The trending destinations for travelers in 2024

This week, my husband and I are heading to Europe for the Travel Leaders International Summit in Lugano, Switzerland. Traveling to Europe is always exciting, but a recent article by CNBC notes that more Americans are turning their eyes westward for 2024 travel.

            European cities like London, Paris and Rome will always be popular, but Asian cities are attracting a lot more attention these days, according to Airbnb, which writes that “2024 is shaping up to be the year of globetrotting.”

            Searches for international flights are up 13% year-over-year, even though prices are up about 10%. Domestic U.S. travel surged in 2020-21 as the country reopened after the pandemic, but international travel began to ramp up in ’22 and shows no signs of slowing down. The trending destinations for American travelers in 2024:

·         Asia-Pacific. Whoever you talk to in the travel industry, Asia/Pacific locations are leading the way: Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Taipei. Japan ranks highly among non-U.S. travelers, with Osaka, Tokyo and Kyoto among the top two dozen worldwide destinations for travel later this year and in ’25. Asian nations were among the slowest to ease pandemic-related border closures, and now that they’re open, tourists’ wanderlust is being unleashed. Other factors include a strong U.S. dollar vs. the Japanese yen, which gives American visitors additional buying power, and more flights there from budget airlines. Airbnb says search traffic for Japan has more than tripled for visits planned during the first nine months of this year relative to the same period in 2023.

·         Going off the beaten path in Europe. The Big 3 on the continent are still there, but Americans are finding their way to other cities, such as Stockholm, Budapest, Helsinki and Prague. Other destinations growing in popularity include Copenhagen and Edinburgh. Scandinavian cities are highly recommended because not a lot of tourists go there. Also, Finland and Sweden have recently joined NATO, raising Americans’ awareness of those countries. Paris isn’t going anywhere, though, when it comes to tourism, especially this year, when the City of Light hosts the Olympics. Demand for flights to Paris and nearby cities during the Games has more than doubled compared to the same period in ’23.

·         Atlantic tropics vs. Caribbean. Cancun and other Mexican destinations remain popular, not to mention Caribbean islands, but Americans are increasingly turning to Atlantic tropical spots. Spain’s Canary Islands and Portugal’s Madeiras are increasingly popular. Both island groups are off the coast of West Africa. Although not on the Atlantic coast, the Spanish city of Malaga, on the Mediterranean, is also getting more attention, with its 300 days of sunshine a year and access to southern Spain’s beautiful Andalusia region. Malaga is also the number-1 city in the world for expats, according to surveys that measure levels of happiness for foreigners in their new homes.

·         Canada. Trending high this year are Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal, with winter tourism playing a big role. The ski resorts of British Columbia and Alberta are big draws to American skiers, and another incentive is airfares, which are generally one-third the price of a trip to Europe. Plus, the U.S. dollar is strong against its Canadian counterpart.

Thinking of getting out there this year, or maybe in 2025? Give us a call! The world is waiting for you!