Skyscanner says that the analysis is based on its proprietary forward-looking travel insight data
Travellers around the world have begun to plan their trips much ahead of the travel dates and have taken a preference for shorter trips and in some cases closer home.
These are some of the key findings in the Horizons Report released by global travel firm Skyscanner, which highlights insights into booking windows, destination choices, and trending destinations across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Americas (AMER) and Asia Pacific (APAC) regions.
In a press statement, Skyscanner says that the analysis is based on its proprietary forward-looking travel insight data, comparing traveller behaviour and search trends year-on-year.
Booking windows reflect confidence to plan ahead
Skyscanner says that across the board, travellers are planning further ahead compared to the previous year, marking a return to traditional seasonality in 2024. In EMEA, travellers are exhibiting strong confidence, with increases in trips booked further in advance, with a greater share of 60-89 day and over 90 day booking windows.
In AMER region, travellers are booking further out, with increases in the share of longest booking window of over 90 days, now making up a third up of demand. The statement adds that amongst APAC travellers there is a greater distribution of booking windows compared to other regions but an overall increase in bookings over 30 days, including a 2 pc jump in the over 90 day segment.
Destination choices highlight regional preferences
Skyscanner says that travellers are preferring for trips that are shorter and more affordable. It adds that in EMEA, a significant 53 pc of travellers are opting to explore Europe, marking a 4 pc increase from the previous year. Southeast Asia also sees a rise in popularity, suggesting a trend towards both proximity and affordability.
It says that with a diverse destination mix, AMER travellers are showing a growing interest in South America and North Asia, alongside traditional favourites in Europe, indicating a shift towards new experiences and value in 2024. While APAC travellers are turning their focus towards intra-regional destinations, with a notable decrease in trips to Europe compared to last year. This reflects a preference for shorter, more budget-friendly vacations, says Skyscanner.
Shorter trip lengths to top destinations
The report highlights that across all regions, average trip lengths are slightly down or flat year-on-year for many popular destinations. In
EMEA, Spanish and Greek destinations dominate the most popular destinations searched on Skyscanner, with Bangkok, New York City and Sydney also popular for long-haul travel. In AMER, global destinations are most searched for, with ‘Everywhere’ topping the list, followed by Tokyo and European capitals. San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina and Orlando, Florida are also popular choices within the region.
The statement adds that in APAC, well-known European and US destinations are most popular, with Athens experiencing the biggest increase in trip length. ‘Everywhere’ also ranks highly, and Tokyo is the only destination with a single-digit trip length.
Trending destinations
The company says that as per its report, destinations with the biggest year-on-year increases in search volumes reflect a mix of wanting to explore new places, as well as those with new route connections.
In EMEA, the top destinations include Victoria in Canada, Marmagao in Goa in India, Panama City in Panama, Bol in Croatia, Pristina in Kosovo and Lampedusa in Italy are all experiencing significant search volume growth with EMEA travellers.
It adds that for AMERs travellers, San Carlos de Bariloche, Tokyo, Madrid and Orlando are trending alongside Medellin in Colombia, Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Ushuaia in Argentina, Porto Seguro in Brazil, Santiago in Chile and Tunis in Tunisia.
Zeynep Mutlu Bigalı
Skyscanner adds that for APAC travellers, Indian capital New Delhi and Shanghai in China are experiencing the biggest growth amongst APAC travellers, while Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Dubrovnik in Croatia and Victoria in Canada are also trending. Pangkalan Bun, Indonesia is the only trending destination with an increase in average trip length.
“Our latest Horizon insights reveal a travel landscape that is both familiar and evolving. While traditional seasonality is returning and popular destinations remain in demand, travellers are also seeking value and exploring options closer-to-home. Across Skyscanner’s platforms we have seen incredible demand at the start of the year and we expect this to continue as we head into the summer, especially in regions such as Europe, North America and North Asia,” says Zeynep Mutlu Bigalı, Head of Destination Partnerships, Skyscanner.
