Expedia has crunched the numbers from all the trips and stays booked on the site by US travellers in 2018 and identified some consistent trends.
Expedia data showed that guests want more and more alternative lodging options, looking for original accommodation experiences in their travels.
The fastest-growing accommodation types in 2018 were:
• Tentalows – (up 135 percent)
• Chalets – (up 85 percent)
• Villas – (up more than 45 percent)
• Agritourism properties - (up more than 40 percent)
• Houseboats – (up more than 35 percent)
On top of alternative accommodation types, activities and experiences area also growing across the board, as travellers personalise their trips to get exactly the vacation they want.
“In this day and age, it’s possible to have the exact type of experience and trip you want, whether it’s visiting a breath-taking island off Portugal, or staying on a family farm where you can gather your own fresh eggs in the morning,” said John Morrey, VP and general manager, Expedia.
“Being able to meet the needs of every kind of traveller is our driving force at Expedia, and why we strive to make it easy and affordable to find the perfect accommodation for any trip and bundle it with flights or cars for even more savings.”
In terms of areas of travel both Brisbane and Perth saw a 40 percent increase in US travellers year-on-year, suggesting that tourist from America are wanting to see more than just the traditional major cities like Sydney. In Asia, northern Thailand’s largest city Chiang Mai also saw large growth.
Additionally, Expedia flight data revealed the busiest days of the year to travel in the States as Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day, Friday before Christmas Day and the Friday before Labor Day.
