INTRODUCING UNPACK '24: THE TRENDS IN TRAVEL FROM EXPEDIA, HOTELS.COM AND VRBO

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Nov 08, 2023, 07:00 ET

Pattaya, Paros and Perth Make the List of 2024 Destinations of the Year

Tour Tourism, Dry Tripping and Go-ccasions Among 2024 Leading Trip Types

Half of Travelers Expected to Adopt Generative AI in 2024

NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Expedia Group unveiled Unpack '24, a comprehensive look at what's motivating travelers and where they're going next year. Based on the company's unmatched first-party travel data, plus a global consumer survey of 20,000 travelers, Unpack '24 includes eight new travel trends for 2024, from top destinations to what's next in travel tech.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9179052-expedia-hotels-dot-com-vrbo-unpack-trends-in-travel/

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"At Expedia Group, we have extensive first-party travel data that we use to enhance and curate experiences for our travelers across Expedia®, Hotels.com®, and Vrbo®. These insights shape our travel forecasts, revealed in Unpack '24, enabling our travelers to be the first to discover and book the most desired trips before they become well-beaten paths," said Jon Gieselman, President of Expedia Brands. "From 'dry tripping' to events like Taylor Swift or Beyoncé performances, and the rising allure of destinations like Perth, Palermo, and Paros, these trends begin to define the travel landscape in 2024."

The 2024 Set-jetting Forecast: For 2023, Expedia predicted travelers would turn to television sets and movie screens for travel inspiration. They did, and the trend shows no signs of stopping in 2024. More than half of travelers say they've researched or booked a trip to a destination after seeing it on a TV show or movie, and 1 in 4 admit that TV shows and films are even more influential on their travel plans than they were before. In fact, travelers say TV shows influence their travel decisions more than Instagram, TikTok and podcasts.

Given the popularity of this travel trend, Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo compiled its first-ever Set-jetting Forecast predicting what entertainment-inspired destinations travelers will head to in 2024, based on upcoming show and film releases and travel data from Expedia Group.*

Thailand inspired by "The White Lotus" season 3.
Romania inspired by "Wednesday" season 2.
Malta inspired by the new "Gladiator 2" film.
Paris inspired by "Emily in Paris" season 4.
Scottish Highlands inspired by the remaining seasons of "Outlander."
London, Bath and Windsor, UK inspired by the new season of "Bridgerton" and "The Crown" season 6.
Korea inspired by "Squid Game" season 2.
Florida Keys & Bahamas inspired by the new Apple TV show "Bad Monkey."
Australia inspired by both Baz Luhrmann's "Faraway Downs" and the Mad Max prequel "Furiosa."
Greece inspired by new spy action thriller "Argylle."

Expedia ‒ Destination Dupes: The "dupe" trend — affordable alternatives to popular products — that has flooded TikTok feeds is now taking over travel. Expedia's 2024 destinations of the year are destination dupes — places that are a little unexpected, sometimes more affordable, and every bit as delightful as the tried-and-true destinations travelers love.

The 2024 destination dupes all experienced a notable uptick in searches¹ over the past year. In fact, global searches for the Top 5 destinations on the list more than doubled YoY.**

Taipei (dupe for Seoul)
Pattaya (dupe for Bangkok)
Paros (dupe for Santorini)
Curaçao (dupe for St. Martin)
Perth (dupe for Sydney)
Liverpool (dupe for London)
Palermo (dupe for Lisbon)
Quebec City (dupe for Geneva)
Sapporo (dupe for Zermatt)
Memphis (dupe for Nashville)

Discover why these destination dupes are worth the trip in the Expedia Magazine.

Expedia ‒ Tour Tourism: In 2023, the cultural impact of the Eras and Renaissance tours was undeniable, driving ticket sales but also travel and tourism. Expedia predicts that Tour Tourism will continue to thrive in 2024. Nearly 70% of survey respondents say they are more likely to travel to a concert outside their own town, with over 40% saying they'd travel for a concert as an excuse to visit a new place. In a new twist to Tour Tourism perhaps driven by ticket prices, 30% of travelers say they would travel outside of their home city for a concert because tickets were cheaper elsewhere. Unexpected places on Expedia's list of top tour tourism destinations are Kuala Lumpur, Edmonton, and Mexico City. See the rest of the list in the Expedia Magazine, created by analyzing hot 2024 tour stops along with accommodation costs.***

Hotels.com ‒ Dry Tripping: From observing Dry January to Sober October, it's clear that living a low- or alcohol-free lifestyle is becoming more common. In addition to beverage brands and celebrities releasing nonalcoholic products, the travel industry is also catering to sober-curious travelers by stocking minibars with zero-proof options, or offering mocktail-making experiences. Explore top dry tripping hotel and resort recommendations in the Hotels.com Magazine.****

More than 40% of travelers say they are likely to book a detox trip in the next year, and half of travelers say they would be interested in staying at hotels that offer easily accessible alcohol-free beverage options. One in 4 say the top reason for drinking less on vacation is to stay in control and feel better emotionally and physically, and surprisingly, attending sporting events was the top reason travelers said they'd be likely to reduce alcohol consumption while traveling.

