Travel is a very fluid industry. It reacts to changing preferences and it drives innovation. The hottest destinations this year will be different next year, and the most popular experiences over the last 12 months will be different in the next 12. So we thought this recent report from Expedia on the top 2020 travel trends was quite interesting, as it reflects their customer’s bucket lists for the year ahead.
The New Top 10
Expedia’s analysts scoured the list of fastest-growing destinations to identify the countries that had the most cities trending based on flight demand. The result: A brand-new bucket list worthy of a new decade.
“When we looked at where travelers went in 2019, we saw that the biggest growth in demand was happening for destinations that aren’t the usual tourist hotspots,” said Christie Hudson, Head of PR for Brand Expedia North America. “For example, instead of Venice or Rome, the top trending Italian destinations were in Sardinia and the Italian Riviera. We hope this report shines a light on new places to explore and inspires people to start planning their travel for 2020.”
- Spain & Canary Islands: Ibiza (+50%), Palma de Mallorca (+35%), Oviedo (+30%), Seville (+15%)
- Canada: Winnipeg (+465%), Saskatoon (+425%), Regina (+400%), Halifax (+365%)
- Peru: Trujillo (+35%), Lima (+15%), Arequipa (+5%)
- Japan: Naha/Okinawa (+45%), Sapporo (+40%), Tokyo (+20%), Osaka (+20%)
- Italy: Cagliari (+40%), Genoa (+5%), Olbia (+5%), Calabria (+5%)
- Australia: Sydney (+20%), Cairns (+20%), Adelaide (+15%), Melbourne (+10%), Gold Coast (+10%), Perth (+5%)
- Mexico: Campeche (+95%), Oaxaca (+60%), Puerto Escondido (+50%), Mexico City (+30%)
- Portugal: Porto (+55%), Faro (+35%), Lisbon (+10%)
- Brazil: Fortaleza (+35%), Iguazu Falls (+10%), Sao Paulo (+10%)
- India: Goa (+25%), Ahmedabad (+15%), Delhi (+15%), Kolkata (+10%)
Popular Experiences: Robots, Ruins and Rollercoasters
Activities and attractions are more than just an add-on to a trip. Often, they’re one of the top considerations when travelers are choosing where to go and where to stay. Not to mention purchasing the tickets ahead of time makes the trip planning easier. So, don’t just go somewhere in 2020 – have an experience. Here are some of the top-selling activities on Expedia for inspiration:
- Universal Studios Hollywood Admission in Los Angeles, California (+350%)
- Robot Restaurant Show in Shinjuku, Tokyo (+220%)
- Chichén Itzá Admission, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico (+125%)
- The High Roller Observation Wheel in Las Vegas, Nevada (+35%)
- San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California (+15%)
Chasing Waterfalls
Take a cue from Americans who strayed from the rivers and lakes they were used to this year: Expedia data reveals many travelers were literally chasing waterfalls in 2019.
- Niagara Falls, Ontario (hotel demand +45%)
- Kaieteur Falls, Guyana (flight demand to Georgetown +30%)
- Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (hotel demand +25%)
- Sutherland Falls, New Zealand (flight demand to Christchurch +20%)
- Iguazu Falls, Brazil (flight demand +10%)
- Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite National Park (hotel demand +10%)
