The largest travel trend of 2022 was to go big, spend big — with people eagerly booking bucket list-style trips to places like Bali, Rome, London and Paris.
But two latest reports show travelers at the moment are in a really different headspace.
Trend reports from Expedia and Booking.com show vacationers are forgoing splashy trips to global hot spots in favor of quieter trips to places which might be lesser-known — and much less crowded.
Some 63% of travelers said they’re prone to visit an off-the-beaten-track destination on their next trip, in response to Expedia’s “Unpack ’25,” a travel trend report which surveyed 25,000 respondents from 19 countries.
Flight searches from Expedia from Sept. 1, 2023, to Aug. 31, 2024, showed rising interest to:
- Reims, France
- Brescia, Italy
- Cozumel, Mexico
- Santa Barbara, California
- Waikato, Latest Zealand
- Girona, Spain
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Krabi, Thailand
- Canmore, Canada
“Many destinations have gotten quite overcrowded,” said James Marshall, vp of worldwide air accounts at Expedia. “A number of the travelers, they need something different. They need to move away and find equivalent destinations that have not been discovered by that many individuals.”
Expedia’s James Marshall, who is a component Spanish, said Girona is an incredible change from the bustling crowds of Barcelona. “Beautiful town, beautiful architecture, great cathedral … but additionally the countryside around it’s incredible.”
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United Airlines announced this month it’s expanding international services to Senegal, Greenland and Mongolia next 12 months in a bid to capture travel interest to the subsequent “it” destination.
Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vp of worldwide network planning and alliances, told reporters that savvy travelers have been to Paris, Rome and Madrid persistently over.
“They’re searching for something different,” he said.
Cheaper and more relaxing
But there are other reasons travelers wish to take the road less traveled, said Expedia Group’s Chief Business Officer Greg Schulze.
These destinations are likely to be cheaper and more relaxing, Schulze told CNBC Travel.
“The value of travel has increased over these years,” he said. “Detour destinations often are more economical for travelers … they’ll get a superior experience for less money.”
Lesser-known spots also satisfy travelers’ increasing interest in “authentic” experiences, Schulze said.
Marshall added that travel influencers are driving interest to latest places too.
“Trendsetters fairly often are those going to be doing a variety of research, and they are going to find those alternatives because they feel they need [to],” he said. “Social media amplifies lots.”
‘Authentic, off-the-beaten path’
A trend report, published Wednesday by Booking.com, concluded that travelers share a desire to explore less visited locales.
“There shall be an increased desire for authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences,” states the opening line of Booking.com’s “2025 Travel Predictions.”
Some 67% of adult travelers said they need to visit less crowded destinations, in response to a Booking.com survey of greater than 27,700 respondents from 33 countries and territories.
A separate report from the corporate, also published Wednesday, listed 10 “trending destinations” where the corporate is seeing a year-on-year rise in interest:
- Sanya, China
- Trieste, Italy
- Joao Pessoa, Brazil
- Tromso, Norway
- Willemstad, Curaçao
- Tignes, France
- San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Naha, Okinawa, Japan
- Villajoyosa, Spain
- Houston, United States
The ‘missing out’ mindset
Expedia declared 2022 the 12 months of the GOAT, or “best of all trips.”
But traveler mindsets are changing, it said, with more today embracing JOMO, or the “joy of missing out.”
Marshall said 62% of surveyed travelers say that “JOMO travel” reduces stress and anxiety, and nearly half say it allows them to higher reconnect with family members.
Expedia’s survey shows travelers are up for “doing less on vacation,” in response to its “Unpack ’25” report.
Klaus Vedfelt | Digitalvision | Getty Images
He noted interest in vacation home rentals near beaches, lakes and within the mountains. Plus, holiday-makers indicate they need amenities that show they plan to spend ample time in the home, from pools and gardens to “porches with a view,” he said.
“You go there along with your friends, along with your family, far-off from the crowds, far-off from the busyness,” he said. “And also you’re very glad that you simply miss out on every part else.”
— CNBC’s Leslie Josephs contributed to this report.
