Travellers worldwide are choosing beaches more and more as their favourite way to spend vacations, a comprehensive analysis of ForwardKeys’ air ticketing database, a travel analytics firm, has revealed.
According to the same source, while leisure travel to beach destinations held the top spot throughout the pandemic and early stages of recovery, a shift is now underway. Compared to last year, summer flight bookings to beach destinations have experienced a 22 per cent increase, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
This shift suggests that beach destinations are gradually becoming more and more alluring for travellers. The report by Forwardkeys also indicates a growing confidence among travellers to explore different types of destinations and engage in diverse travel activities.
At the same time, urban destinations saw a significant surge in popularity, with a remarkable increase of 42 per cent in flight bookings. Similarly, nature destinations have seen a substantial rise, with a noteworthy 45 per cent increase in bookings. Meanwhile, shopping destinations have emerged as the frontrunners, witnessing an impressive 53 per cent rise in flight bookings.
In terms of global travel recovery, when compared to 2019, summer bookings worldwide are relatively close, with a difference of only 13 per cent. This figure shows that travel demand is gradually returning and approaching levels observed before the pandemic.
US & Canada Lead the Recovery
On the other hand, there is a significant geographical disparity. The United States stands out as the strongest major source market, with summer outbound flight bookings currently surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 11 per cent.
Following closely is Canada, with bookings ahead by four per cent compared to 2019.
The United Kingdom is showing a relatively narrow margin in terms of global travel recovery, with summer bookings only three per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels. This suggests a notable rebound in travel activity within the UK.
On the other hand, the European Union as a whole is experiencing a slower recovery, with summer bookings lagging behind by 11 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The economic uncertainties and inflationary pressures within the EU have created an unstable situation, making travel, especially long-haul trips, financially unfeasible for many individuals.
Due to various challenges, travel within the EU has become more difficult.
However, an interesting trend has emerged, with Latin America emerging as a promising source market for travel. Currently, summer bookings from Latin America are 14 per cent lower than the levels observed in 2019, indicating a strong recovery and potential for growth in the region.
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