Pattaya, Paros and Perth Make the List of
2024 Destinations of the Year
Tour Tourism, Dry Tripping and Go-ccasions
Among 2024 Leading Trip Types
Half of Travellers Expected to Adopt
Generative AI in 2024
TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2023
/CNW/ -- Today, Expedia Group unveiled Unpack '24, a
comprehensive look at what's motivating travellers and where
they're going next year. Based on the company's unmatched
first-party travel data, plus a global consumer survey of 20,000
travellers, Unpack '24 includes eight new travel trends for 2024,
from top destinations to what's next in travel tech.
"At Expedia Group, we have extensive first-party travel data
that we use to enhance and curate experiences for our travellers
across Expedia®, Hotels.com®, and Vrbo®. These insights shape our
travel forecasts, revealed in Unpack '24, enabling our travellers
to be the first to discover and book the most desired trips before
they become well-beaten paths," said Jon
Gieselman, President of Expedia Brands. "From 'dry tripping'
to events like Taylor Swift or
Beyoncé performances, and the rising allure of destinations like
Perth, Palermo, and Paros, these
trends begin to define the travel landscape in 2024."
The 2024 Set-jetting Forecast: For 2023, Expedia
predicted travellers would turn to television sets and movie
screens for travel inspiration. They did, and the trend shows no
signs of stopping in 2024. More than half of travellers say they've
researched or booked a trip to a destination after seeing it on a
TV show or movie, and 1 in 4 admit that TV shows and films are even
more influential on their travel plans than they were before. In
fact, travellers say TV shows influence their travel decisions more
than Instagram, TikTok and podcasts.
Given the popularity of this travel trend, Expedia, Hotels.com
and Vrbo compiled its first-ever Set-jetting
Forecast predicting what entertainment-inspired destinations
travellers will head to in 2024, based on upcoming show and film
releases and travel data from Expedia Group.*
- Thailand inspired
by "The White Lotus" season 3.
- Romania inspired by
"Wednesday" season 2.
- Malta inspired by the
new "Gladiator 2" film.
- Paris inspired by
"Emily in Paris" season 4.
- Scottish Highlands inspired by the remaining
seasons of "Outlander."
- London, Bath and Windsor,
UK inspired by the new season of "Bridgerton" and
"The Crown" season 6.
- Korea inspired by "Squid Game" season 2.
- Florida Keys &
Bahamas inspired by the
new Apple TV show "Bad Monkey."
- Australia inspired
by both Baz Luhrmann's "Faraway
Downs" and the Mad Max prequel "Furiosa."
- Greece inspired by new
spy action thriller "Argylle."
Expedia ‒ Destination Dupes: The "dupe" trend
— affordable alternatives to popular products — that has flooded
TikTok feeds is now taking over travel. Expedia's 2024 destinations
of the year are destination dupes — places that are a little
unexpected, sometimes more affordable, and every bit as delightful
as the tried-and-true destinations travellers love.
The 2024 destination dupes all experienced a notable uptick in
searches1 over the past year. In fact, global searches
for the top 5 destinations on the list more than doubled YoY.**
- Taipei (dupe for Seoul)
- Pattaya (dupe for Bangkok)
- Paros (dupe for Santorini)
- Curaçao (dupe for St.
Martin)
- Perth (dupe for Sydney)
- Liverpool (dupe for
London)
- Palermo (dupe for Lisbon)
- Québec City (dupe for Geneva)
- Sapporo (dupe for
Zermatt)
- Memphis (dupe for Nashville)
Expedia ‒ Tour Tourism: In 2023, the cultural
impact of the Eras and Renaissance tours was undeniable, driving
ticket sales but also travel and tourism. Expedia predicts that
Tour Tourism will continue to thrive in 2024. Nearly 70 per
cent of survey respondents say they are more likely to travel to a
concert outside their own town, with over 40 per cent saying they'd
travel for a concert as an excuse to visit a new place. In a new
twist to Tour Tourism perhaps driven by ticket prices, 30 per cent
of travellers say they would travel outside of their home city for
a concert because tickets were cheaper elsewhere. Unexpected places
on Expedia's list of top tour tourism destinations are
Kuala Lumpur, Edmonton, and Mexico
City.***
Hotels.com ‒ Dry Tripping: From observing Dry
January to Sober October, it's clear that living a low- or
alcohol-free lifestyle is becoming more common. In addition to
beverage brands and celebrities releasing nonalcoholic products,
the travel industry is also catering to sober-curious travellers by
stocking minibars with zero-proof options, or offering
mocktail-making experiences.****
More than 40 per cent of travellers say they are likely to book
a detox trip in the next year, and half of travellers say they
would be interested in staying at hotels that offer easily
accessible alcohol-free beverage options. One in 4 say the top
reason for drinking less on vacation is to stay in control and feel
better emotionally and physically, and surprisingly, attending
sporting events was the top reason travellers said they'd be likely
to reduce alcohol consumption while travelling.
