Demand for international travel has increased significantly this year as many U.S. travelers returned to overseas markets for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Rather than being a one-off year of trips to destinations across Europe and Asia, there are signs pointing to the trend continuing into 2024.
Skyscanner, a metasearch engine and travel agency, conducted its Travel Trends 2024 report in August to approximate global traveler sentiments heading into the new year. The travel agency surveyed 18,000 travelers globally, including 2,000 in the U.S.
Among the U.S. travelers, 85% said they plan to take the same amount of trips, if not more, abroad in 2024 as they did in 2023. Naomi Hahn, vice president of strategy at Skyscanner, said in the report that cultural exploration will be a priority for travelers more than ever in 2024.
“We’re seeing a broad spectrum of cultural curiosity in travel, from gig trippers, jetting off to see their favorite artists, to budget bougie foodies seeking the very best food experience,” she said.
After the success of big concert tours such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé this year, U.S. travelers with the fear of missing out wouldn’t mind hopping on a plane to catch a show in 2024. Of the respondents, 44% said they would fly short haul to see their favorite artist perform, 18% said they would fly long haul and 60% said they would consider flying overseas if it would help them save money.
The locations with the highest year-over-year increases in searches for U.S. travelers are primarily island destinations, according to the report. Six of the top 10 markets are island destinations, with the Cayman Islands and French Polynesia leading the list with search increases of 483% and 227%, respectively.
When choosing a location, value for money is a key factor for U.S. travelers. The international destinations with the lowest average cost of a return flight back to the U.S. are San Juan, Puerto Rico; Toronto; and Nassau, Bahamas.