Funviralpark 2023 will be the year of international travel for many Americans.
A recent survey conducted by tourism industry research firm Destination Analysts found that 31% of Americans are more interested in traveling internationally than traveling domestically. According to a report released in November, this is him up six points from February and a year-to-date high.
Destination analysts also found that more than 82% of American travelers said they had already made travel arrangements for November and beyond. 58% are planning a vacation, 51% are booking trips to see family and friends, 15% are traveling for business and 9% are traveling for conventions and meetings. planning.
Jessica Griscavage, travel expert and CEO of Runway Travel, said: “We missed a trip for a couple of years.”
‘Revenge travel’ is a new term for people’s pent-up desire to see the world, as well as the emergence of looser public health standards both abroad and at home.
Increase in searches for international flights
Meanwhile, according to a recent Hopper survey, the share of flight searches for international destinations in 2023 has increased from 55% in the first week of December 2018 to 62% this year. The report predicts that international travel will be one of the top three trends in 2023, calling it a big comeback.
The percentage of Americans purchasing travel insurance for international travel in 2022 will match 2019 levels for the first time since the pandemic period began, according to findings from Squaremouth, an online travel insurance platform. This pattern continues until his 2023 booking.
Border restrictions eased as COVID-19 concerns fade
Statista reported in July 2022 that travel restrictions related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have reduced the number of American citizens traveling abroad to 9.84 million in 2020.
In 2020 and 2021, health concerns and international COVID-19-related restrictions, such as testing procedures, mandatory quarantines, or outright bans on foreign tourists, will push most Americans to the United States. remained within the borders of Visits and her RV rentals increased.
2022 was the year of increased international travel, but enthusiasm cooled as experts say a spike in COVID-19 cases in late 2021 and into 2022 spurred a highly infectious strain of Omicron. .
I am less worried about the virus now. According to Destination Analysts, for the first time in the pandemic era, more passengers were unconcerned about contracting her COVID-19 in September than those involved.
Additionally, most countries are once again welcoming tourists, especially those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Kayak statistics show fully vaccinated travelers can enter 197 countries without undergoing COVID-19 testing or quarantine, while 16 are open but require testing. .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 69% of Americans are fully vaccinated.
Only 12 countries, including Libya, Turkmenistan, China and Yemen, have banned even vaccinated Americans, according to Kayak.
Meanwhile, countries such as Australia, Israel, Japan, Bhutan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Morocco, Singapore, and the Philippines have eased border restrictions in 2022. Many European countries have likewise eliminated testing requirements for Americans. (Travelers should visit her website at the U.S. Department of State for information on her COVID-19 restrictions by country.)
Rapid increase in remote work
Additionally, according to Nitya Chambers, senior vice president and executive editor of content at Lonely Planet, increased remote employment during the pandemic has “made travel on the to-do list more achievable. ”.
Hopper revealed that the flexibility of remote work has led 67% of travelers to travel more often and 20% to travel farther.
2023 travel destinations
As Hopper’s statistics show, demand for flights to the Asian region has grown significantly from 19% to 27% over the past year.
Hopper added that in early December, Asia and Oceania were eight of the 10 most popular international destinations among Americans. was Tokyo, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, and a round trip ticket was about $1,200.
G Adventures CEO Ben Perlo noted that trips to Japan, Thailand and Vietnam saw the highest sales growth in early 2023. Nevertheless, Hopper noted that Europe remains the most popular destination in terms of overall volume, with European cities accounting for about a third of all international flight searches. .
Demand for long-term rentals (28 days or more) is “significantly increased” in the Asia-Pacific region compared to a year ago, AirBnb officials said. is.
According to Google Flight stats, Europe’s major destinations were the most searched for by September 30th this year. London was followed by Paris, Rome and Lisbon (9th). Other Asian cities such as Delhi and Mumbai are also highly rated, with Ho Chi Minh City placing him second (4th and 7th respectively).
Meanwhile, according to a Destination Analysts poll, Italy, the United Kingdom and France ranked first, third and fifth in the ranking of the most popular international travel destinations in 2023 (with Canada second and Mexico fourth). , Japan was sixth).
Griscavage noted that travelers to Europe are becoming increasingly “creative” as a result of increased demand. She said many people are generally opting for the less crowded (and cheaper) shoulder season. March or November at the earliest.
Americans Unstoppable Despite Economic Anxiety
It’s not without challenges to overcome along the way. High inflation has put a strain on tourists’ wallets, making value a particularly important consideration: travel costs rose 36% last year, while room rates rose 3%, according to data from the Consumer Price Index. did.
Hopper predicts that international travel will become even more expensive next year, despite consumer price index signs that prices for tickets, hotels and car rentals have fallen in recent months. But Destination Analysts reports that despite these economic concerns, interest in international travel is on the rise, and that will continue through at least 2022, he reports.
American tourists planning trips to Europe have been able to save money recently due to the historically low value of the euro against the dollar. At least partly. However, the euro has edged higher in the past few weeks.
Despite the current economic climate and rising prices, individuals are still traveling abroad, Chambers said. People are returning from traveling abroad and eager to resume exploring the world.
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