Travelers and vacationers are always looking for new, exciting destinations. A study shows the trends for the coming year.
How do travelers decide on their vacation destinations, what motivates them to pack their bags, and which destinations will they pay particular attention to in the coming year? The latest travel trend report, which the online travel agency Expedia and the holiday home platform FeWo-direkt have published together for the second time, answers these questions. The report is based on an analysis of internal data and a global survey of more than 20,000 travelers. These are the results and six emerging trends for 2024.
“Set jetting” – traveling to filming locations for films and series
Set jetting is the name of the still current trend in which tourists travel to locations that can be seen in films and TV series. Some of them even travel from one set to the next, hence the name. According to the survey, in 2024 over half (53 percent) of those surveyed have already researched or booked a trip to a place that they know from a film or series. One in four (26 percent) confirm that the influence of media on their travel plans has increased in the last year. TV series, reality formats and streaming productions have a particularly strong influence on travel decisions, with over a third (34 percent) preferring TV formats to social media such as Instagram or TikTok. These travel destinations are in the focus of travelers for 2024:
Thailand, which will be featured in the third season of “The White Lotus.”
Romania, which returns to the spotlight with the release of the second season of “Wednesday”.
Malta, which served as the filming location for “Gladiator 2”.
Paris, which is once again the focus of the fourth season of “Emily in Paris”.
Scotland, which plays a major role in the final season of “Outlander.”
London, Bath and Windsor in the UK, which appear in the new seasons of “Bridgerton” and “The Crown”.
“Destination Dupes” – Twin worldwide destinations
The term “dupes”, which actually describes duplicates or very similar product alternatives, is now also finding its way into tourism. The so-called “destination dupes” offer similar relaxation or experiences to their well-known counterparts, but are less crowded. A fifth (20%) of travelers are particularly interested in the hidden gems of travel destinations. 34 percent have visited a destination similar to a popular tourist hotspot, and 47 percent are considering such a destination for their next vacation.
The following “destination dupes” recorded a significant increase in search queries compared to the previous year: Taipei (dupe for Seoul), Pattaya (for Bangkok), Paros (for Santorini), Curaçao (for Saint Martin in the Caribbean), Perth (for Sydney) , Liverpool (for London), Palermo (for Lisbon), Quebec City (for Geneva), Sapporo (for Zermatt) and Memphis (for Nashville).
Tour tourism – music fans travel the world
The impact of world tours like Taylor Swift’s “Eras” and Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” on local tourism has already been felt in 2023. Data from Expedia and HomeAway suggests this trend will continue. 41 percent of travelers stated in the survey that they are even more likely to take a trip for a concert in 2024 than in 2023. For almost a quarter (23%), traveling within their own country is a given, 15 percent would even travel to another country to see certain artists or bands live. 44 percent also use concerts as an opportunity to explore new destinations. But there’s another reason music fans go on tour: ticket prices. Around 30 percent of the travelers surveyed cited cheaper ticket prices in other locations as a reason for their intention to travel.
Every opportunity is suitable
It is not uncommon for milestone birthdays, Christmas and Easter or parents’ silver wedding anniversary to be used as an opportunity to travel with family and friends. These breaks are forecast to increase in 2024. According to the trend survey, a third (34%) of those surveyed would like to spend more vacations with their favorite people next year. Around one in four (23%) look for almost any occasion to spend time together: retirement, job changes, promotions and even terminations serve as reasons to toast a new phase of life together far away from home.
External values are becoming more and more important
When looking for a vacation home, outdoor amenities are playing an increasingly important role: from hot tubs to expansive gardens to rooftop terraces and fire pits. More than one in five (22%) travelers confirm that such factors are more important than the interior design when choosing a holiday home. The survey data shows that 42 percent of travelers book vacation rentals with features they cannot use at home. 28 percent attach particular importance to a wide range of outdoor equipment, e.g. B. not having to leave to go swimming or barbecuing.
Generation AI – Traveling with Artificial Intelligence
The use of AI tools like ChatGPT has disrupted entire industries in 2023 – including tourism. There is no end in sight to the enthusiasm for this new technology. On the contrary, the “AI generation” appears to be coming of age in 2024 and will increasingly use artificial intelligence for travel planning. Half of travelers are interested in planning their future vacations with the help of AI. 27 percent already find the technology very useful because it simplifies and accelerates processes. 39 percent of those surveyed say that artificial intelligence helps them find suitable accommodation. 35 percent use it to research local activities, 33 percent use it to compare flights, and 19 percent use it to make booking changes or cancellations.