If you’re desperate to book a trip abroad next year but have no idea where to start, fear not! Expedia Group has announced its list of 2024 travel trends.
The travel company, including its brands Hotels.com and Vrbo, have today unveiled Unpack ‘24, a comprehensive look at what’s motivating travellers and where they’re planning to visit next year.
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Based on the company’s first-party travel data, a survey of 20,000 travellers has a whole range of travel trends to help fulfil your jet-setting desires, from visiting another country to watch a concert, sober travelling, destination dupes and more.
Set-jetting
Travellers are set to turn to television and film for inspo as they choose where to visit next year. Known as the set-jetting forecast, 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. One in four admit that TV shows and films are even more influential on their travel plans than they were before.
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Why not walk the same quaint streets as Lily Collins in Emily in Paris, or perhaps you’re a fan of the time travel romance drama Outlander and want to book an excursion to the Scottish Highlands and find your very own Jamie Fraser. Surprise, surprise - both shows and locales are on the list.
Following the release of Wednesday on Netflix, Expedia saw a 150% increase in travel searches for Romania, while Expedia saw a 200% increase in searches to Paris after Emily in Paris debuted its previous season.
Destination dupes
Dupes are also set to be a massive trend next year, as travellers look to travel to places that might remind them of another location. Just like a regular dupe, the dupe city is a little more unexpected, sometimes more affordable than the popular OG and perhaps less busy. We all love a good dupe when it comes to fashion or cosmetics, so why not try dupes for destinations?! Think Palermo instead of Lisbon, or flying to Pattaya rather than Bangkok. Read more here.
Tour tourism
In 2023, the cultural impact of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour and Madonna’s Celebration Tour was undeniable. Our favourite pop superstars not only helped to drive ticket sales but also travel and tourism. Expedia predicts that music lovers will venture outside of their hometowns to cities and countries far and wide for gigs. With artists like Doja Cat and Olivia Rodrigo are set to hit the road on their first major tours next year, nearly 70% of survey respondents say they are more likely to travel to a concert outside their own town, with over 40% saying they’d travel for a concert as an excuse to visit a new place.
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Dry tripping
Once you’ve chosen the city you want to visit, next comes the hotel. ‘dry tripping’ is part of a growing trend of people living a low or alcohol-free lifestyle. In addition to beverage brands and celebrities like Kylie Minogue releasing non-alcoholic wine products, the travel industry is also catering to sober-curious travellers. One in four say the top reason for drinking less on holiday is to stay in control and feel better emotionally and physically. Read more here.
Vibe check-in
Travellers aren’t just looking for a comfy bed and a cute view when they book a hotel, they want their temporary lodgings to serve *vibes*. 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%. The most in-demand vibes for next year are predicted to be ‘modern’ and ‘industrial’, ‘retro’ and ‘party’.
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Go-ccasions
People will be looking for any excuse to travel – we can't blame them either – so get ready to hear about holiday lovers jetting off for unusual occasions next year, with puppymoons, first-date-iversaries, and plate dates (cooking and eating a meal together) on the cards for travellers in 2024.
Outside-in
Pickleball courts, ping-pong tables and outdoor hot tubs will become top priorities for travellers with a love for the outdoors next year. Expedia’s survey data found 42 percent of travellers book holiday homes with amenities they either cannot afford to have at home, or that they want to try out before they buy it themselves. Additionally, nearly a third said they would choose a holiday home with outdoor amenities, so they’d never have to leave the property. Good thinking!
Generative AI travel aids
AI may seem like a scary prospect, considering how fast it's become embedded in our culture, but it could be a massive help when navigating trips abroad. Although only six percent of travellers used ChatGPT to plan a trip this year, Expedia Group predicts that travellers will fully embrace th ‘generation of generative AI’ throughout their adventures abroad next year. 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.
Gregory Robinson