Skyscanner: Americans to Boost Travel in 2023 But Seek Out Value, Experiences, Sustainability

According to Skyscanner survey of Americans, more travelers intend to travel in 2023 but look for value and experiences and will seek out travel companies like Alpaca Expeditions, which offers Inca Trail treks to Machu Picchu, Peru, a World Heritage Site, based on offering responsible, sustainable travel © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

New research from global travel site Skyscanner reveals that US vacationers are expecting another strong year of travel despite economic uncertainty, but price-led decision making will drive change in 2023. With 86% of US travelers planning to spend the same if not more on travel abroad next year, how they are going to spend will differ. The extent of these changes is revealed in Skyscanner’s detailed Travel Trends 2023 report. 

Key trends to come out of the report show that US travelers don’t want the vacation to stop on a Monday morning, but to work where they could vacation and work too. US travelers are also craving experiences grounded in nature and wellbeing. A way to reset and feel normal again. Expect friends to ditch each other in favor of solo adventures, indulge in sneaky smartphone travel searches in the workplace and vacationers navigating the cost-of-living crisis to ensure their time away remains a priority.  

For travel in 2023, there’s a lot we want to do differently and some bold expectations on what future travel will entail. Future gazing sees one in three people expecting vacations amongst the stars to be a mainstream reality in their lifetime, while closer to home, advances in supersonic technology could re-define short-haul travel. 

Naomi Hahn, VP of strategy comments, “It is clear that we’re hungrier than ever to discover something new – even though we might have less in our pockets next year. The aftermath of a pandemic has made travelers look for ways to make up for lost time and create new experiences and memories. 

“Consumers are putting value first, post pandemic. The squeeze on personal spending has shown that consumers will still prioritize getting away but are increasingly shopping around on metasearch platforms like Skyscanner. They are also employing simple travel hacks to ensure they get the most for their money, like being flexible in terms of dates and destination. The year looks set to be a year of new discoveries as emerging, pocket friendly destinations come to the fore.” 

Skyscanner commissioned its deep-dive research into consumer attitudes and behaviors, combined with proprietary search and booking insights, to reveal its travel predictions. Skyscanner’s report, Travel Trends 2023: The year of price-driven decisions analyzes survey data from 2,000 consumers in the US as well as extensive search and redirect data to provide unique insights into travel plans for 2023 and beyond.  

Key trends revealed:  

Travel remains a priority: Consumers today look to make better, more informed decisions about their discretionary spend, recent polling revealed: 46% of consumers are planning the same number of vacations in 2023 as 2022, and 41% are thinking of even going on more trips next year. Just 6% are planning to vacation less in 2023. The rising cost of living is still a concern, but 62% have decided to prioritize vacations next year over other big-ticket items.  

Shift in spending: 86% of US travelers are planning to spend the same if not more on travel abroad next year, while only 5% are planning to spend less. Travelers are increasingly demanding greater ticket transparency, as well as taking control of the value in their airfares, unbundling of price to build packaged airfares that suit their needs.   

Best value destinations for 2023: Skyscanner, which helps travelers compare pricing or choose travel based on budget, can also reveal the destinations that have seen the biggest price drops since pre-pandemic are: 

1. Madeira, Portugal – 22% price drop   
2. Sofia, Bulgaria – 18% price drop  
3. Brussels, Belgium – 13% price drop 

Skyscanner’s 2023 hotlist: Travelers are increasingly on the hunt for less popular places that offer undiscovered experiences and unlock better value breaks. In fact, Skyscanner’s ‘Everywhere’ search is regularly in the top searches post pandemic. Check out some of the destinations that have seen the biggest increase in searches: 

Family hot list: 

• Jacksonville, USA (570% increase in searches)  
• Izmir, Turkey (168% increase in searches)  
• Madeira, Portugal (123% increase in searches)  

Couples’ hotlist:  

• Minneapolis, USA (409% increase in searches)  
• Preveza, Greece (316% increase in searches)  
• Santiago de Compostela, Spain (289% increase in searches)  

Solo traveling is no longer a niche; over one half of travelers (54%) are looking to escape solo next year. Divorcees (78%) ranked among the highest in their readiness to embark on a solo vacation in 2023 and look set to form a new trend of travelers who are ‘solo and self-focused’.  With an increasing number of friendship apps launched and platonic versions of dating apps growing in popularity, there is also the opportunity to hook up with new travel friends and companions. 

