The biggest travel trend for 2022 is to go big and spend big — with people eager to book bucket-list-style trips to places like Bali, Rome, London and Paris.
But two new reports show travelers are now in a very different position.
Trend reports from Expedia and Booking.com show vacationers are forgoing bustling trips to global hotspots in favor of quieter trips to lesser-known and less crowded places.
Expedia’s “Unpack ’25” travel trends report, which surveyed 25,000 respondents from 19 countries, found that about 63% of travelers said they were likely to visit an off-the-beaten-path destination on their next trip. .
From September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2024, Expedia flight searches show increasing interest in:
- Reims, France
- Brescia, Italy
- Cozumel, Mexico
- Santa Barbara, California
- Waikato, New Zealand
- Girona, Spain
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Krabi, Thailand
- canmore canada
“A lot of destinations are getting very crowded,” said James Marshall, vice president of global airline accounts at Expedia. “A lot of travelers want something different. They want to get away and find an equivalent that hasn’t been discovered by as many people.” destination.”
Expedia’s James Marshall, who is of Spanish descent, said Girona is a big change from the bustling crowds of Barcelona. “Beautiful town, beautiful architecture, great cathedral… and the surrounding countryside is fantastic.”
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United Airlines announced this month that it will expand international flights to Senegal, Greenland and Mongolia next year in a bid to drum up travel interest in the next “it” destinations.
Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vice president of global network planning and alliances, told reporters that savvy travelers have been to Paris, Rome and Madrid multiple times.
“They’re looking for something different,” he said.
Cheaper and more relaxing
But there are other reasons why travelers choose to take the road less traveled, said Greg Schulze, chief commercial officer at Expedia Group.
Schutz tells us these destinations tend to be cheaper and easier CNBC Travel.
“The price of travel has increased over the years,” he said. “It’s often more economical for travelers to detour to destinations… where they can get a great experience for less money.”
Schultz said lesser-known attractions also feed travelers’ growing interest in “authentic” experiences.
Marshall added that travel influencers also generate interest in new places.
“Trendsetters usually do a lot of research, and they find these alternatives because they feel they need them,” he said. “Social media amplifies it a lot.”
“Authentic, off the beaten track”
A trend report released Wednesday by Booking.com concluded that travelers are eager to explore off-the-beaten-path areas.
“People’s desire for authenticity and unconventional paths will become stronger and stronger Booking.com’s “Travel Forecast for 2025” begins.
About 67% of adult travelers said they wanted to travel to less crowded destinations, according to a Booking.com survey of more than 27,700 respondents from 33 countries and territories.
A separate report released by the company on Wednesday listed 10 “hot destinations” where it believes interest is rising year over year:
- Sanya, China
- Trieste, Italy
- Joao Pessoa, Brazil
- Tromso, Norway
- Willemstad, Curacao
- Tignes, France
- San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Naha, Okinawa, Japan
- Villajoyosa, Spain
- Houston, USA
“Miss out” mentality
Expedia has declared 2022 the “Year of the Goat,” “the greatest of all travels.”
But the report says traveler mentality is changing, with more and more people now embracing “JOMO,” or the “joy of missing out.”
Marshall said 62% of travelers surveyed said “JOMO travel” can reduce stress and anxiety, and nearly half said it allows them to better reconnect with loved ones.
Expedia’s survey shows travelers are willing to “reduced activity during the holidays,” according to its “Unpack ’25” report.
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He pointed to interest in vacation rentals near beaches, lakes and mountains. Additionally, vacationers say they want amenities that show they plan to spend plenty of time at the house, from pools and gardens to “landscaped porches,” he said.
“You go there with your friends and family and get away from the crowds and away from the hustle and bustle,” he said. “And you’re glad you missed everything else.”
—CNBC’s Leslie Josephs contributed to this report.
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