Hotels.com ‒ Vibe Check-in: Beyond searching
for specific amenities or star ratings, a hotel's overall "vibe" is
becoming a strong indicator of travellers' hotel choices. Guest
reviews mentioning the word "vibe" have increased an average of
1,090 per cent YoY,2 and 9 out of 10 travellers say the
vibe of a hotel is important when booking.
Travellers are seeking a variety of vibes when searching for
hotels from "Modern Vibe" and "Industrial Vibe" to "Retro Vibe" or
"Margaritaville Vibe."***** What contributes to a hotel's overall
vibe? Travellers say the top element is customer service, which
surpassed the music, interior or lighting of the hotel.
Vrbo ‒ Go-ccasions: Puppymoons,
First-date-iversaries, and Plate Dates are in the cards for
travellers in 2024. One in 4 say they are looking for 'any excuse'
to get away with their loved ones. With one-third of travellers
planning to take more trips with family and friends next year than
in 2023, they're going all in on identifying occasions to
book a getaway to a private vacation home to celebrate
together.
In addition to annual anniversaries and milestone birthdays,
interestingly, work-related occasions are one of the most popular
trip catalysts — many travellers would book a weekender to
celebrate retirement, getting a new job, a promotion, or quitting a
job.
Vrbo: Outside In: With pickleball becoming one of
the fastest-growing sports, it's no surprise that outdoor
amenities, like pickleball courts and cold plunges, are dictating
what private vacation homes families and friends are booking for
group getaways. Survey data shows that 42 per cent of travellers
book vacation homes with amenities they either cannot afford to
have at home, or that they want to try out before they buy
themselves. Furthermore, nearly 30 per cent say they would choose a
vacation home with outdoor amenities, so they'd never have
to leave the property.
The trending types of outdoor amenities travellers
want:
- Relaxation and rejuvenation: properties with a hot tub, cold
plunge or barrel sauna.
- Roaring fires: vacation homes with a fire pit, barbecue or
outdoor kitchen.
- Sports and recreation: properties that have amenities like
ping-pong tables, padel tennis courts, pickleball courts and lawn
games.
- Fresh produce: vacation homes with access to fruit trees or a
vegetable patch.
Gen Gen AI: While generative AI tools like
ChatGPT took center stage in 2023, only 6 per cent of US travellers
used it to plan their trip.3 In 2024, Expedia Group
predicts the "generation of generative AI" travellers will come of
age and fully embrace this tech throughout their travel journey. In
fact, survey data reveals that half of travellers are interested in
using generative AI to plan their next trip, and 1 in 3 say it's
very useful when making travel plans.
What's driving this trend? Generative AI's ability to simplify
planning and shopping through a conversation. Nearly 40 per cent of
travellers say they would use this tech to find the perfect stay,
35 per cent would plan activities and things to do, 33 per cent
would compare flight options, and 20 per cent of travellers would
change or cancel their travel plans.
To further explore Unpack '24, visit
expedia.ca/travel-trends-unpack-24 and download the full
report.
Notes to the editor:
*Set-jetting stats:4
- The first two seasons of "The White Lotus" drove a 300 per cent
increase in travel demand to Hawaii and Sicily.
- Following the release of "Wednesday" on Netflix, Expedia saw a
150 per cent increase in travel searches for Romania.
- Expedia saw a 200 per cent increase in searches to Paris after "Emily in Paris" debuted its previous season.
- Searches for Richmond in
London increased by 160 per cent
after season 2 of "Ted Lasso" aired,
and they doubled after season 3 aired. U.S. fans accounted for 65
per cent of searches, followed by Australians, Canadians, Brits and
the Japanese.
- Searches for Chicago increased
by 45 per cent following the first season of "The Bear."
- Searches for Norway increased
by more than 65 per cent after "Succession" aired its final
season.
**Destination Dupe stats:
Percentage increase in flight searches YoY
- Taipei (dupe for Seoul) - 2,786 per cent
- Pattaya (dupe for Bangkok) –
249 per cent
- Paros (dupe for Santorini) -193 per cent
- Curaçao (dupe for St.
Martin) – 185 per cent
- Perth (dupe for Sydney) – 109 per cent
- Liverpool (dupe for
London) – 97 per cent
- Palermo (dupe for Lisbon) – 89
per cent
- Québec City (dupe for Geneva) – 60 per cent
- Sapporo (dupe for Zermatt) –
38 per cent
- Memphis (dupe for Nashville) – 16 per cent
***Tour Tourism stats: Expedia analyzed the average daily
rates for accommodations in cities around the world with major
arenas and music venues that will host the world's hottest pop and
rock stars in 2024. Below are 10 destinations where fans can snag a
hotel room for less than $210/night
on average — often less than the price of the concert
ticket.5
Some big-name artists who will be stopping in those cities on
tour next year include: Coldplay, Taylor
Swift, Madonna, Metallica, Olivia
Rodrigo, the Jonas Brothers and the Foo Fighters.
