Skyscanner Unveils Key Travel Trends Shaping Regional Tourism in 2024

Travel is accelerating in 2024, with regional and closer-to-home destinations leading the resurgence, according to Skyscanner's latest "Horizons: Regional Travel Outlook" report. The travel platform analysed search data and emerging patterns for the upcoming summer season (June to August 2024), unveiling several notable trends.

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Booking Windows Returning to Normal

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As traveller confidence rebuilds, booking windows are stabilising and returning to traditional seasonal patterns, with a greater share of travellers booking further in advance compared to 2023. For Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) travellers, 37% of bookings are made 90+ days out, while in the Americas (AMER), one-third of travellers book this far ahead. Asia-Pacific (APAC) has also seen a 2% increase in bookings over 90 days out

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Value and Affordability Drive Choices

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With airfares stabilising but still higher than pre-pandemic levels, budget-conscious travellers are adjusting their plans. Searches for 'Everywhere' ranks 1st among all destinations in AMER and 2nd in EMEA and APAC, showing how significant volumes of travellers don't have specific destinations in mind and are looking for a bargain. Meanwhile, shorter trip lengths also indicate a focus on value.

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Backyard Exploration on the Rise

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Across all regions, travellers increasingly favour destinations closer to home this summer. Over half (53%) of EMEA travellers are opting to explore the region this summer, an increase of 4%. In particular, the relative strength of the US dollar has led to a 4% decrease in EMEA travellers searching for destinations in North America.

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Air connectivity developments also play a strong role in influencing travel choices. AMER travellers are 3% more interested in South America, likely lured by more affordable flights. Similarly, APAC travellers are 10% less likely to visit Europe, instead gravitating towards intraregional trips within North and Southeast Asia as seat capacity returns.

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Regional Cities Beckon

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Beyond classic tourism hotspots, lesser-known regional cities are piquing interest. Destinations like Victoria (Canada), Marmagao (India) and Panama City (Panama) have seen searches skyrocket over 1,000% year-over-year for EMEA travellers. For travellers in the Americas, cities like San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina), Tokyo (Japan) and Madrid (Spain) are the top 3 trending destinations. On the other hand, trending destinations for APAC travellers are from within the region, with New Delhi (India), Shanghai (China) and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) seeing the largest annual growth.