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Flight searches for travel ‘dupes’ increased in 2023
Dupe is, after all, a latest term that puts a spin on the old concept of bargain hunting.
Data shows that travelers leveraged the strategy more in 2023. For instance, flight searches greater than doubled for several “dupe” destinations internationally, in keeping with Expedia data.
Searches to Taipei, a dupe for Seoul, were up 458% within the U.S. and a pair of,786% globally, in keeping with Expedia. Those to Pattaya, Thailand, an alternative choice to Bangkok, rose 163% within the U.S. and 249% globally.
Likewise, flight searches to the island Curaçao, a stand-in for St. Martin, were up 228% within the U.S. and 185% worldwide. Those to Perth, Australia, a dupe for Sydney, jumped 33% within the U.S. and 109% globally. Moreover, those to Liverpool, England, a London alternative, spiked 138% within the U.S. and 97% worldwide, in keeping with Expedia.
The information compared searches within the 12-month period through Aug. 31, 2023, to the identical period the prior 12 months.
“TikTok popularized the thought of dupes … and the concept is increasingly taking off on this planet of travel,” Expedia said in a report published Wednesday.
Affordability is a top driver of travel dupes
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Affordability is among the many top reasons cited by consumers for looking for out these alternate destinations, Expedia said.
“In the event you want to lower your expenses in your next trip, consider an alternate destination,” said Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper, a travel app. “Oftentimes you possibly can save on airfare and hotel rates by picking a destination off the beaten track.”
For instance, the common round-trip flight from the U.S. to Hanoi, Vietnam, is $1,564. Travelers would lower your expenses by flying as an alternative to Ho Chi Minh City, where a flight averages $1,326, Hopper said.
In an identical vein, to illustrate you are considering a visit to Spain.
A round-trip flight to Tenerife, in Spain’s Canary Islands, costs $827, on average. As a substitute, you may consider a visit to Barcelona, a well-liked metropolis, where a flight costs a median $572, in keeping with Hopper. Likewise, flights to Phuket, Thailand, an island getaway, cost $1,705 round trip, while flights to the capital Bangkok cost $1,404. The Hopper prices are current averages for departures in December to March.
In 2024, Americans usually tend to select hidden-gem destinations over tried-and-true tourist hotspots for his or her vacations.
Jon Gieselman
president of Expedia Brands
More Americans planned trips abroad this 12 months as their pandemic-era health fears waned and countries largely reopened their borders to visitors. Americans applied for passports in record numbers in 2022 and 2023.
That surging demand caused prices to surge across the travel spectrum. Airfare to Europe, the preferred destination for U.S. tourists, was the most costly on record in summer 2023. Â
Web search traffic within the U.S. for travel dupes spiked throughout 2023, peaking in July, in keeping with Google Trends data.
It’s greater than just the flight price
Nonetheless, Hopper flight data indicates that not all dupes will necessarily repay for travelers. They might must try a couple of different alternatives to search out savings.
For instance, the common round-trip flight from the U.S. to Perth, the aforementioned dupe for Sydney, currently costs $2,389, while a flight to Sydney costs $1,572, in keeping with Hopper. Nonetheless, travelers who look a bit farther afield — to Nadi, Fiji, or Auckland, Recent Zealand — would spend $1,365 and $1,394, respectively, Hopper said.
Nonetheless, dupes aren’t just in regards to the airfare. People traveling off the beaten track can often save on food, hotels and native transportation, said Sara Rathner, travel expert at NerdWallet.
Avoiding “way over-touristed” locales, especially if traveling during peak season, may also be a more enjoyable experience as a result of smaller crowds, Rathner said.
When picking a “dupe” destination, travelers should research details akin to amenities, infrastructure and safety considerations, Rathner added. Reading online travel articles and blogs, and asking friends who could have visited before, can provide a general sense as to potential itineraries and the convenience of lodging and getting around, she said.
To lower your expenses on general travel, try being flexible with trip dates, Berg said. For instance, flying on a Tuesday can prevent $100 on domestic airfare, while departing Monday through Wednesday can save as much as $150 per international ticket, Berg said.
Hotel stays are costliest Friday and Saturday night. Starting a stay on Sunday can save a median of 25% off weekend rates, she added.
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