SINGAPORE, 21 August 2026: As wellness and fitness-focused travel continues to gain ground across the region, digital travel platform Agoda reveals that the run-cation travel trend is climbing in popularity across Asia in 2026.
Accommodation search data on Agoda shows Thai travellers increasingly considering entire holidays around marathon race weekends, not only for races held on home soil, but across marathon cities in Asia.
The data is based on accommodation searches on Agoda for stays that lined up with three major marathon weekends in Asia: the Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2026, the Mt Fuji International Marathon 2026, and the JTBC Seoul Marathon 2026.
The JTBC Seoul Marathon, taking place on 1 November 2026, is one ofKorea’ss most popular road races, known for its flat, fast course that winds past landmarks including Deoksugung Palace and Gwanghwamun Square before finishing at Jamsil Olympic Stadium. Accommodation searches from Thai travellers increased by 73%, compared to the same period in 2025. The race also draws strong interest from South Koreans keen to support their home event, as well as runners from across the region, including Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
The Mt Fuji International Marathon 2026, taking place from 12-13 December near Tokyo, loops around Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Saiko, with runners taking in sweeping views of Mt. Fuji and the region’s autumn foliage along the way. Accommodation searches from Thai travellers for this race weekend rose 41% year on year, placing Thailand among the top three for search interest during the event. In addition to strong home-race searches from Japanese travellers, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia also see healthy travel interest during this event.
The Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2026, taking place on 28-29 November, is a point-to-point race through the heart of the capital, starting at MBK Centre and finishing near the Grand Palace, passing landmarks including Lumpini Park, Victory Monument, and Ratchadamnoen Avenue.
Accommodation searches from Thai travellers for this race weekend rose 19% in 2026, compared to 2025. Domestic Thai travellers lead interest, while the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, and Taiwan also demonstrate strong travel interest, a sign thatBangkok’ss race is building its own international following.
Taken together, the data points to a consistent pattern across all major marathon cities, with Thai travellers not just attending their own home race, but also crossing borders to run in other Asian cities. This suggests that, for a growing segment of travellers, a marathon bib is becoming as much a reason for a trip as a beach or a theme park, and that fitness goals and travel plans are increasingly being considered as one combined experience.
Agoda Country Director Thailand and Indochina Akaporn Rodkong said: “Marathons used to be a solo pursuit, but are now becoming the centrepiece of a trip for some travellers. Thai travellers are among the most active across the region’s top races, reflecting a broader appetite for travel built around personal goals and wellness, not just sightseeing. At Agoda, we want to make it easy and accessible for these race enthusiasts to find the right place to stay, however far the finish line is from home.”
(Source: Agoda.com)
Health & fitness and Wellness continue to be major ‘drivers’ for travel and tourism. Savvy Thai marketeers would do well to target the up coming Bkk Marathon:
“The Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 28-29 November 2026”
AJW