SEATTLE, Nov. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- What do
Lima, Osaka and Lisbon have in common? These were all trending
destinations for U.S. travelers in 2019.
Fast-forward to 2020's trending list: Lincoln, New Hampshire. Lake Havasu,
Arizona. The Hamptons,
New York.
Whether it was by necessity or design, it's clear Americans
spent 2020 exploring small towns, scenic drives, nearby lakes and
beaches, or in some cases, their own backyards. Today,
Expedia.com® released its 2021 Travel Trends Report,
analyzing traveler data to uncover the biggest takeaways from an
unprecedented year, and what travelers can expect in the year
ahead.
In addition to tapping into its own massive database of search
and demand data, this year Expedia partnered with the Airlines
Reporting Corporation (ARC) for a deep dive on the effect of the
pandemic on air travel.
"It's no secret that air travel changed this year in ways we
have never seen before, but people are still flying, and they will
continue to fly. We are keeping a close eye on these changes to
help travelers get the most from their journeys," says Chuck Thackston, Managing Director of Data
Science and Research for ARC. "Expedia and ARC are teaming up again
to get to the bottom of what's changed and equip travelers with new
trip-planning insights to use when they do fly again."
Highlights from the report include:
- Air travel trends and hacks
- Traveler priorities in 2021
- The top trending destinations of 2020
- All the islands (and other dreamy destinations) on travelers'
2021 bucket lists
"What we learned by looking at traveler behaviors in a year as
unusual as 2020 is that travel will always be an integral part of
our lives," says Christie Hudson,
Senior PR Manager for Expedia brand. "Travelers responded to the
uncertainty and restrictions by finding ways to safely explore
closer to home, and the result is a bigger emphasis on flexibility
and a list of trending destinations that are inspiring and
attainable for the year ahead."
Airfare Booking Hacks for 2021
For six years running, travelers have relied on the annual
Expedia ARC report, which analyzes billions of flight segments, to
provide insider tips and tricks for getting the most out of air
travel. Considering the atypical year, a new cheat sheet is needed
now more than ever.
Based on ARC data, average ticket prices (ATPs) for domestic
flights hit their lowest in late April
2020 but have since started to recover. From May to October,
prices were between 25-35 percent lower year-on-year but followed
the usual seasonality curve. Meanwhile, ATPs for international
flights briefly spiked in April before normalizing to 2019 levels
in mid-June and finally settling between 30-35 percent lower
year-on-year during the fall months.
What this means for travelers is that while average ticket
prices are historically low for both domestic and international
flights, prices rise during peak travel periods such as spring
break, summer and the holidays. To get the best deal, travelers
need to know when to book and start their trip.
- Best day of the week to book1: Sunday
-
- For domestic flights, book on Sunday, not Monday to save around
15 percent
- For international flights, book on Sunday, not Friday to save
more than 20 percent
- Best day of the week to depart2: Thursday or
Friday
-
- For domestic flights, start your trip on Friday, not Monday to
save around 20 percent
- For international flights, start your trip on Thursday, not
Sunday to save nearly 25 percent
Traveler Priorities in 2021
- Flexibility isn't a "nice-to-have", it's required: In
2021, flexibility will continue to be top of mind for travelers,
who booked refundable rates 10 percent more often this year
compared to last. Luckily, flexibility is more affordable than
ever: Expedia lodging data shows average daily rates for refundable
bookings were 20 percent cheaper in 2020 compared to 2019.
- Health and safety advancements: In the year to
come, concerns about staying safe while traveling will
continue to impact every aspect of trip planning, from what type of
accommodations to choose to where to go to who to travel with.
Since May, nearly 300,000 properties have added health and
cleanliness information on Expedia.com, including enhanced
cleaning, contactless check-in, social distancing and other guest
safety measures.
- Majority of travelers booking less than a month out:
According to ARC data, in 2019, the average U.S. traveler
booked flights around 35 days in advance of their departure date,
but during the onset of the pandemic, that window lengthened to 46
days. The new normal (since August) is just 29 days out - the
average advance purchase dropping below the 30-day mark for the
first time in years - and illustrating how travelers have adapted
to the rapidly changing environment. However, with airlines
eliminating change fees travelers may feel more confident booking
further out, knowing they can always change their plans down the
road.
