In an effort to anticipate the tourism landscape for the year ahead, the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest coalition of independent hotel brands, has laid out the most sought-after destinations for 2024, as well as the motivators that drive travelers. to them.
A survey of loyalty program members found that Japan and Thailand are in the lead, followed by Spain, Canada and Hawaii. It also revealed some key motivators for the behavior of existing travelers, adding a preference for discovering new destinations and living new experiences.
Europe has become the most sought-after region for global travelers in the coming year, while in Asia it remains the dominant trend. This is basically due to enthusiastic Chinese travelers, who report planning more than five such getaways on average, Thai and Malaysian. Travellers themselves plan more than 4 trips on average.
The study’s effects mirror trends over the past year, with responses from DHA DISCOVERY members indicating that they will do so primarily for recreational purposes. Across all regions surveyed, participants plan to take an average of one business trip, but between two and four recreational trips to follow. year.
The resurgence of overseas travel in Asia is striking. China leads the trend, where respondents said they plan an average of six to seven recreational trips (6. 8 on average), largely followed by Hong Kong (6. 7), Thailand (6. 4) and Germany (6. 1). ).
The Middle East and Africa also stand out in the study, demonstrating a balanced proportion of business (4. 9) and recreation (4. 0) in 2024.
The Middle East and Africa stand out, presenting a unique trend in which travelers from those regions plan almost the same business and recreational trips, suggesting a more balanced strategy for 2024.
Shibuya Street shopping for groceries in Tokyo, Japan. (iStock Photo/Getty Images Plus/Daniel Machacek)
Asia: 2023 continues in Asia, where interest in intra-regional destinations persists. Trips to Japan, China and Thailand top the list.
Europe: European citizens prefer Thailand and Japan for the second year in a row. However, its 2023 hotspot has shifted away from the United States, replaced by a preference for exploring its own region, with Spain and Italy occupying the most sensitive spots.
Australia and New Zealand: These Pacific travelers are susceptible overseas, to Singapore and the United Kingdom. Sydney seems to be a hotspot for stays, although there is also a growing preference for a stopover in Portugal during a holiday in Europe.
North America: Just like in 2023, North Americans remain interested in Japan, even as they upgrade their trips to China with getaways to Hawaii, Spain, and Thailand. Interestingly, this market turns out to be the least interested in vacation stays, with an average of just over two trips planned.
Middle East and North Africa: Japan will remain a favorite country until 2024, even as Canada and Oman become new points of attraction for travelers from this region, replacing Italy and Singapore.
Respondents cited social media as their top source of travel inspiration. (Photo Credit: Urupong / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Social media: Following the trend of recent years, social media has proven to be the main source of inspiration for travelers, with 75% of respondents saying they chose new destinations after seeing their friends’ posts. This trend is especially pronounced among participants in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Oceania. While magazines still have influence in Europe and North America, recommendations from friends and family carry maximum weight among consumers in those regions.
Family and food: As evidence that behavior is returning to pre-pandemic norms, survey participants showed a preference for traveling with their spouses, partners, and intimate family groups, rather than solo adventures or large-scale vacations with non-immediate relatives. It should be noted that gastronomy is also gaining ground, overtaking wellness getaways as the most in-demand experiences.
Loyalty Programs: Loyalty program websites and apps have now become the primary choice for travel research and booking across all regions, marking a notable increase from 2023. This is followed by travel agent websites and consumer review sites, all of which take precedence over official brand and hotel websites. It’s an indication that travelers opt for resources that allow them to view a wide range of options in one place to save time and effort.
Updates: Special rates and hotel perks were cited as the top loyalty perks across global lodging loyalty program members. The most dramatic shift in priorities was seen in Europe, where the most sought-after hotel loyalty perks were discounted rates in 2023. Members now charge a higher price for perks like room upgrades, early check-in, and delayed departure. Across all regions, 70% of consumers surveyed cite room upgrades as their most sensible perks.
“Travel is back on all fronts with each and every region booming, and despite disruptions in some markets, we are positive for another smart year in 2024,” said Kristi Gole, executive vice president of strategy at GHA. Travelers are still willing to pay higher costs to get where they want to go and stay in the most productive hotels, but now they expect product and service levels to match and need loyalty systems to raise the price and stay. »
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Laurie Baratti is a San Diego-based journalist whose paintings have been published in the past in publications such as TravelAge West, SPACE,. . .
CEO of Zenbiz Travel, LLC
Chief Executive Officer of Zenbiz Travel, LLC