At TDM C-Suite Summit Google Highlights Key Travel Trends and Consumer Shifts
Bangkok, Thailand, May 9, 2025 – At the TDM C-Suite Travel Trade Global Summit 2025, hosted in Bangkok, Aditip (Term) Panupong, Industry Head of Strategic Partnerships at Google, shared powerful insights into how AI is transforming hospitality—and what travelers really want in the post-pandemic world.
In a talk titled “Thailand Hospitality: Redefining Experiences with AI,” Panupong broke down how Google’s AI solutions are helping the industry turn complex data into meaningful customer experiences, optimize operations, and stay ahead of shifting traveler expectations.
“AI isn’t just about automation—it’s about transformation,” he emphasized.
Key Insights from the Session:
1. Return on Experience (ROX):
Hospitality providers are urged to focus less on transactions and more on transformation. ROX means delivering creativity, experience, value, and personal growth—all hallmarks of modern luxury.
2. Gen Z is Changing the Game:
A striking 83% of Gen Z travelers say they’ll pay a premium for authentic and meaningful experiences. Cookie-cutter no longer cuts it.
3. Travel is Emotional:
For 42% of travelers in Asia Pacific (including Thailand), travel is about healing from the stress of daily life. Others prioritize adventure, self-reward, or connection.
4. Rising Expectations:
Modern travelers juggle multiple motivations per trip (average: 4.7) and want 3.8 distinct experiences each time they travel. Flexibility, luxury, and purpose now trump location alone.
5. Planning Fatigue is Real:
On average, travelers spend 303 minutes researching a trip—and 3 in 5 don’t even know where they want to go when they start.
6. Global Trends:
Outbound travel from Thailand is booming, with top destinations including Shanghai, Osaka, and Dubai. Emerging hotspots include Bhutan, Maldives, and China’s second-tier cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
7. Trust Over Price:
When choosing a brand, value, trust, and reviews matter far more than price—just 24% choose the cheapest deal.
Bottom line?
AI is already reshaping how travelers are inspired, how they search, and how brands engage. Those who focus on experience, empathy, and intelligent tech will win big in Thailand’s tourism future.
by Bernard Metzger reporting for TravelNewsHub.com on travel, tourism, lifestyle, hospitality, restaurants, adventure travel, destinations and technology in travel.