Hotels.com ‒ Vibe Check-in: Beyond searching for specific amenities or star ratings, a hotel's overall "vibe" is becoming a strong indicator of travelers' hotel choices. Guest reviews mentioning the word "vibe" have increased an average of 1,090% YoY,² and 9 out of 10 travelers say the vibe of a hotel is important when booking.

Travelers are seeking a variety of vibes when searching for hotels from "Modern Vibe" and "Industrial Vibe" to "Retro Vibe" or "Margaritaville Vibe."***** What contributes to a hotel's overall vibe? Travelers say the top element is customer service, which surpassed the music, interior or lighting of the hotel. Discover hotels with the most popular and unique vibes in the Hotels.com Magazine.

Vrbo ‒ Go-ccasions: Puppymoons, First-date-iversaries, and Plate Dates are in the cards for travelers in 2024. One in 4 say they are looking for 'any excuse' to get away with their loved ones. With one-third of travelers planning to take more trips with family and friends next year than in 2023, they're going all in on identifying occasions to book a getaway to a private vacation home to celebrate together.

In addition to annual anniversaries and milestone birthdays, interestingly, work-related occasions are one of the most popular trip catalysts — many travelers would book a weekender to celebrate retirement, getting a new job, a promotion, or quitting a job.

Vrbo: Outside In: With pickleball becoming one of the fastest-growing sports, it's no surprise that outdoor amenities, like pickleball courts and cold plunges, are dictating what private vacation homes families and friends are booking for group getaways. Survey data shows that 42% of travelers book vacation homes with amenities they either cannot afford to have at home, or that they want to try out before they buy themselves. Furthermore, nearly 30% say they would choose a vacation home with outdoor amenities, so they'd never have to leave the property.

The trending types of outdoor amenities travelers want:

Relaxation and rejuvenation: properties with a hot tub, cold plunge or barrel sauna.
Roaring fires: vacation homes with a fire pit, barbecue or outdoor kitchen.
Sports and recreation: properties that have amenities like ping-pong tables, padel tennis courts, pickleball courts and lawn games.
Fresh produce: vacation homes with access to fruit trees or a vegetable patch.

Visit the Vrbo Magazine to see private vacation homes that feature the trending outdoor amenities.

Gen Gen AI: While generative AI tools like ChatGPT took center stage in 2023, only 6% of travelers used it to plan their trip.³In 2024, Expedia Group predicts the "generation of generative AI" travelers will come of age and fully embrace this tech throughout their travel journey. In fact, survey data reveals that half of travelers are interested in using generative AI to plan their next trip, and 1 in 3 say it's very useful when making travel plans.

What's driving this trend? Generative AI's ability to simplify planning and shopping through a conversation. Nearly 40% of travelers say they would use this tech to find the perfect stay, 35% would plan activities and things to do, 33% would compare flight options, and 20% of travelers would change or cancel their travel plans.

To further explore Unpack '24, visit the Expedia Magazine and download the full report. Visit www.expedia.com/newsroom for more news from Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo.

Notes to the editor:

*Set-jetting stats:⁴

The first two seasons of "The White Lotus" drove a 300% increase in travel demand to Hawaii and Sicily.
Following the release of "Wednesday" on Netflix, Expedia saw a 150% increase in travel searches for Romania.
Expedia saw a 200% increase in searches to Paris after "Emily in Paris" debuted its previous season.
Searches for Richmond in London increased by 160% after season 2 of "Ted Lasso" aired, and they doubled after season 3 aired. U.S. fans accounted for 65% of searches, followed by Australians, Canadians, Brits and the Japanese.
Searches for Chicago increased by 45% following the first season of "The Bear."
Searches for Norway increased by more than 65% after "Succession" aired its final season.

