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As secluded, lesser-known retreats are becoming a priority for luxury travelers, there is an increasing interest in amenities like private villas from premium travelers. Travel Advisors are seeing this trend grow and expect it to continue in the coming year.
Nature-Based International Adventures and Beach Getaways Driving Holiday Travel
Chase Travel, a travel industry leader and business unit of JPMorgan Chase & Co., has shared some insights into the top growing holiday destinations for 2023 based on their proprietary booking data. FROSCH and Valerie Wilson Travel, part of the Chase Travel Group, have also provided their expert tips and predictions for 2024 travel.
Chase Travel data shows that travelers are booking 2023 holiday travel slightly earlier than 2022 for both domestic and international destinations. On average, customers are booking travel 5 days earlier for domestic trips and 8 days earlier for international trips. If you’re still planning your holiday travel, it’s not too late to check out Chase Travel’s exclusive thematic collections for a curated selection of world-class hotels to get inspired for your next trip.
Chase Travel’s Top Growing Holiday Destinations for 2023
While cities in China (Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai) and Japan (Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo) showed the strongest year-over-year growth during the holiday season, Chase travelers also drove high bookings to a number of unique, buzzing global cities and island escapes. Here are the top growing holiday destinations based on Chase Travel’s proprietary booking data:
International Adventures
Whether it’s new flight routes or travelers’ growing interest in nature-based adventures, destinations like Christchurch, New Zealand (224% YoY growth), El Calafate, Argentina (132% YoY growth), Chiang Mai, Thailand (104% YoY growth), Vienna, Austria (72% YoY growth), and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (63% YoY growth) have seen a significant increase in bookings.
Beachfront Getaways
Travelers are still flocking to warm-weather destinations known for their beaches and vibrant cultures. Locations like Noord, Aruba (105% YoY growth), Miami Beach, Florida (80% YoY growth), Roatan, Honduras (76% YoY growth), West Palm Beach, Florida (57% YoY growth), and Playa del Carmen, Mexico (53% YoY growth) have experienced substantial growth in bookings.
Points Redeemed for 2023 Holiday Travel
After a year of building up points, many travelers are using their rewards to treat themselves or their loved ones to holiday travel. Here are the states with the highest value of travel sales where customers used points for booking:
- California: $199.1 million
- New York: $113.2 million
- Florida: $77.8 million
- Texas: $64.1 million
- Illinois: $49.8 million
The cities with the largest point redemption growth for air travel are:
- Houston: 30% YoY growth
- Jackson, Wyoming: 23% YoY growth
- Seattle: 15% YoY growth
- Boston: 15% YoY growth
- Washington D.C.: 15% YoY growth
Some popular holiday destinations where Chase customers have used points for booking travel include Vail, Colorado; Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda; Palm Springs, California; San Jose Cabo, Mexico; and Calgary, Canada.
Holiday Travel Tips
To make the most of your holiday travels, Travel Advisors from FROSCH and Valerie Wilson Travel have shared some helpful tips:
Avoid Busiest Airport Days
Based on flights booked for travel in December 2023 and January 2024, the busiest airport dates according to Chase Travel air booking data are 12/23, 12/22, and 12/30.
Earn Points for Holiday Travel
Eligible Chase cardmembers can earn 5,000 bonus points for booking a flight and hotel through Chase Travel. Check your eligibility and enroll at chase.com/mybonus/travel. Remember to activate, book, and stay by 1/31/24 to get rewarded.
Get Ahead and Give the Gift of Travel
Start booking your 2024 travels early and surprise a loved one with a trip. Travel Advisors are already booking 2024 travel plans, so it’s never too early to plan ahead.
Make the Most of Your Rewards
Chase cardmembers can earn and redeem points when booking hotels, flights, cruises, and more through chasetravel.com. Take advantage of your rewards to make your travel experiences even better.
Find Flexible Payment Plans
Travel costs can add up quickly, but with My Chase Plan, cardmembers can split up large purchases into smaller payments with no interest, just a fixed monthly fee. This can help make your travel expenses more manageable.
Chase Travel 2024 Predictions
Looking ahead to 2024, Travel Advisors from FROSCH and Valerie Wilson Travel anticipate the following trends to shape travel:
Summer Splurges
Travel Advisors are already booking 2024 summer travel plans, indicating a busy summer travel season ahead.
Priority Around Luxury Escapes
Luxury travelers are prioritizing secluded, lesser-known retreats and showing increased interest in amenities like private villas. This trend is expected to continue in 2024.
Experience Travel
Travelers are seeking out unique experiences to inspire their 2024 trips. Events like the total solar eclipse in Mexico, the U.S., and Canada, as well as the Summer Olympics in Paris, are driving travelers to explore new destinations.
Multi-Gen Family Travel
Family travel of all types, including multi-generational cruises and trips where parents and adult children travel together, continues to grow. Family travel is expected to be a focus in 2024.
Niche Cruise Tours
Travelers are pursuing niche cruise tours, such as expedition cruises to remote destinations like Antarctica or river cruises that navigate small ports. Journeys at sea are becoming increasingly popular.
Nimble Travel Plans
As the travel landscape continues to change due to global circumstances, travelers are relying more on Travel Advisors to help them navigate future travels and stay flexible in ever-evolving situations.
In conclusion, these travel trends for 2023 indicate a growing interest in secluded retreats, nature-based adventures, and beach getaways. Travelers are using their rewards points for holiday travel and are planning ahead for the upcoming year. Luxury escapes, unique experiences, multi-gen family travel, niche cruise tours, and flexible travel plans are expected to shape the travel landscape in 2024. So, start planning your next adventure and make the most of these trends.