Global List:
- Kuala Lumpur – average
hotel night $125
- Edmonton, Canada –
average hotel night $148
- Mexico City,
Mexico – average hotel night $164
- Warsaw,
Poland – average hotel night $164
- Birmingham, UK –
average hotel night $175
- Houston, Texas –
average hotel night $179
- Antwerp, Belgium –
average hotel night $193
- Tokyo, Japan – average
hotel night $203
- Perth, Australia –
average hotel night $204
- Detroit,
Michigan – average hotel night $205
****Dry Tripping hotels and resorts around the world:
- Somerton Lodge, U.K. is a charming and dry
hotel.
- The Rhadana Kuta Bali is a thematic boutique hotel and the
first certified halal hotel in Bali.
- Revival Baltimore launched a local zero-proof
cocktail program by a sober bar manager and
mixologist.
- The Merrion Hotel in Ireland "distills" its own nonalcoholic
gin.
- Ette Hotel in Orlando is
home to stunning mocktails devised by a master mixologist and
zero-proof bars.
- The Rosewood Phuket offers a daily mocktail workshop for
guests for a fee.
- Wynn Las Vegas features "Drinking Well," a zero-proof
cocktail program developed by a master mixologist at the resort
with innovative ingredients like reishi mushrooms, lion's mane,
ashwagandha and maca.
*****Vibe Check-in Stats
The top 15 vibes according to reviews on the Hotels.com
app6: Modern, Retro, Old, Beach, Funky, Chill, Hip,
Cozy, Vintage, Historic, Artsy, City, Industrial, Party and
Peaceful.
The most unique vibes according to reviews on the Hotels.com
app: Florida, Hollywood, Jungle,
Tacky, Jazz, Camp, Margaritaville, Groovy, Yellowstone, Futuristic
and Graceland.
About Expedia Group
Expedia Group, Inc. brands power travel for everyone, everywhere
through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel
is a force for good, we help people experience the world in new
ways and build lasting connections. We provide industry-leading
technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while
facilitating memorable experiences for travellers. Our organization
is made up of three pillars: Expedia Product & Technology,
focused on the group's product and technical strategy and
offerings; Expedia Brands, housing all our consumer brands; and
Expedia for Business, consisting of business-to-business solutions
and relationships throughout the travel ecosystem.
The Expedia Group family of brands includes: Expedia®,
Hotels.com®, Expedia® Partner Solutions, Vrbo®, Trivago®, Orbitz®,
Travelocity®, Hotwire®, Wotif®, ebookers®, CheapTickets®, Expedia
Group™ Media Solutions, CarRentals.com™, and Expedia Cruises™. One
Key™ is our comprehensive loyalty program that unifies Expedia,
Hotels.com and Vrbo into one simple, flexible travel rewards
experience.
For more information, visit www.expediagroup.com. Follow us on
Twitter @expediagroup and check out our LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/company/expedia.
© 2023 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights
reserved. Trademarks and logos are the property of their respective
owners. CST: 2029030-50
Follow Expedia on Instagram,
TikTok, Pinterest,
Twitter and YouTube.
Follow Hotels.com on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and
Twitter.
Follow Vrbo on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and
Twitter.
Methodology
The research was conducted on behalf of Expedia Brands (Expedia,
Hotels.com, Vrbo & Wotif) by OnePoll, a global strategic
research firm. The survey was conducted online from September
12–October 5, 2023, across North and South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific using an amalgamated group of
best-in-class panels. The study was conducted among 20,000
respondents across 14 countries, among adults who are planning
domestic or international travel in the next three years. OnePoll
is an MRS (Market Research Society) Company Partner, has corporate
membership of ESOMAR, and is a Member of the British Polling
Council.
1 Based on global flight data on Expedia POS from
Sept. 1, 2022 – Aug. 31, 2023
2 Based on hotel review data on Hotels.com
between Jan. 1, 2018 – Dec. 31,
2022
3 Planes, Trains, and Large Language Models, NRG
Thought Leadership Report - May
2023
4 Based on global search data on Expedia and
Hotels.com for hotel stays for each show 90 days post-air date
compared to the same dates the year before
5 Based on average daily rate for hotels on Expedia
global POSa from 1 Sept. 2022 –
31 Aug. 2023
6 Based on hotel review data on Hotels.com between
Jan. 1, 2018 – Dec. 31, 2022
SOURCE Expedia, Inc.