**Destination Dupe stats:

Percentage increase in flight searches YoY

Taipei (dupe for Seoul) - 2,786%
Pattaya (dupe for Bangkok) - 249%
Paros (dupe for Santorini) -193%
Curaçao (dupe for St. Martin) - 185%
Perth (dupe for Sydney) - 109%
Liverpool (dupe for London) - 97%
Palermo (dupe for Lisbon) - 89%
Quebec City (dupe for Geneva) - 60%
Sapporo (dupe for Zermatt) - 38%
Memphis (dupe for Nashville) - 16%

***Tour Tourism stats: Expedia analyzed the average daily rates for accommodations in cities around the world with major arenas and music venues that will host the world's hottest pop and rock stars in 2024. Below are 10 affordable destinations where fans can snag a hotel room for less than $150/night on average — often less than the price of the concert ticket.⁵

Some big-name artists who will be stopping in those cities on tour next year include: Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Metallica, Olivia Rodrigo, the Jonas Brothers and the Foo Fighters.

Global List:

Kuala Lumpur – average hotel night $91
Edmonton, Canada – average hotel night $108
Mexico City, Mexico – average hotel night $119
Warsaw, Poland – average hotel night $119
Birmingham, UK – average hotel night $127
Houston, Texas – average hotel night $130
Antwerp, Belgium – average hotel night $140
Tokyo, Japan – average hotel night $147
Perth, Australia – average hotel night $148
Detroit, Michigan – average hotel night $149

****Dry Tripping hotels and resorts around the world:

Somerton Lodge, U.K. is a charming and dry hotel.
The Rhadana Kuta Bali is a thematic boutique hotel and the first certified halal hotel in Bali.
Revival Baltimore launched a local zero-proof cocktail program by a sober bar manager and mixologist.
The Merrion Hotel in Ireland "distills" its own nonalcoholic gin.
Ette Hotel in Orlando is home to stunning mocktails devised by a master mixologist and zero-proof bars.
The Rosewood Phuket offers a daily mocktail workshop for guests for a fee.
Wynn Las Vegas features "Drinking Well," a zero-proof cocktail program developed by a master mixologist at the resort with innovative ingredients like reishi mushrooms, lion's mane, ashwagandha and maca.

*****Vibe Check-in Stats

The top 15 vibes according to reviews on the Hotels.com app⁶: Modern, Retro, Old, Beach, Funky, Chill, Hip, Cozy, Vintage, Historic, Artsy, City, Industrial, Party and Peaceful.

The most unique vibes according to reviews on the Hotels.com app: Florida, Hollywood, Jungle, Tacky, Jazz, Camp, Margaritaville, Groovy, Yellowstone, Futuristic and Graceland.

About Expedia Group

Expedia Group, Inc. brands power travel for everyone, everywhere through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel is a force for good, we help people experience the world in new ways and build lasting connections. We provide industry-leading technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while facilitating memorable experiences for travelers. Our organization is made up of three pillars: Expedia Product & Technology, focused on the group's product and technical strategy and offerings; Expedia Brands, housing all our consumer brands; and Expedia for Business, consisting of business-to-business solutions and relationships throughout the travel ecosystem.

The Expedia Group family of brands includes: Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Expedia® Partner Solutions, Vrbo®, Trivago®, Orbitz®, Travelocity®, Hotwire®, Wotif®, ebookers®, CheapTickets®, Expedia Group™ Media Solutions, CarRentals.com™, and Expedia Cruises™. One Key™ is our comprehensive loyalty program that unifies Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo into one simple, flexible travel rewards experience. To enroll in One Key, download Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo mobile apps for free on iOS and Android devices.

For more information, visit www.expediagroup.com. Follow us on Twitter @expediagroup and check out our LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/expedia.

Follow www.expedia.com/newsroom for the latest news from Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo.

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Methodology

The research was conducted on behalf of Expedia Brands (Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo & Wotif) by OnePoll, a global strategic research firm. The survey was conducted online from September 12–October 5, 2023, across North and South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific using an amalgamated group of best-in-class panels. The study was conducted among 20,000 respondents across 14 countries, among adults who are planning domestic or international travel in the next three years. OnePoll is an MRS (Market Research Society) Company Partner, has corporate membership of ESOMAR, and is a Member of the British Polling Council.

¹ Based on global flight data on Expedia POS from Sept. 1, 2022 – Aug. 31, 2023
² Based on hotel review data on Hotels.com between Jan. 1, 2018 – Dec. 31, 2022
³ Planes, Trains, and Large Language Models, NRG Thought Leadership Report - May 2023
⁴ Based on global search data on Expedia and Hotels.com for hotel stays for each show 90 days post-air date compared to the same dates the year before
⁵ Based on average daily rate for hotels on Expedia global POSa from 1 Sept. 2022 – 31 Aug. 2023
⁶ Based on hotel review data on Hotels.com between Jan. 1, 2018 – Dec. 31, 2022