SINGAPORE, 12 November 2026: This is Beyond confirmed this week that Further East, the luxury travel event that has called Seminyak, Bali, home since 2018, will evolve into RASA Bangkok next year.
The inaugural show will take place at Bangkok’s landmark, Dusit Thani Bangkok, from 1 to 4 November 2027, bringing Asia Pacific’s luxury travel community to the city at the centre of the region’s hotel development boom.
Although moving to a city location, RASA Bangkok will retain the same fun, festive atmosphere, hand-picked suppliers, pre-scheduled buyer appointments, and meaningful conversations that defined Further East, while capturing the dynamic energy and ambition of the region reshaping high-end travel.
With its first edition in 2018, Further East pioneered the concept of barefoot business, replacing the meeting room with a relaxed festival-style experience built around curated guest lists, matchmade appointments and great networking parties.
“If Further East Bali represents the soul of Asia, then RASA Bangkok represents the energy of Asia,” said This is Beyond Founder and CEO Serge Dive. “We pioneered barefoot business in Bali and helped the world see Asia Pacific differently. But now, as the region’s pulse and pace shift, we want to capture that momentum. We have always built our reputation on challenging trade show conventions; with RASA Bangkok, we are challenging ourselves. It is our most ambitious move yet.”
Why Bangkok, Why Now
Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing market in high-end travel, and Bangkok sits at its heart. According to Lodging Econometrics, the hotel construction pipeline across Asia Pacific (excluding China) reached a record 2,506 projects and 452,972 rooms at the close of Q2 2026. The luxury segment accounts for 432 of those projects and almost 80,000 rooms, up 22% year on year. Bangkok leads the region, with 67 projects and more than 16,000 rooms in the pipeline.
RASA Bangkok is built for the hotels, resorts and experiences in Asia that stand apart: remarkable products with a distinct point of view and a genuine sense of place.
Bangkok is a natural home for that conversation, a city where centuries-old traditions shape contemporary culture and a new generation of creatives is redefining hospitality. Its food and drink scene is among the most celebrated in the world, with eight bars on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026 list and some 40 restaurants holding more than 50 stars between them in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026.
RASA: What it means
Pronounced RAH-sa, rasa refers to the unmistakable essence that gives a place its soul. The name reflects the conviction at the heart of the new show that luxury should have a soul.
RASA Bangkok will maintain the format at the core of every This is Beyond event: three days of curated, pre-scheduled one-to-one appointments; a day of thought leadership and fabulous networking activities; and hosted global buyers and international media. Exhibitor numbers will be capped at 200, ensuring an intimate and highly curated marketplace.
Exhibitors will comprise the region’s most remarkable hotels, resorts and experiences, selected for a true sense of place and an ethos rooted in their location and community.
Buyers will be chosen with equal care. Each must send more than a third of their business to Asia Pacific, manage an annual portfolio of USD2 to USD5 million and bring clients who spend upwards of USD1,000 a night. More than half will be owners, CEOs, or directors, and more than 60% will be based in North America and Europe, meeting the region’s top suppliers at an event where their attention is entirely focused on Asia Pacific.
(Source: RASA Bangkok)
