Unpack '24: travel trends on Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo

Expedia Group launches Unpack '24; a complete summary of the factors that motivate travelers and the places where they want to go next year. Based on unmatched first-hand travel information, plus a global survey of 20,000 travelers. Unpack '24 covers eight of the new travel trends for 2024, from top destinations to technological developments in the industry.

"At Expedia Group, we leverage our unparalleled travel data to create innovative tools that enhance users' experiences across our platforms, including the Expedia™, Hotels.com™ and Vrbo® apps. This data shapes our travel trends. , revealed at Unpack '24, allowing our travelers to be the first to discover and book the most desired trips before they become trending destinations," said Jon Gieselman, president of Expedia brands. “From “alcohol-free travel,” to events like Taylor Swift or Beyoncé tours, and the growing appeal of destinations like Perth, Palermo and Paros, these trends are beginning to define the travel landscape in 2024.”

Set-jetting Forecast 2024
In 2023, Expedia predicted that travelers would be inspired by television and movies to travel. This has been the case, and it seems that the trend will continue. More than half (63%) of travelers in Mexico say they have searched or booked a trip to a destination after seeing it in a movie or TV show, and one in four admitted that series and movies carry more weight than before when planning a trip. In fact, 31% of travelers surveyed in Mexico say TV shows influence their decisions more than Instagram, TikTok, and podcasts.

Given the popularity of this trend, Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo have put together their first “Set-jetting” forecast which shows which entertainment-inspired destinations travelers will choose based on upcoming show and movie releases, and with travel data from Expedia Group. *

Thailand due to the influence of season 3 of "The White Lotus".
Romania due to the influence of season 2 of "Merlina".
Malta due to the influence of the new "Gladiator 2" movie.
Paris due to the influence of season 4 of "Emily in Paris".
Scottish Highlands due to the influence of the last seasons of "Outlander".
London, Bath and Windsor in the United Kingdom due to the influence of the new season of "Bridgerton" and season 6 of "The Crown."
Korea due to the influence of season 2 of "The Squid Game." 

Florida Keys and Bahamas due to the influence of the new Apple TV show "Bad Monkey."
Australia due to the influence of "Faraway Downs" and the "Mad Max" prequel, "Furiosa", both
by Baz Luhrmann.
Greece due to the influence of the new action-espionage thriller "Argylle." 

Expedia - Alternative Destinations
The fashion for “dupes” accessible alternatives to popular products has flooded the TikTok feeds
and is now taking over the world of travel. Expedia's destinations for 2024 are "alternative destinations", these are unexpected places, often cheaper and as charming as the well-known places that travelers love so much.

Alternative destinations for 2024 saw a notable increase in searches 1 compared to last year. What's more, global searches for the top five destinations on the list more than doubled from the previous year**. Learn about the 10 alternative destinations to keep in mind for next year.
Taipei, alternative for Seoul
Pattaya, alternative for Bangkok
Curacao, alternative for Saint Martin
Perth, alternative for Sydney
Liverpool, alternative for London
Palermo, alternative for Lisbon
Quebec City, alternative for Geneva
Sapporo, alternative for Zermatt
Memphis, alternative for Nashville

Expedia - Concert Tourism
In 2023, the cultural impact of The Eras Tour and Renaissance World Tour was not only undeniable, but it also boosted ticket sales, but also travel and tourism in general. Expedia predicts that this trend will continue to grow in 2024. 61% of Mexicans surveyed say they are very likely to travel to a concert outside their city, and more than half (53%) would travel to attend a concert like excuse to visit a new destination.

Apparently, concert tourism grew due to ticket prices; 22% of Mexicans mention that they would travel outside their city to attend a concert if tickets were more affordable in another city. Surprisingly, according to Expedia, Kuala Lumpur, Edmonton and Mexico City are among the top destinations for concert tourism. Check out the rest of the list to start your adventure with concert tourism in 2024.

Hotels.com - Alcohol-Free Travel
Since the celebration of "Alcohol-Free January" or during "Sober October," it is clear that living a lifestyle with little or no alcohol is becoming more common. Additionally, beverage brands and celebrities are launching alcohol-free products, so the travel industry is catering to travelers looking to go alcohol-free with minibars packed with mocktail options and experiences, so now more than half (61%) of Mexicans say they are likely to book a detox trip next year, and 32% indicate they are interested in staying in hotels that offer non-alcoholic beverage options.

Among the main reasons cited by travelers for reducing their beverage consumption during their trips, 42% do so to avoid risky situations and 27% do so to have control and feel better emotionally and physically.

Hotels.com - Hotels with Vibe
Beyond searching for specific amenities or high ratings, the overall "vibe" of the hotel is becoming an important indicator when choosing accommodations. Guest reviews around the world with the word "vibe" increased on average 1,090% in one year 2, and for 5 out of 10 Mexicans the vibe of the hotel they are going to book is super important.

Even 82% of Mexican vacationers are willing to pay more to stay at a hotel that matches their vibe. For Mexicans, the top three preferred vibes when selecting accommodation are: “relaxed vibe,” “modern vibe” and “ecological/nature-inspired vibe.”

Vrbo - Go-ccasions
Birthday celebrations, family reunions, first date anniversaries and gastronomic experiences will be highly chosen options by travelers in Mexico during 2024. One in five Mexicans says they look for any excuse to take a getaway with loved ones. Just as one-third of travelers plan to take more trips with family and friends next year, they will look for any special occasion to rent a private vacation home and celebrate together.

It is interesting to see that, in addition to anniversaries and birthdays, work-related occasions are increasingly popular reasons for travel. Many travelers would set aside a weekend to celebrate retirement, a new job, a promotion, or quitting a job.

Vrbo - Outdoors
In 2024, when it comes to booking a vacation home, it's the outdoors that counts. Now more than ever when booking a vacation home for special occasions, 63% of Mexicans look for it to include outdoor amenities so they can connect with nature and enjoy the benefits that these spaces bring for mental health.

Likewise, survey data shows that 30% of Mexican travelers book vacation homes with services they do not have access to at home, or want to try before they buy. Additionally, 35% mention that they would choose a vacation home with outdoor amenities, so they would never have to leave the property.

The outdoor services most sought after by Mexican travelers are the following:
Relaxation and rejuvenation: properties that have a pool, hot tub,
ice baths or sauna on tap.

Grills: vacation homes with space for a fire pit, a grill or an outdoor kitchen.

Sports and recreation: properties with ping-pong tables, tennis courts, paddle tennis courts.
pickleball courts and lawn games.

Fresh products: houses with access to fruit trees, orchards or vegetables.

Generation AI:

In 2023, Artificial Intelligence tools, such as ChatGPT, became the center of attention and this is reflected in the 32% of Mexican travelers who used them to plan their trips. 

By 2024, Expedia Group predicts that “AI generation” travelers will fully embrace this technology in their travels. In fact, the survey reveals that 74% of travelers in Mexico are interested in using generative AI for travel planning, and one in four responded that it is very useful for making travel plans.

What is driving this trend? The ability of generative AI to simplify planning and purchasing through conversation.

Half of Mexican travelers mention that they would use this technology to find the perfect accommodation, 46% said that they would plan their activity schedule, 38% that they would compare their flight options and 14% would do so to modify or cancel their plans.

Source: Expedia Group.