- Growth in alternative accommodations: While the most
popular lodging type in 2020 was hotels, the types of
accommodations showing the biggest growth compared to last year
were castles, ranches, cabins, chalets and cottages.3
These types of retreats, typically found outside of big cities,
were the perfect getaway spots for travelers in search of wide-open
spaces, nature and privacy. This trend is expected to continue as
people look to travel safely amid the pandemic. Whether it's a
hotel, vacation rental or chalet, Expedia lodging data shows the
cheapest days to stay are Sunday through Tuesday, so try scheduling
a long weekend trip at the start of the week instead of the
end.4
- Maximizing the trip: During lockdown, many travelers
relied on virtual tours and activities to satisfy wanderlust. But
once able to roam again, whether it was just within their own
cities or on a proper getaway, travelers resumed looking to
activities as a way to get the most out their trips. These are a
few of the top trending activities booked on Expedia.com: the
nation's largest and longest-running flower show, this boat tour in
Miami's Biscayne Bay and this ATV
and ziplining adventure in the Cenotes.
2020's Trending Destinations
This year's list5 might look a bit different than
last year's, with backyard beaches and outdoorsy escapes taking the
place of exotic international destinations. Still, these domestic
gems are proof there's plenty to explore even when travelers are
staying closer to home.
- Lake Havasu, Arizona
- New Bern, North Carolina
- The Hamptons, New York
- Ocean City, Maryland
- Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
- Panama City, Florida
- South Padre Island, Texas
- Lincoln, New Hampshire
- Sun Valley / Central Idaho
- Yellowstone National Park,
Wyoming
The Next Big Trip: Top-searched destinations for 2021 and
beyond
While nearby escapes and road trips are likely to remain popular
as travelers navigate the ongoing realities of life amid a
pandemic, search data6 proves that aspirations persist
for grander, far-flung vacations. More specifically, it seems
vacation-deprived Americans dreaming of their next trip fall into
one of two categories:
Island escapists. Looking at the top 20
destinations, half are islands and another third are popular beach
resorts. After a year like 2020, it's not hard to imagine why so
many travelers want to escape to an island the next chance they
get.
- Cancun (#1)
- Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen and Tulum (#2)
- Punta Cana (#5)
- Oahu (#6)
- Maui (#7)
- Los Cabos (#9)
- French Polynesia (#10)
- Maldives (#11)
- Montego Bay (#12)
- Aruba (#13)
- Puerto Vallarta (#14)
- Key West (#16)
- Nassau (#18)
- Bali (#20)
The urban returner. Larger cities haven't seen
their usual tourist bustle over the past year, but search results
make it clear that travelers are eager to return and enjoy all the
culture, activities and experiences that you can only find in these
iconic U.S. cities.
- Las Vegas (#3)
- Orlando (#4)
- Miami (#8)
- New York (#15)
- Los Angeles (#17)
- New Orleans (#19)
With COVID-19, it's important to stay safe and up to date on the
latest travel guidance and restrictions. Find out what to expect,
how to find flexible travel and other information on
the Expedia COVID-19 travel guide.
About Expedia.com
Expedia.com® is one of the world's largest
full-service travel sites, helping millions of travelers per month
easily plan and book travel. Expedia.com (https://www.expedia.com/,
1-800-EXPEDIA) aims to provide the latest technology and the widest
selection of top vacation destinations, affordable airfare, hotel
deals, car rentals, destination weddings, cruise deals and
in-destination activities, attractions, services and travel
apps.
© 2020 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights
reserved. Expedia and the Airplane logo are trademarks of Expedia,
Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are
the property of their respective owners. CST# 2029030-50.
Visit our web site https://www.expedia.com/ or use our mobile
app to book cheap flights and hotels.
About Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC)
An industry
leader in air travel intelligence and omnichannel retailing, ARC
provides platforms, tools and insights that help the global travel
community connect, grow and thrive. ARC enables the diverse
retailing strategies of its customers by providing flexible
settlement solutions, innovative technology and access to the
world's most comprehensive air transaction dataset. In 2019, ARC
managed more than $97.4 billion in
transactions between airlines and travel agencies, representing
more than 302 million passenger trips. For more information, please
visit www.arccorp.com.
1Best day of the week to book
recommendation is based on average round-trip ticket prices for
January through early October, for both 2019 and 2020, sourced from
ARC's global airline sales database.
2Best day of the week to travel
recommendation based on average round-trip ticket prices for
January through early October, for both 2019 and 2020, sourced from
ARC's global airline sales database. Departure date determined by
the first date of travel in an itinerary.
3Based on lodging demand on Expedia.com
from Jan 1, 2020 – Sept 12, 2020 compared to the same timeframe in
2019
4Based on lodging demand on Expedia.com for
travel between Jan, 1, 2020 – Dec.
31, 2020.
5Trending destinations are some of the
markets seeing the best growth year-over-year, based on lodging
demand on Expedia.com between Jan. 1,
2020 – Sept. 14, 2020 compared
to the same timeframe in 2019.
6Top searched destinations based on lodging
interest on Expedia.com between Jan 1,
2020 – Sept 12, 2020 for
travel in 2021.
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