The report TravelerInsights of Expedia for the third quarter of 2023 confirms that confidence in travel is increasing. Many travelers are planning further afield and looking forward to getaways starting in September.
Demands remain strong
Expedia Group’s traveler search and booking data shows changing demand trends and traveler behaviors during the second quarter of the year. Travel remains strong and the return of seasonal trends like quick trips for events and spring and summer vacations, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere.
Search volume stabilizes except for the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa) shows growth
“Our proprietary first-party data shows that search volumes in the second quarter of 2023 were flat compared to the previous quarter, indicating continued interest in travel globally,” said Jennifer Andre, vice president of business development of Expedia Group Media Solutions. As you can see in the table below, the ten most requested cities are: London, New York, Paris, Dubai, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Rome, Copenhagen, Stockholm.
A trend already observed in 2022
“This is a trend we have seen in previous years, with consistent search volumes in Q2 2022 following a 25% quarter-over-quarter increase in searches in Q1 2022. Looking across different regions, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) showed the highest search growth, with a 10% increase in searches year-over-year.
Travelers are starting to plan for the long term again
Travelers continued to plan their international trips for the longer term. International searches from 0 to 90 days are up almost 15% from the previous quarter. This aligns with what the Journey to Purchase study found for international travelers. They typically have a longer buying journey of 85 days and an extended post-purchase window of 94 days.
Travelers are looking for long-haul destinations
Looking at the top 10 most booked destinations across all regions, long-haul destinations outside the home region have increased in popularity, indicating that demand for international travel remains strong. London and New York were popular destinations for travelers, each making the list of top 10 most booked destinations across all regions.
For travelers in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region
Cities like London and Bangkok rose in the rankings, and New York City joined the list. Newcomers Istanbul and Stockholm entered the top 10 for EMEA travelers, while New York retained the top spot. New York and Madrid climbed the rankings, London joined the LATAM travelers list, and Boston and San Francisco became newcomers to the NORAM (North America) travelers list. Paris remains a destination for all travelers around the world.
Sporting events spark travel inspiration
According to the Path to Purchase study, 24% of travelers are initially motivated to go on a trip because of a specific event or celebration. This ties in with our second-quarter first-party data, as major sports games and tournaments led to a sharp increase in searches for corresponding destinations.
To learn more, download the Traveler Insights Q3 2023 report.