Sustainability; Sustainable travel continues to grow in consideration for travelers’ decision making: for more than 1 in 4 (24%) it’s even more important now, than prior to the pandemic. With price-led decision making and sustainable travel both top of mind, 11% are considering new, alternative destinations for their next trip.

Nature first; Wildlife spotting appears in the top 3 travel activities planned for vacations, suggesting the pandemic’s emphasis on getting outside for walks and connecting with the local environment is now transferring as a key component of travel plans.  Interacting with the environment and watching animals has mood-boosting properties.  Skyscanner recommends getting amongst green nature and experiencing the meditative effects of Shinrin-yoku, a new wellness trend that literally means ‘forest bathing’ in 2023. 

Making work work for you (and your wallet): 45% of Americans surveyed plan to work while on vacation next year (“bleisure travel”), a strategic move for which the top reason is ‘it means I get more time in destination’ (59%). Cross-referencing the long list of countries that now offer digital nomad visas with their cities’ cost of living index unearths a selection of savvy options for 2023. All cheaper than London’s cost of living index, Skyscanner’s favorites include: 

1. Mexico City, Mexico – Skyscanner has also seen a 591% increase in searches 
2. Zagreb, Croatia – Skyscanner has also seen a 344% increase in searches 
3. Madrid, Spain      

Sneaky smartphone searches & social media’s influence; 2 out of 3 US travelers now use a mobile device to plan or book their next trip, with the most popular moment being during work hours or lunch break. Celebs are the number one source of travel inspiration in the US with Instagram being the most FOMO inducing – 52% of travelers stated they’re more likely to book a trip if they’ve seen it on the platform.  

• So, for those wanting to get ahead of the Insta trend, Skyscanner can reveal their top spot for 2023 is Amman, Jordan (based on least amount of Instagram hashtags cross referenced x 195% increase in Skyscanner searches). 

Future travel; 2053 will mark 150 years of the Wright Brothers first airplane flight, a lot has changed since then and travelers are expecting significant developments to be mainstream when hitting that milestone in 30 years’ time.  

• One in three people (34%) expect to vacation amongst the stars in their lifetime, climbing aboard space craft for Earth sight-seeing day trips to the edge of space and longer trips beyond 
• Advances in supersonic technology could re-define short-haul travel and Skyscanner’s report reveals 32% of travelers believe it will be a mainstream flight option in the future 

Skyscanner’s new consumer research also reveals hot new trends around destinations and embracing “me-time”. From solo to supersonic travel, working while wandering the globe and social media’s influence on vacation selection, check out these and other findings in the full Travel Trends 2023: The year of price-driven decisions report.

Founded in 2003, Skyscanner is a leading travel marketplace dedicated to putting travelers first. Skyscanner helps millions of people in 52 countries and over 30 languages find the best travel options for flights, hotels and car rental every month. Skyscanner is available on desktop, mobile web and its highly rated app has over 110 million downloads. Working with 1200 travel partners, Skyscanner’s mission is to lead the global transformation to modern and sustainable travel.   

According to Skyscanner’s executives, the most popular search is for “anywhere. Our mission is to inspire.”

