Holiday planning across Southeast Asia was far from uniform. During the mid-year school break, consumers across the region took different approaches to where they spent, how far ahead they booked and which channels they used to organise their holidays.
To better understand these differences, we surveyed 1,000 consumers across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam using Datarubico Insights Creator, with 200 respondents in each market.
The research revealed distinct holiday planning and spending behaviours across the five markets, highlighting the importance of understanding local preferences when engaging Southeast Asian consumers.
Holiday spending priorities varied across Southeast Asia
Consumers across the region differed in how they planned to prioritise spending their holiday budgets. In Singapore, 39% planned to spend the largest share of their holiday budget on flights and transport, while accommodation was the leading priority in Malaysia at 31%.
Indonesia showed a stronger focus on experiences, with 33% prioritising theme parks, attractions and activities.
Food played a much bigger role in Thailand and Vietnam. 44% of Thai consumers and 46% of Vietnamese consumers planned to allocate the largest share of their budget to family dining and food experiences.
These differences show how holiday priorities can vary considerably, even between neighbouring markets.
Travellers planned and booked at different stages
Timing was another clear point of difference.
Singaporeans were the most likely to book furthest ahead, with a stronger tendency to plan more than three months before travel.
At the other end of the spectrum, Indonesians were more likely to book just one to two weeks before departure.
Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam fell somewhere in between, with one month before travel emerging as an important booking window.
For travel brands, this highlights the importance of aligning campaign timing with how consumers in each market actually plan their holidays.
Holiday discovery and booking channels differed across markets
Online travel agencies were more prominent in some markets, while social media led in others.
In Singapore, 34% used global online travel agencies, while local OTAs were strongest in Malaysia at 39% and Indonesia at 41%.
Thailand and Vietnam stood apart, with social media the leading channel at 34% and 31% respectively.
This creates different opportunities by market, from stronger OTA visibility in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia to more social-first approaches in Thailand and Vietnam.
Payment preferences reflected another key market difference
Singapore stood out for its strong preference for credit cards, with 64% planning to use a credit card to pay for their holiday.
Across Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, bank transfers were more prominent, accounting for 45%, 50%, 40% and 41% respectively.
Understanding these preferences can help brands create a smoother booking experience and make it easier for travellers to pay in the way that suits them.
Holiday spending intentions were strongest in Vietnam and Thailand
62% of consumers in Vietnam and 61% in Thailand expected to increase their holiday spending compared with the previous year.
This was followed by Malaysia at 55% and Indonesia at 54%, while Singapore was lower at 39%. This points to particularly strong spending intentions in Vietnam and Thailand during the mid-year break.
What this means for brands
Brands can tailor offers around what matters most locally, from transport in Singapore and accommodation in Malaysia to experiences in Indonesia. In Thailand and Vietnam, social-first content and creator partnerships may be especially effective in influencing holiday planning decisions.
Payment and timing should also be considered. Credit cards are more prominent in Singapore, while bank transfers lead across the other markets. Singaporeans also tend to plan earlier, while Indonesians are more likely to book closer to departure.
Adapting campaigns to these local preferences can help brands connect more effectively with consumers across the region.
The infographic below represents key findings from our research:
Based on a Pureprofile survey of 1,000 consumers across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam (200 respondents per market), June 2026.
