May 22, 2024
Understanding the latest data around changing traveler search trends, booking behaviors, and global top-booked destinations can give you the edge you need to build a data-driven marketing strategy that delivers results. That’s why every quarter we look at our exclusive first-party data to provide you with the latest takeaways and how to act on them.
Q1 2024 data shows that travelers are planning midyear getaways and summer vacations in the Northern Hemisphere. Let’s take a closer look at this and other emerging travel search window trends, including top destinations by region, to learn how you can use our data to reach, engage, and convert travelers.
Travel searches increase globally
The positive momentum we saw around travel in 2023 has grown, providing a strong early outlook for the rest of the year. Traveler searches globally increased by nearly 25% quarter over quarter (QOQ), led by a more than 35% increase in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), indicating traveler intent remains strong.
The first week of 2024 drove the strongest search volume increases in Q1, with a 20% global increase in search volume week over week (WOW), likely prompted by post-holiday travel sales and promotions.
How to act on this trend
We know travelers are eagerly moving forward with their plans. You can promote your offerings and experiences to travelers who are actively searching and booking with native advertising across Expedia Group brands. With native ads, you can inspire and influence travelers with contextually relevant ads that are seamlessly integrated into travelers’ buying journeys. Plus, you can stay top of mind wherever these travelers venture online with our Audience Extension tool.
Travelers planning early for 2024 trips
Long-term trip planning trended up in Q1 2024. Search volumes for the 91-180-day window saw the largest QOQ increase, at more than 50% globally. The 180+ day search window increased by 20% globally and domestically, which shows that travelers are already planning for midyear trips and summer vacations.
How to act on this trend
With travelers actively planning for midyear getaways, now is the time to target travelers earlier in the booking journey. TravelAds Sponsored Listings are a cost-effective way to help you boost your visibility in search results, connecting you with travelers who are ready to book. Display advertising is another effective way to be more visible and drive bookings with travelers throughout their purchasing journey. By pairing the two solutions, you further maximize your advertising efforts and get your offering in front of your ideal traveler when it matters most.
Beach destinations rise for top global destinations
What were the top searched destinations in Q1 2024? We saw that travelers in the Northern Hemisphere are seeking out warm weather escapes, with destinations including Punta Cana and Fort Lauderdale moving up in the global top-searched destinations ranking and the Top 10 searched destinations for North America (NORAM). This increased interest in balmy locales was also evident in our trending city data, with several beach destinations in Florida and Virginia showing notable search increases QOQ.
How to act on this trend
Attract travelers who are planning spring and summer vacations by showcasing the beachy vibe they’re searching for. Try incorporating your destination’s sandy shores and ocean-centric visuals in your display ads or through custom TravelAds content to further entice travelers looking for sun-drenched vacation spots.
Consider a co-op campaign, where we connect advertisers with similar goals to come together, engage with travelers, and drive demand. Read more about how one warm weather destination drove an increase in visitors and revenue by using a variety of solutions, including a co-op campaign, to highlight some of the city’s most captivating aspects.
APAC sees strong search gains for long-haul travel
Based on our flight data, several Asia Pacific (APAC) countries grew in search rank YOY across other super regions, highlighting APAC’s increasing popularity as a long-haul travel destination.
When South Korea announced its new digital nomad visa on December 29, 2023, which allowed foreign remote workers to live in the country for up to two years, the destination saw a notable uptick in travel searches from outside of the country. In the week following the announcement (the first week of Q1 2024), there was a nearly 40% WOW increase in searches from EMEA and Latin America and an almost 30% WOW increase in searches from NORAM.
How to act on this trend
Tap into year-over-year travel growth. As travelers are increasingly planning trips to APAC, you can appeal to and target travelers searching for destinations in this region and engage with remote workers. Working with our TravelAds experts, you can create custom messaging and imagery that highlights your hotel’s amenities and features to drive interest with your target audience.
To learn more about Q2 2024 travel trends and get personalized direction for applying the insights to your advertising strategies, contact us today.
