion (US$1.2 billion) in the first six months of the year, up 46% year-on-year.

Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, welcomed 16.21 million foreign tourist arrivals between Jan. 1 and July 4, down 3.11% from a year earlier, with China, Malaysia and India leading the top source markets.