What would shape travellers’ preference in 2023 and other trends happening in the tourism industry? These questions found answers in the latest findings made by Expedia after surveying thousands of wanderers about what they would seek out the most in the next year.
New York by Christopher Simpson.
Factoring the “new normal” in traveling, industry professionals and travellers from across 17 countries surveyed by Expedia showed the non-existence of “one-size-fits-all” travel trends in 2023. Instead, travellers will be greatly driven by the “no-normal” mindset in their collective quest to satisfy wonders and curiosities.
From binge watching to binge travel
In 2023, booking a vacation after finishing a binge-worthy new series will be a serious endeavour. Streamed movies and TV series have influenced vacation plans for 35% of Singaporeans in the last 12 months, according to Expedia’s research.
Old Montreal is the oldest area in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, dating back to New France.
Scenic locations of much-loved streamed movie and series content are expected to occupy the travel list of many travellers.
- Almost a quarter (23%) of people feel that television and film are more influential than social media influencers (16%) when it comes to inspiring them to vacation there.
- In Singapore, 76% of vacationers have pondered going somewhere they saw on TV or in a movie they streamed, and 20% of those people have actually booked a trip there.
- Outdoor places with breathtaking landscape (41%) and beach destinations (40%) were shown to have the most influence on Singaporeans’ choice of vacation spot.
- Unsurprisingly, the two most popular countries Singaporeans consider visiting are Japan (40%) and South Korea (39%). This is likely due to the influence of popular Asian shows and movies that have portrayed the gorgeous destinations.
The rising pull of Culture Capitals
People walking in George St on a sunny day with the Sydney Town Hall building in the background.
The past two years have been pivotal ones for national parks and rural getaways. The moment has come for urban areas to recover. Cities with a rich cultural history and a long tradition of celebrating art and culture are enjoying an uptick in tourism because they are once again the focus of vacationers’ attention. Seeing the cherry blossoms in Tokyo, getting soaked in Songkran water fights in Bangkok, or experiencing the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland, are just some of the cultural activities that will entice travellers in 2023.
In 2023, culture capitals are calling:
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Tokyo, Japan
- Dublin, Ireland
- New York, USA
- Sydney, Australia
- Dubai, UAE
- Montreal, Canada
- Munich, Germany
- Bangkok, Thailand
An upbeat sector continues to make progress
While 2023 travel trends are being revealed, insights from industry professionals are taken into consideration. In a special report for its travel agency partners, Expedia Group details how the pandemic altered the industry. The study found the highest levels of optimism have been since the year 2020. 70% of industry experts believe that vacation and business travel will reach levels last seen before 2020.
All eyes are on the return of international and corporate travel after vacationers kept the economy afloat throughout the pandemic. 51% of professionals in the field predict business will be their company’s top priority.
