Maui: Most Searched Summer 2022 Destination
Travelers already have summer on the brain. More specifically, travelers have summer in Maui on the brain as the island is the top searched destination for Summer 2022.
HomeToGo, a vacation rental marketplace, today released its predictions for shifting travel trends and emerging destinations for US travelers in 2022. The travel company surveyed more than 1,000 US travelers and combed through its extensive database of online search behavior to reveal how travelers are planning to get away in 2022.
Top findings include travelers prioritizing experiences over prices, booking trips farther in advance, and planning dream international, bucket list getaways for the year ahead.
Upcoming US travel trends for 2022 include:
The Year for Bucket List Travel
After nearly two years of waiting, US travelers are getting ready to venture to those destinations they’ve been dreaming of. In recent months, searches on the company’s website for international stays have increased by 88% compared to 2020 and are now back on pace with 2019 levels. International destinations seeing the biggest increase in search demand for 2022 compared to pre-pandemic years include Tuscany, Italy (+141% vs 2019), Bora Bora (+98%), Maldives (+97%), South of France (+88%), Istra, Croatia (+74%)
Choosing Experience Over Price Tags
Nearly half (46%) of US travelers ranked relaxation as their top motivation for traveling with many seeking quieter, more private escapes in 2022. In addition, the company has seen a global 54% increase in average booking value compared to pre-pandemic years and a subsequent increase in search demand for luxury destinations including Maui (+215%), Nantucket (+195%), and Hilton Head Island (+134%).
Travelers Are Booking Earlier Than Ever Before
Popular destinations are being booked faster than ever for peak travel periods. US travelers are now booking on average 94 days (~13.5 weeks) in advance compared to 71 days in 2019. This trend of advance bookings is expected to continue into the year ahead as travelers look to reserve their favorite homes and destinations.
Flexibility Continues To Be Top of Mind
According to the survey, 77% of travelers said that flexible options will be important for their booking decisions in the next 12 months. The company’s Flexible Date feature saw a +570% increase over the past summer compared to the summer of 2019.