Visit Skyscanner.com

For more travel features, visit:

goingplacesfarandnear.com

Going Places @ theisland360.com

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

moralcompasstravel.info

www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

goingplacesfarandnear.tumblr.com/

instagram.com/going_places_far_and_near/

instagram.com/bigbackpacktraveler/

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Wyndham Hotel Group Partners with GetYourGuide to Connect Travelers with Tours, Activities

Washington DC Must See Sights Half Day Tour is just one of tens of thousands of tours that can be booked through Get Your Guide, which now has a partnership with Wyndham Hotel Group © 2014 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Travelers looking to add top-rated tours and activities to their upcoming travel itineraries can now easily do just that thanks to a new partnership between Wyndham Hotel Group—the world’s largest hotel company with approximately 7,540 hotels—and travel tour booking company GetYourGuide.

Upon completing a reservation on any of Wyndham Hotel Group’s branded websites, travelers can now connect directly via link to GetYourGuide’s catalog of more than 25,000 activities around the globe, which includes everything from sightseeing bus rides and cooking demonstrations to guided walking tours, helicopter rides and more. While searching, members have the ability to sort activities and tours by country and city as well as by tour type and price. Tours can then be booked directly online and confirmed through GetYourGuide.

“One of the most rewarding parts of being able to travel is taking time to truly experience the city you are visiting,” said Mike Mueller, vice president of loyalty, marketing and partnerships at Wyndham Hotel Group. “In partnering with GetYourGuide, we’re giving customers a simple and seamless way to find and book tours and activities that are sure to help them make the most of any trip, whether it’s a weekend getaway to their favorite city or a business trip to someplace they’ve never been.”

GetYourGuide, the Internet’s largest booking platform for travel activities, offers more than 25,000 attractions, tours and activities in upwards of 2,400 worldwide destinations. From sightseeing and historical tours to sport activities, museums, and event tickets, GetYourGuide provides an extensive assortment. The GetYourGuide website was launched in 2010 and holds offices in Zürich, Berlin and Las Vegas. www.getyourguide.com.

GetYourGuide is the latest in a series of new partnerships to be announced by Wyndham Hotel Group this year. Such partnerships underscore the company’s ongoing commitment to finding new and creative ways to offer additional value to customers throughout the booking and travel process.

Wyndham Hotel Group, part of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, is one of the world’s largest and most diverse hotel companies with approximately 7,540 hotels and 650,200 rooms in 71 countries under the hotel brands: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts^®, Ramada^®, Days Inn^®, Super 8^®, Wingate by Wyndham^®, Baymont Inn & Suites^®, Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham^®, Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham^®, TRYP by Wyndham^®, Howard Johnson^®, Travelodge^® and Knights Inn^®.  In addition, the company has a license agreement to franchise the Planet Hollywood Hotels brand and provide management services globally.

All hotels are independently owned and operated excluding certain hotels which are owned or managed by an affiliate of Wyndham Hotel Group.

Wyndham Rewards, the guest loyalty program of Wyndham Hotel Group, is one of the world’s largest lodging loyalty programs, as measured by number of participating hotels. It offers over 37 million members the chance to earn and redeem points for stays at over 7,000 hotels throughout more than 50 countries worldwide.

In addition to free stays, members may redeem their points for hundreds of reward options. For more information, visit www.wyndhamrewards.com.
Wyndham Hotel Group is based in Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S. Additional information is available at www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

 

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

moralcompasstravel.info

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

50 Tall Ships Sail into London as Part of ‘Totally Thames’ Month-Long Festival

‘Totally Thames’ is an exciting new, month-long arts and cultural celebration of London’s river, featuring over 100 river-related events along its entire 42 mile course through the capital, taking place for the first time throughout September.

Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman will create an extraordinary new sculpture, his first UK commission, which will be situated in the River Thames at Nine Elms on the South Bank for the month of Totally Thames. Details remain a closely guarded secret until Tuesday 2nd September 2014 when the installation will be towed upriver from its build site to its end position at Nine Elms on the South Bank between Battersea and Vauxhall.

