Unpack '24: Travel Trends for 2024
At a glance
- More than half of travellers have researched or booked trips inspired by TV shows or films; television outpaces Instagram, TikTok and podcasts as a travel influence.
- One in three survey respondents have booked a 'destination dupe'—lesser-known alternatives to popular spots; global searches for top five dupes more than doubled year-over-year.
- Almost 70% of travellers are more likely than ever to travel for concerts outside their hometown; 40% would travel specifically to visit a new place.
- Over 40% of respondents said they would likely book a detox trip in the next year; half want easily accessible alcohol-free hotel options.
- Los Angeles to Tokyo saw the largest increase in flight demand at 430% year-over-year, followed by Perth to Bali at 350%.
What the report covers
Expedia Group's Unpack '24 analyses emerging travel trends for 2024 using 70 petabytes of first-party data from Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo, combined with a OnePoll global consumer survey of 20,000 respondents across 14 countries. The report identifies six trend categories—set-jetting, destination dupes, tour tourism, vibe check-in, dry tripping and go-ccasions—to help travel industry stakeholders anticipate evolving customer demands.
Key findings
Set-jetting—travel planning inspired by television and film—remains influential. According to the report, more than half of travellers have researched or booked trips after seeing destinations on screen. Television influences travel decisions more than Instagram, TikTok and podcasts, signalling the enduring power of scripted entertainment in travel decision-making.
Destination dupes are gaining traction as travellers seek lesser-known alternatives. The survey finds one in three respondents have booked a dupe destination. Global searches for the top five dupe destinations more than doubled year-over-year, indicating travellers increasingly favour uncrowded alternatives to mainstream hotspots, often at lower cost.
Concert tourism is poised for expansion. Almost 70% of travellers polled claim they are more likely than ever to travel for concerts outside their hometown. Forty per cent would travel specifically to visit a new place, while 30% cite cheaper ticket prices elsewhere. Expedia identified ten affordable cities with average hotel rates under $150/night where major touring artists will perform in 2024.
Alcohol-free travel experiences are gaining mainstream traction. More than 40% of survey respondents said they are likely to book a detox trip in the next year, while half of all travellers expressed interest in hotels offering easily accessible alcohol-free options such as mocktails. This reflects growing demand from sober-conscious guests.
Key numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Travellers influenced by TV/film to research or book trips | More than half |
| Survey respondents who have booked a destination dupe | 1 in 3 |
| Global search increase for top 5 dupe destinations | More than doubled year-over-year |
| Travellers more likely to travel for concerts outside hometown | Almost 70% |
| Travellers who would travel for concert to visit new place | 40% |
| Respondents likely to book a detox trip in next year | More than 40% |
| Travellers interested in alcohol-free hotel options | Half |
| Increase in demand: Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (HND) | +430% |
Figures as published in the source; forecasts and survey results are labelled as such in the note.
Why it matters
DMOs & destinations
Destination marketing organisations should position lesser-known regions as uncrowded alternatives to established hotspots, capitalising on dupe-seeking behaviour. Partnerships with production companies to showcase screen-inspired destinations can drive bookings. Growth in tour tourism signals opportunities for concert infrastructure investment and accommodation positioning near touring venues.
Hotels & hospitality
Hotels must enhance non-alcoholic beverage and wellness programmes to capture 40%+ seeking alcohol-free experiences; mocktail innovation and detox amenities differentiate properties. Atmospheric design ('vibe check-in') increasingly influences booking decisions. Vacation rentals should highlight outdoor amenities prominently, as outdoor spaces rank high in selection criteria.
Travel tech & distribution
Platforms should integrate set-jetting filters linking screen content to bookable destinations and refine search algorithms for destination dupes. Concert tourism demands real-time event data integration with accommodation availability and pricing. Metadata tagging for alcohol-free and wellness amenities captures emerging segmentation. Flight path trending enables targeted marketing toward high-demand routes like LAX–Tokyo.
Methodology and limits
Unpack '24 draws on 70 petabytes of first-party booking data from Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo covering September 2022–August 2023, supplemented by a OnePoll global consumer survey of 20,000 respondents across 14 countries. Figures represent either observed behaviour (searches, bookings) from platform data or stated survey preferences. Some findings are labelled as 2024 predictions; the report does not always distinguish between observed and forecast metrics. This brief reflects the publicly available summary and PDF excerpt; full methodology details are not disclosed.
Official source
The report is © Expedia Group. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel — it quotes only figures published in the source and never reproduces the document.
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