As Thailand aims for a record-breaking 40 million tourists in 2025, young New Zealanders are flocking to the nation for its perfect mix of adventure, culture, and affordability.
Asia is the region most visited by Kiwi holidaymakers outside Oceania, says Asia New Zealand Foundation's latest Perceptions of Asia and Asian Peoples survey.
The interest in travelling the continent continues to rise annually, with trendsetters being young New Zealanders.
In particular, Thailand has become a popular destination among Kiwi graduates.
To celebrate the end of his university degree, Max Weinstein, 21, chose "The Land of Smiles" for his first solo travel endeavour.
"For a young traveller, it's perfect. It's affordable and far enough away that you're getting a different cultural experience," Mr Weinstein said.
"There is something unique about Asia with its good balance between partying, relaxing and sightseeing. I don't think you can find many places with a balance like that."
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports' "Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025" campaign has highlighted their top five "Must Dos" in Thailand: 1. Must Beat (Muaythai), 2. Must Eat (Thai food), 3. Must Seek (Thai culture), 4. Must Buy (Thai fabrics), and 5. Must See (Thai shows).
In his first month of travel, Mr Weinstein has ticked off almost all the five "must-dos", his highlight being "Must See" with the Chiang Mai Cabaret show.
"The performers were incredible, and the energy was electric," Mr Weinstein said.
Travelling alone, he feared he would struggle to meet other people; however, with Thailand being a flourishing hotspot for young sightseers, Mr Weinstein says he has barely felt alone.
"It's amazing that I formed such strong connections with people in such a short time. The happiness you feel when you make those friendships would be a highlight. I've been lucky enough to feel that multiple times in Thailand," he said.
Statistics NZ says 37,797 Kiwis jetted off to Thailand between Jan-Oct 2024, making Thailand the 12th most visited country for New Zealand travellers.
Karina Ahn, 21, and a group of girlfriends also chose Thailand.
"We wanted to go somewhere hot and cheap and have heard it's a fun place to be in January with lots of other people our age," Ms Ahn said.
Thailand is the hotspot for youth, with boat trips, beach hopping, temple exploring by day, and bustling nightlife.
Affordability and the significance of religion are some notable differences between Thailand and New Zealand, as well as the large amounts of rubbish. "It was super sad to see rubbish everywhere," Ms Ahn said.
But it's how the locals interact with tourists that both Mr Weinstein and Ms Ahn admired the most.
"In New Zealand, we are sort of known for being nice, but Thai people take that to the absolute next level," said Mr Weinstein.
Ms Ahn said she always felt secure.
"People were super helpful, and we always felt safe,'' she said.
Thailand's tourism sector accounts for almost 20% of its GDP; however, due to the impacts of Covid-19 the nation has struggled to recover.
Whether Thailand can meet its ambitious target of attracting 40 million foreign visitors this year is the question, and it will require investment in infrastructure and streamlined visa processes.
Asia NZ's survey says 75% of New Zealanders see Asia as important or very important to New Zealand's future, and six in 10 have visited Asia primarily for leisure.
This shows progress since April 2024, when Thailand's previous premier, Srettha Thavisin, and New Zealand's prime minister, Christopher Luxon, agreed to foster cooperation in tourism between the nations.
Mr Weinstein has faced a few challenges travelling in Thailand. Despite the obvious language barrier, he believes the hardest part has been deciding where to go next.
"It has been really valuable getting to know other travellers and finding out where they have been and what they enjoyed and didn't so much," he said.
"In terms of actual logistics, it's much easier to navigate Thailand than New Zealand," he said.
With New Zealanders increasingly drawn to Asia and Thailand investing in its tourism infrastructure, the "Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025" campaign appears well-positioned to meet its ambitious targets, including generating 3.4 trillion baht in revenue and the 40 million visitors figure.
In the first 19 days of 2025, 2.1 million tourists arrived in Thailand, generating around 107 billion baht in revenue.
