What It Takes to Win in Asia Travel Now, According to Agoda’s CEO

Growth across Asia looks strong in aggregate. Underneath, patterns are splitting fast.

Travel is happening more often and across more places, with expectations that shift by context. What works in one country often underperforms in another.

As CEO of Agoda, Omri Morgenshtern is dealing with that gap in real time. His focus is on making those differences workable without slowing execution. 

At Skift Asia Forum 2026, this translates into a clear view of where current strategies fail and what needs to change to keep pace with demand.

What is driving the next phase of growth in your market or organization?

“The next phase of growth in Asia is being driven by three forces: a rising middle class, better connectivity, and smarter technology. 

More people across the region now travel regularly, not just once a year, and they are increasingly open to exploring beyond traditional gateways. Infrastructure keeps improving, which opens up more secondary destinations. 

Add the rapid innovations driven by tech and AI and when you put all of that together, you move from just “more trips” to more frequent, more diverse, and more personalized travel.”

What is one lesson you have learned about scaling across multiple markets?

“A key lesson is that Asia is not one market, and there is no such thing as a single Asian traveler profile. 

Localization is not just about language; it’s about understanding how people search, what they value, how far in advance they book, and which assurances they need to feel comfortable. 

We’ve learned that you need strong local teams and partners who can translate global capabilities into local relevance, whether that’s specific payment options in one country or different messaging around value and safety in another. 

When you respect those differences while still building on a common tech and data backbone, you get real scale without losing authenticity.”

How are experiences, culture, and community shaping traveler decisions today?

“There’s a growing interest in experiences. 

Agoda’s 2026 Travel Outlook Report revealed that many travelers in Asia are no longer satisfied with just ticking off famous landmarks; they want to understand local food, neighborhoods, and traditions.”

Why You Need to Be in Bangkok

With less than a week until Skift Asia Forum 2026, the operators shaping Asia strategy right now will be in that room.

Morgenshtern’s perspective speaks to execution across markets, technology that scales, and how to capture demand that is becoming more frequent, more fragmented, and more personal.

This is an opportunity to go beyond listening. Bring the questions you are already dealing with and get direct answers from Agoda, a platform operating at scale across some of the most complex travel markets in the region.

If you are making regional bets in the next 12 months, this is where assumptions get challenged and recalibrated in real time. 

Miss it, and you are relying on outdated playbooks in a market that is already moving past them.