It’s not surprising that our travel habits have changed in the wake of the pandemic and the lockdowns that kept us confined inside. With the release of Expedia Group’s Unexpected Travel Trends for 2023, we now have a clearer picture of how that will appear.
The report, which was published this week, highlights five travel trends based on information and analysis from thousands of tourists in 17 different nations.
“What we’re seeing now is a surge in demand for trips to culture capitals, TV-inspired locations, and outdoor destinations beyond beaches — all representing the end of a series of new normal trends trending every year since 2019 and the shift to people branching out to unexpected trends in what we’re calling the “no normal,” says Expedia Brands President Jon Gieselman.
Here are the top five travel trends for 2019, as predicted by Stayz, Wotif, and Expedia brands of the Expedia Group.
Set-Jetters
In 2023, planning a trip after binge-watching a popular TV series will be a serious business. According to Expedia data, almost a third (29%) of Australians have booked a vacation after considering it after seeing a destination in a show or movie they saw online.
In fact, a quarter of Australians (26%) think streaming services have a greater influence on their travel decisions now than they did a year ago. Among Gen Zs (18–24), this influence has increased by 36%.
According to the impact of streaming services, thanks to Emily in Paris, Australia is most interested in Paris, followed by New Zealand, New York, Hawaii, and Italy.
Capitals of Culture
Cities are making a comeback in Australia after nearly two years of the country’s residents visiting natural preserves and national parks.
The majority of the locations experiencing the biggest increases are places where art and culture festivals are resuming in full force, according to Expedia traveler demand.
Travelers from all over the world will be prepared in 2023 to experience the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland, WorldPride in Sydney, and Tokyo’s cherry blossom season. Capitals of culture are calling in 2023:
- Glasgow, Scotland
- London, England
- Japan’s Tokyo
- Ireland’s Dublin
- USA New York
- Melbourne, Australia
- UAE’s Dubai
- Toronto, Canada
- Bayern, Germany
- Thailand’s Bangkok
- Edinburgh Festival
Concrete Vacations
According to Expedia’s research, more than half (60%) of Australians intend to stay in a city hotel next year as a notable collection of new hotels get ready to open and drastically alter the Australian hotel environment.
According to Wotif data, Sydney and Melbourne stand to gain the most from this revitalization. Melbourne’s demand for lodging surged by about 130% in the past year, while Sydney’s increased by almost 90%.
According to the research, the following Australian city hotels are scheduled to launch in 2019:
- The Ritz-Carlton | Melbourne, VIC
- W | Sydney, NSW
- Mandarin Oriental | Melbourne, VIC
- Rosewood Hotel | Brisbane, QLD
- Dorsett Hotel | Brisbane, QLD
- Capella | Sydney, NSW
- TRYP by Wyndham Pulteney Street | Adelaide, SA
- 25hours Paddington | Sydney, NSW
- Vibe Hotel | Adelaide, SA
- The Motley | Richmond, VIC
- W Sydney
Foodie-Menities
According to Stayz research, accommodations with kitchens are essential for tourists staying in vacation homes. Almost half (45%) of Australian vacationers claim they cook in their rental houses to save money. 2 out of 5 people (41%) prefer to shop at the neighborhood supermarkets or farmer’s markets.
The top cooking amenities or appliances that Australians would most like to see in their next vacation home include an outdoor kitchen (57%), a professional coffee maker (47%), and a deep or air fryer (39%). Nearly half (44%) of Australians say they enjoy cooking together as a group activity while on vacation.
Two-thirds (67%) of Australians cited outdoor dining as their preferred dining option, which was particularly notable.
Hay-Cations
Expedia refers to this kind of vacation as a “hay-cation” as rustic retreats are becoming more popular. They are country inns, barn conversions, or farmhouses in the countryside.
Yarramalong’s Stayz Ravendsale Retreat
According to Stayz, demand for vacation rentals in some of the top rural vacation spots in the nation has increased by more than 90%. Additionally, interest in mountainous areas with spectacular vistas of lakes and rivers has increased by 50%.
The top five Stayz Hay-cation accommodations are as follows:
- The Maple Lodge | Robertson, NSW
- Coolabah FarmHouse | Bungonia, NSW
- Rushy Creek Farm | Karrindale, WA
- Arbor Escape | Upper Colo, NSW
- Fawlty Farm | Taylor Bay, VIC
