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NEEDHAM, Mass., Nov. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the autumn season is sadly winding dawn, leaves are slowly beginning to fall, and all focus shifts to the holidays, Tripadvisor's new Winter Travel Index divulges where Americans are heading for the next season. The final installment of the Tripadvisor Travel Index for 2021, which is based on first party site data and consumer sentiment data, reveals that over half (55%) of Americans report that they are planning to travel this winter. This is up from 50% who traveled in this season in 2020, but still lags behind the 63% who hit the road in 2019.
Last-minute bookers: Notably, 24% of Americans are still undecided about winter travel. Only about a third (30%) have already booked their trip, but three-quarters (74%) of those who haven't yet are waiting until November or December to do so, so we may end up seeing significantly more travelers hit the road as the coldest season further approaches.
Although the vast majority (94%) of travelers will remain domestic, Americans are looking to broaden their horizons and experience new things this winter, as more than a third (37%) are planning to travel somewhere they haven't been before and over a third (42%) have booked a tour or activity.
Where to? New York City is back on top in the U.S. for the first time since the start of pandemic, as the #1 most popular destination and home to the #1 most-booked experience this winter. With the iconic Rockefeller Center and gorgeous holiday displays, it's no surprise this city is topping travelers' winter wish lists.
10 Most Popular Winter Destinations for Americans:
Seaside destinations trending in Tripadvisor's Fall Travel Index (Myrtle Beach, Ocean City, Honolulu, Virginia Beach) are out, as more cities (Los Angeles, Savannah) popped back into the mix, as well as Anaheim, home to Disneyland, surging in popularity. Other changes from this fall include increased interest in traveling overseas, likely a response to the recent openings of many international borders to Americans. In fact, the majority of the fastest-growing destinations (greatest growth from fall to winter) are international, with the icons Paris, London, and Rome rounding out the top three.
Fastest growing destinations for Americans (from fall 2021 to winter 2021):
Holiday cheer: Half (49%) of Americans report feeling excited about holiday travel, more than any other country, 43% feel hopeful, and 42% feel optimistic. These trump negative emotions like stressed, nervous, cautious, which were the least common emotions reported.
After a year of missing loved ones, visiting them this season is a priority. The most common destination people want to visit is family and friends' houses (61%), followed by the city (39%) and the beach (37%). And, most are traveling with their immediate family (50%) or significant other (41%).
What else is trending this winter?
Trending activities this season
Travelers are loving Cultural Tours, 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours, and Museum Tickets & Passes, as these are the top three types of experiences Americans are booking this winter. A mix of rich culture and active adventures, the most-booked experiences for the season range from an ATV waterfall tour in Hawaii to historical classics like the Grand Ole Opry and 9/11 Memorial.
Top 10 Most-Booked Experiences1:
For those who prefer to take the road less traveled and avoid the most "popular" activities, Tripadvisor also rounded up the best activities to get in the winter spirit.
The Best Winter Activities
The Best Festive Experiences
How do frequent travelers differ from all travelers?
Tripadvisor Plus is a new annual travel subscription for $99/year that helps members become better travelers by saving them money, so they can get more from their trips – more memories, more travel. Here's how Tripadvisor subscribers' - who typically travel more and longer - upcoming travel plans differ from all Tripadvisor users2.
Rank |
Most popular |
Most-booked hotels |
Most-booked experiences |
1. |
New York City, N.Y. |
Venetian Resort - Las Vegas, Nev. |
Chicago Architecture River Cruise - |
2. |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
Barbary Beach House Key West - Key |
Skip-the-Line Group Tour of the Vatican, |
3. |
Cancun, Mexico |
Freehand New York - New York City, |
Turtle Canyon Catamaran Snorkel Cruise |
4. |
Honolulu, Hawaii |
The Palazzo at the Venetian - Las |
Semi Private Standard | Santorini |
5. |
Chicago, Ill. |
Hotel Xcaret Mexico - Riviera Maya, |
Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Gourmet |
6. |
Boston, Mass. |
Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort - |
Harvard University Campus Guided |
7. |
Key West, Fla. |
Havana Cabana at Key West - Key |
Boston Duck Boat Sightseeing City Tour |
8. |
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico |
Allegretto Vineyard Resort Paso Robles |
Chief's Luau Admission - Oahu, Hawaii |
9. |
Paris, France |
Akumal Bay Beach & Wellness Resort - |
Eiffel Tower Skip the Line and Small Group |
10. |
Miami Beach, Fla. |
Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile - |
Colosseum Underground and Ancient |
METHODOLOGY
The data cited in this release was gathered and analyzed from two key sources:
NOTES TO EDITOR
For further information: uspr@tripadvisor.com
About Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform*, helps hundreds of millions of people each month** become better travelers, from planning to booking to taking a trip. Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 934 million reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby. As a travel guidance company available in 43 markets and 22 languages, Tripadvisor makes planning easy no matter the trip type.
The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP), own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, operating under various websites and apps, including the following websites:
www.bokun.io, www.cruisecritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com, www.helloreco.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.seatguru.com, www.singleplatform.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, and www.viator.com.
* Source: SimilarWeb, unique users de-duplicated monthly, June 2021
** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files
TRIP-G
SOURCE Tripadvisor
https://tripadvisor.mediaroom.com/2021-11-03-NYC,-Paris,-London-Reign-Supreme-Travelers-Finally-Returning-to-Iconic-Cities-This-Winter?os=wtmb5utkcxk5ref%3Dapp%3Fref%3Dapp