Thailand holds Asia tourism top spot

(atanas.dk)

Thailand was the most popular Asian destination of 2009, according to Australian travel booking website Wotif.com

Thailand has now held the top spot for three years running amongst travelers using the site, which is particularly popular in Australia and New Zealand. Singapore was the second most popular destination, followed by Hong Kong and Malaysia in third and fourth place. Bookings for Indonesia, in fifth place, jumped by over 100 percent year on year, according to Wotif.com.

Cities were the most popular destinations within the Asia, with Singapore remaining the consistent favorite place. Hong Kong and Bangkok were in second and third place, in part due to the strength of business travel to the regions.

Total bookings to Asia are expected to have fallen through 2009 before recovering in 2010, according to the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). In total, the group estimates that arrivals last year could be down year on year by around five percent, making it the "worst of many years," said PATA associate director Kris Lim.

Top Asian Regions (by Wotif.com bookings)
1. Thailand
2. Singapore
3. Hong Kong
4. Malaysia
5. Indonesia
6. Vietnam
7. China
8. Japan
9. Macau
10. Philippines