TV shows, movies, concert tours and "destination dupes" are set to influence travel trends in 2024, a recent survey shows.
According to the Unpack '24 survey by Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo, which polled 20,000 consumers, travelers will be most motivated by affordable alternatives to popular tourist destinations, concert tours, low- or alcohol-free experiences and "any excuse to get away with their loved ones."
In a continuing trend from 2023, Expedia has concluded that travelers in 2024 will still consider locations where TV shows and movies take place for travel inspiration, dubbing it as "set-jetting."
"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," the survey said. "In fact, travelers say TV shows influence their travel decisions more than Instagram, TikTok and podcasts."
Based off the "dupe" trend on TikTok, where users show products that are more affordable alternatives to the original but just as good, Expedia compiled a list of "destination dupes" that have experienced an uptick in searches over the past year.
This includes consumers searching for Taipei, Taiwan, in place of Seoul, South Korea; Paros, Greece, in place of Santorini, Greece; and Quebec City, Canada, in place of Geneva, Switzerland.
Taylor Swift's "Eras Tour" and Beyoncé's "Renaissance" tour in 2023 had positive effects on tourism and hotel demand.
The survey predicts that "tour tourism" will continue to thrive this year.
"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," the survey said. "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 ticket prices were cheaper elsewhere."
Trends such as "dry January" and "sober October" indicate that people are leaning more into a low- or alcohol-free lifestyle. The survey dubs it as "dry-tripping."
As a result, the travel industry is catering more to "sober-curious" travelers by adding zero-proof options to hotel food-and-beverage menus, in-room minibars and mocktail-making classes.
"More than 40% of travelers say they are likely to book a detox trip in [2024], and half of travelers say they would be interested in staying at hotels that offer easily accessible alcohol-free beverage options," according to the survey.
About one-third of the surveyed travelers said they plan to take more trips with family and friends in 2024. Approximately 1 in 4 say they're looking for "any excuse" to do so.
"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," the survey said.