The shift of travellers towards early planning and booking windows of 60-89 days and 90+ days is seen in Skyscanner’s new Horizons report for the June-August 2024 summer quarter, which also reveals that well-known Greek destinations dominate the most popular destinations searched on Skyscanner by EMEA travellers. While Athens shows the largest increase in the duration of trips by Asian travellers.
The report, which uses Skyscanner’s exclusive Travel Insight data to compare current travel behaviours with those of previous years, presents trends in travel bookings, destination choices and emerging destinations in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Americas and Asia Pacific (APAC) regions.
Travellers are turning to traditional booking schedules
Travellers are increasingly “planning” their travel plans well in advance, which points to a return to more traditional travel planning habits in 2024.
EMEA: There is a notable trend among EMEA travelers to book their trips much earlier (larger share in the 60-89 day and 90+ day booking windows).
AMERICA: An increase in the share of the longest booking window (90+ days), now accounting for a third of all bookings in this region, is observed among Americans.
APAC: While APAC shows a greater variety of booking windows compared to other regions, there is a clear trend towards earlier bookings, including a 2% increase in the 90+ day booking window.
Focus on regional preferences
The report reveals the regions and countries that attract the most interest from travellers.
EMEA: More than half (53%) of travellers to the region choose to explore Europe, up 4% on the previous year. There is also growing interest in Southeast Asia, highlighting trends towards both proximity and affordability.
AMERICA: American travelers are seeking a variety of destinations, with growing interest in South America and North Asia, in addition to the usual popular destinations in Europe, indicating a search for new experiences and value in 2024.
APAC: APAC travellers are focusing more on intra-regional destinations, with a decrease in travel to Europe, preferring shorter and more affordable holidays.
Reduced travel time to top destinations
Across all regions, the average trip length is slightly down or stable compared to last year. More specifically:
EMEA: Well-known Spanish and Greek destinations dominate the most popular destinations searched for on Skyscanner, while Bangkok, New York and Sydney are also popular for long-haul travel.
AMERICA: Global destinations are the most searched destinations, with “Everywhere” topping the list, followed by Tokyo and European capitals. San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina and Orlando, Florida are also popular choices within the region.
APAC: Well-known European and American destinations are the most popular, with Athens showing the greatest increase in trip lengths.
New hotspots and air connections
The report highlights destinations that are experiencing significant growth in search volume, pointing to emerging hotspots and new airline connections.
EMEA: Places such as Victoria, Canada; Marmagao, India; Panama City, Panama; Bol, Croatia; Pristina, Kosovo; and Lampedusa, Italy are all showing increased interest from EMEA travellers.
AMERICA: Popular locations for U.S. travelers include San Carlos de Bariloche, Tokyo, Madrid and Orlando, along with Medellin, Colombia; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Ushuaia, Argentina; Porto Seguro, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; and Tunis, Tunisia.
APAC: For APAC travellers, New Delhi, India, and Shanghai, China, are leading the growth, with Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Victoria, Canada, also following the trend. Pangkalan Bun in Indonesia, is notable for its increase in average trip length.
By early 2024, Skyscanner has set a record for travel demand, outperforming global flight market trends and securing its position as the fastest growing metasearch platform in 2023. Skyscanner continues to partner with leading brands, airlines and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) globally, advancing destination promotion, integrating next-generation travel AI tools and supporting airlines in uncovering unique offers and new itineraries based on in-depth data analytics.
