It’s time to return to the Far East – the cheapest region for a long-haul holiday

The country’s operators and hotels are offering particularly good deals to entice travellers back. “We don’t believe that anywhere comes close to Thailand’s small luxury hotels in terms of the quality and value for money,” Clark adds.  

Sidestepping the crowds starts with picking the right resort according to Parveen Jackson, Luxtripper’s Head of Product. “Koh Samui has struggled to bring in tourism since the pandemic, partly due to the direct flight from London not resuming. However, it’s incredibly easy to spend a few days in Bangkok and then hop over, something we include in our packages and which our clients love,” she says.

The company is currently offering 35 per cent off an 11-night, five-star B&B break to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui. Staying in Anantara resorts, it costs from £2,799pp. Elsewhere, Kenwood Travel has savings of up to 45 per cent on one week’s B&B at the Hyatt Regency Hua Hin, which costs from £887pp including flights via Dubai.

Vietnam’s tourism boom

Vietnam, meanwhile, is having a moment. New and favourable visa rules and a burgeoning luxury travel industry mean visitor numbers are steadily returning to pre-pandemic levels. However, Post Office research found that prices in the country have fallen by 27.9 per cent since 2019, with sterling 13.3 per cent stronger against the Vietnamese dong compared with September 2022.

“Post-pandemic, Vietnam has focused on developing as a luxury tourist destination and this has meant a big push in new luxury hotels, improved offerings from existing providers, and also a focus on local infrastructure,” says Jackson. “As the focus on luxury tourism is still growing, the price point for a Vietnam package is still very reasonable, but without compromising on service or quality”.