Europe dominates 7/10 searched summer getaways

Source: Schengen Visa Info

The European destinations continue to have the highest travel interest this summer, while Asia Pacific has experienced a surge in popularity, a recent research by Skift has revealed, showing the ten most searched destinations for travel in the summer of 2023 is led by Bangkok, Thailand.

The same source shows that the top European destination out of a total of seven remains Paris, ranked second globally, while London is the second destination in the European region to be visited while it is ranked fifth internationally, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

The remaining destinations in the list include Denpasar Bali in Indonesia, ranked fourth, followed by Barcelona and New York, and the list is concluded with destinations like Lisbon, Istanbul, Madrid, and Athens.

The research further revealed that in the post-pandemic period, some new habits are here to stay, as travelers paying more attention to flexible bookings, with the percentage of travelers of whom cancellation policy is important when making flight bookings surging from 13 percent in 2021 to 20 percent in 2022.

In addition, flight bookings windows in the number of days stood at 32 in 2019, while it dropped to 16 days in 2021 and 27 days in 2022. Most importantly, the percentage of travelers who intend to buy travel insurance has surged in the post-pandemic times has surged from 21 percent in 2019 to 55 percent in 2022.

It is highly advisable to purchase travel insurance for those planning to take any trips, which enables them to minimize damage in inconveniences, like flight delays or cancellations. In such cases, travelers can reimburse their funds fully or partially.

Skift research further shows that travel in Europe has restored 2019 levels, with the number of nights spent in tourism accommodation remaining four percent below the pre-pandemic levels.

In 2023, Europe’s accommodation sector thrived, with vacation rentals receiving the highest interest and above 22 percent more than in pre-pandemic levels. Car rentals have declined as car rental bookings have dropped. By June of 2023, the sector was restored by 92 percent of the pre-pandemic levels. Hotels have also been thriving, with bookings surpassing 2019 levels by seven percent.

With all of its struggles and hassles, the aviation sector has managed to recover 97 percent of 2019 levels as of June 2023, while hotel rates in Europe have fully recovered, with luxury travel being in the lead. More specifically, the hotel average rate index in March of 2023, compared to the same period in 2019, was €143, while upper-upscale class was €121 and economy class €119.