According to Agoda’s data for the first half of 2026, Vietnam is experiencing significant growth in travel, driven by increased regional travel among Southeast Asians. The data shows that searches for accommodations have increased across all regional markets, ranging from a 20% increase in Indonesia to a 98% increase in the Philippines. Notably, Vietnam has entered the top five outbound flight destinations for the Philippines for the first time, thanks to visa-free access, longer stays, and improved flight connectivity.
Tourism campaigns and regional trends
Malaysia has also seen a surge in popularity, particularly in Cambodia, where searches have increased by 24%. This growth can be attributed to Tourism Malaysia’s Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, which has helped Malaysia become the second most popular outbound flight destination. Additionally, Indonesia has experienced growing interest, with an 18% increase in searches from Malaysia and a 17% increase from Singapore.
Andrew Smith, Agoda’s Senior Vice President, notes that travelers are opting for destinations that are closer and easier to reach, rather than reducing their travel plans altogether. This trend is supported by survey findings, which indicate that nearly a third of travelers plan to take short trips of 1-3 days in 2026. As regional travel continues to expand, larger platforms are facing increased pressure to maintain their relevance, particularly as booking windows become shorter and more volatile.
Cloudbeds introduces new revenue management system
Cloudbeds has launched a new revenue management system, Cloudbeds RMS, which integrates real-time property performance, market intelligence, pricing recommendations, and automated rate execution into a single system. Built on Cloudbeds’ unified data layer, Signals, the system draws on existing hotel data, including reservations, booking pace, occupancy, and channel behavior, to provide more informed forecasts and pricing recommendations.
Jason Richards, Cloudbeds’ Chief Business Officer, explains that the system brings revenue intelligence to hotels without requiring a large revenue team or complex technology infrastructure. Key features of the system include deeper pricing intelligence, automated rate changes, and native integration with Cloudbeds’ property management system and channel manager. The system also allows for targeted campaigns to be triggered during slower periods, helping to reduce the administrative burden on smaller properties.
The Cloudbeds RMS system is designed to help hotels optimize their revenue management strategies, and its features include “Autopilot” automation, which manages routine rate changes within each property’s defined strategy, and forecast and occupancy insights that can trigger targeted campaigns. By automating routine adjustments and allowing for manual intervention when necessary, the system aims to reduce the administrative burden on smaller properties.
Zeal Connect debuts AI-first travel CRM
Zeal Connect has launched Zeal CRM, an AI-first customer relationship management system designed for the travel industry. The system covers the full booking lifecycle, from enquiry to quote to sale to service, and is designed for use by online travel agencies, B2B travel agencies, tour operators, and other industry players.
Zeal CRM’s AI capabilities structure enquiries, version quotes, and pull in supplier pricing during quote-building. Won deals are then managed through Zeal Desk, where amendments, cancellations, and escalations are handled against live booking data. The system is already being used by companies such as EaseMyTrip, Go Global Travel, and Akbar Travels, across India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Rishabh Doshi, Managing Director of Classic Holidays, notes that the platform has helped his company handle around 40% more volume this year, with the same team and faster customer response times. Yogesh Chaudhari, co-founder and CEO of Zeal Connect, believes that the next phase of travel technology is about maintaining service quality at scale without proportional headcount growth. By automating routine tasks and centralizing data, the system allows agencies to grow their volume without expanding their staff at the same rate.
Leadership changes at Airbnb
Airbnb has appointed Zhiqiu Kong as Regional Director for Asia, expanding his role from leading China operations to overseeing China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia. Kong has over a decade of experience at Airbnb, across product, growth, and business strategy, and notes that Asia remains central to the company’s growth, given its expanding traveler base and large Gen Z population.
China OTAs Face Pressure Amid Market Shifts
Phocuswright’s China Travel Market Essentials 2026 report indicates moderate growth in the country’s travel sector. Online penetration is advancing via mobile adoption in lower-tier cities, even as deflationary pressure tempers headline growth.
Regulatory scrutiny has intensified as Beijing targets “neijuan” price competition. In July 2026, Trip.com was fined $763 million following an anti-monopoly investigation into illegal pricing and platform exclusivity practices with hotel suppliers. This marked the sector’s first anti-monopoly case involving an OTA.
China’s OTA sector faces regulatory pressure
China’s travel market is growing at a moderate pace, with online penetration advancing through mobile adoption in lower-tier cities. However, the market is facing regulatory scrutiny, with Beijing targeting “neijuan,” or zero-sum price competition.
The Chinese online travel agency sector generated $60.9 billion in gross revenue in 2025, and is projected to reach $82.2 billion by 2029. However, the market is looking over-supplied, with a handful of major players competing amid moderating growth and weakening profit forecasts. AI-enabled e-commerce is also reshaping the way travelers search, compare, and book, making them more informed and assertive.