Travel company Booking.com has released its research into travel trends for 2023, and one Australian city has made it into the list of top 10 worldwide destinations people want to visit.
Hobart in Tasmania is the lone Aussie destination amongst a list of worldwide hotspots including Brazil, Italy, India and the US that people are keen to see in 2023.
Their survey showed that 75% of people are “more optimistic about travel” than they were last year, and that 72% think travelling “is still worth it” despite financial and political uncertainties. Indeed, more than half of the respondents said spending money on a vacation was still a top priority.
In our post lockdown world, people aren’t just thinking about where to travel, but what they want to experience during their holiday too, with many wanting more meaningful and exciting experiences than just lying on a beach.
Here are the some of the main trends the survey uncovered.
Top 10 destinations
1. São Paulo, Brazil
2. Budva, Montenegro
3. Pondicherry, India
4. Querétaro, Mexico
5. Bolzano, Italy
6. Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
7. Kalabaka, Greece
8. Santa Fe, United States
9. Olomouc, Czech Republic
10. Hobart, Australi
Most popular types of vacations
Most people want to have a nostalgic getaway, with 61% of travellers wanting to visit a theme park and more than half planning a family reunion-focused holiday. Community-minded vacations were also popular followed by trips where people could blow the budget and enjoy some luxury.
Most popular types of niche experiences
When it comes to holidays with a specific theme or experience, most people wanted to enjoy an “eccentric eating” vacation tasing lots of exotic foods not found at home. Spiritual and health retreats were also popular choices, while many were keen to attend a wilderness survival school or have an “erotic escape”, while a third said they’d be happy to have a virtual vacation at home.
How to save for that vacation
If you’ve decided on your next holiday and are working out how to pay for it, the survey showed the various ways people were saving up to fund their vacation, with the majority of people taking advantage of deals, hacks and smartly-timed holidays. Others planned further in advance, used discounts or loyalty programs or used their budget for longer rather than shorter vacations. Some also considered visiting destinations in the off-season when prices drop.
Where are you headed in 2023?
