Travel trends for 2025, plus additional news summaries

For PropertyGuru’s real estate news roundup, with over-tourism plaguing hotspots worldwide, travellers are now seeking out lesser-known destinations or choosing luxury travel. In other updates, Vietnam’s real estate industry is witnessing a notable surge in corporate bond issuances at the end of 2024. Lastly, with the availability of small language models (SLMs) and open-source AI models, Thailand is on the verge of a major AI boom.

Travel trends for 2025: Where to go and what to do in the new year

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – to start planning for another cycle of annual leave and grand vacations in 2025. This year, with over-tourism plaguing hotspots worldwide and spoiling many long-awaited dream vacations, travel experts observe that holidaymakers are resolving to take a different tact next year. So, instead of flocking to the usual bucket list destinations, travellers will seek out lesser-known destinations where they will not need to jostle with selfie-takers or compete for a spot to enjoy the view. Experts say luxury travel is fast evolving, with many prioritising the journey as much as the destination. For those yearning to unwind away from the crowds, CNA presents how to travel in style in 2025.

A year-end surge in property bond issuance amid financial challenges for Vietnam

As 2024 draws to a close, Vietnam’s real estate industry is witnessing a notable surge in corporate bond issuances, reports VietnamPlus. The Huy Duong Group, a relatively young company in the construction sector, recently completed a significant bond issuance worth VND900 billion (USD35.4 million). The issuance involved 9,000 bonds, each with a face value of VND100 million, carrying an annual interest rate of 12.5 percent and a five-year term. Allgreen-Vuong Thanh-Trung Duong, a joint venture established by Vietnam’s Trung Duong Group and Singapore’s Allgreen Properties, raised nearly VND1.74 trillion through bond issuance to fund its ambitious Maris Vung Tau project. But despite the recent wave of bond issuances, the country’s real estate sector continues to wrestle with financial challenges.

Thailand stands on the precipice of a major AI boom

The availability of small language models (SLMs) and open-source AI models, as well as a greater number of skilled workers, are expected to make generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) more accessible to organisations in Thailand. According to Bangkok Post, data intelligence platform Statista estimated that the Thai GenAI market is projected to reach USD180 million in 2024, with an annual growth of 46.5 percent from 2024-2030, resulting in a market volume of USD1.77 billion by 2030. According to the Digital Economy Promotion Agency’s Thailand Digital Technology Foresight 2035 report, by 2030 Thailand’s AI market size is expected to be THB114 billion.

The Property Report editors wrote this article. For more information, email: [email protected].