Agoda: Localization boosts guest satisfaction, hotel bookings

SINGAPORE — Digital travel platform Agoda has released a new report highlighting how localization is reshaping Asia’s fast-growing tourism sector, with hotels that adopt advanced strategies seeing measurable gains in guest satisfaction, revenue, and repeat bookings.

The report, titled “Tailored to Win: How Hotels are Using Localization to Capture Asia’s Tourism Boom,” found that nearly one-third of hotels across Asia have reached the “integrated tailoring” stage—embedding localization across marketing, booking, and on-site services. Five-star hotels are leading this shift.

Agoda’s findings show that deeper levels of localization deliver the strongest results. At the advanced stage, 99% of hotels report improved guest satisfaction, 95% report increased repeat bookings, and 91% say guests are willing to pay more per room—compared to 80% at the early stages of localization.

These hotels also report improvements in revenue per available room (RevPAR), along with greater pricing power and customer loyalty.

“Localization isn’t just a trend. It’s a strategic imperative for hoteliers looking to thrive in Asia’s dynamic tourism market,” said Andrew Smith, senior vice president of supply at Agoda. “To truly deliver measurable business results, hotels must approach tailoring strategies holistically, viewing language, payment systems, design and marketing as interconnected elements of the entire guest’s journey. It demands a shift in mindset from standardization to segmentation, and from mass communication to genuine cultural resonance.”

Hotels are deploying localized strategies across several key areas. In marketing, approximately 60% of properties targeting top source markets—such as Singapore, Japan, and South Korea—are now using culture-specific content and local media channels to more effectively reach international guests.

A similar proportion of hotels offer booking details and prices in the guest’s preferred language and currency, often supported by online translation tools. Around six in 10 also provide payment options in local currencies, increasing convenience and building trust with travelers.

Agoda emphasized that localization is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. Hotels need to tailor their guest experiences based on the specific preferences and behaviors of each source market to drive growth and strengthen competitiveness.

Asia has emerged as the world’s fastest-growing travel hub, accounting for nearly 28% of global international arrivals—up sharply from 9% in 2022, according to the International Air Transport Association.

With Asians expected to account for half of all global air passenger growth over the next 15 years, driven by a rapidly expanding middle class, Agoda said hospitality players must respond to evolving traveler expectations.

The company is calling on hoteliers and accommodation providers to use market insights and guest behavior data to adopt localized strategies that boost guest satisfaction, unlock business growth, and secure long-term success in Asia’s competitive tourism environment.