On Friday 5th and Saturday 6th September 2014 internationally renowned French artists Carabosse present ‘Fire Garden,’ a spectacular display of fire and light, and one of the last ever public events at Battersea Power Station before it closes for development.

Visitors can immerse themselves in ‘The Thames SENSEation,’ a free family event at Victoria Embankment Gardens on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th September 2014 which explores the sights, aromas, tastes, textures and sounds of London’s bygone eras. This multi-sensory festival designed by the award-winning House of Gastrophonic in partnership with The Northbank.

The largest Tall Ship event in London for 25 years comes to Royal Greenwich September 5-9, 2014. Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Regatta, the first major Tall Ships event in the city since London hosted the Tall Ships Race in 1989, will bring up to 50 ships from Falmouth to Royal Greenwich for four days of festivities.

One event stretches the whole length of the Thames, the ‘Source to Sea River Relay’ brings a bottle of Thames water from its source in the Gloucester hills to the sea. The bottle, passed hand-to-hand, arrives in London on 1st September – the first day of Totally Thames – and travels across the capital and out to sea on September 30, the final day of the Totally Thames festival.

And, for those travelling to London for the festival which includes many free events, it’s possible to find a choice of cheap hotels in London a short walk from the river, through LondonTown.com, a leading Internet site for London, as well as information on restaurants, attractions, sightseeing tours, and all the latest London happenings.

With over 18 years of experience assisting visitors to the capital, LondonTown team is proud of their customer service and editorial independence – no banner advertising or paid for content is allowed. The LondonTown.com team assist in finding cheap London hotels, sightseeing tours, ticket information and events. Visit www.LondonTown.com.
For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

moralcompasstravel.info

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

 

 

Hostelzoo.com, hostel price comparison website, opens own backpacker hostel on tropical island

After relocating their HQ to one of Australia’s hidden gems, Great Keppel Island, Hostelzoo are returning the ex backpacker haunt to its former glory with Australasia’s most exclusive island hostel: Hostelzoo Island Eco Backpackers!

Operating hostels and working in the travel industry for over two decades, Hostelzoo knows what makes a hostel special. As the only backpacker-style accommodation in the Keppels, Hostelzoo Island provides new opportunities for travelers looking to get off the beaten path and unwind with a genuine island experience.

Hostelzoo Island is set within an ex-YHA property, known as the GKI Holiday Village. The Village is totally self-sufficient, generating its own electricity and relying on rainwater for living needs. Guests will experience the best of this rustic beach community, while living alongside nature in the island’s sandy surrounds.

The hostel is all about simplicity, accommodating only 12 travelers in two six-bedded dorms. Hostelzoo’s focus is on the backpacker experience instead of a ‘bums in beds’ mentality. With such limited numbers, it’s certainly not intended as a money making venture but as an opportunity for intrepid travelers to get access to what they’ve been missing on the East Coast backpacker trail.

The island has everything the independent traveler requires for their castaway adventure. Activities include wandering 17 secluded white sand beaches, swimming in crystal-clear tropical waters, exploring reefs teeming with marine wildlife and miles of bushwalking tracks.

Hostelzoo founder Scott Ryan said that there had been a lot of misinformation on the backpacker trail about the island. “Great Keppel used to be a popular backpacker haunt but after the closure of the island’s major resort, most people believed that the entire island had closed. These rumours really affected the island’s local accommodation providers. In reality, this place still has a great traveller vibe and we want to share it with as many backpackers as we can.”

Hostelzoo Island is now open and accepting bookings through their price comparison website at Hostelzoo.com. For more information or to contact Hostelzoo Island directly, visit gkibackpackers.com.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

London hotels website offers discounted rooms for Six Nations Final Rugby Clash in Twickenham in February

The major booking website for London hotels, LondonTown.com, has announced details of discounted rooms at select London hotels, close to Rugby Road and Twickenham Stadium, for fans travelling to the Six Nations final in February.

The match takes place on 26th February, between England and Wales. England come to the tie as reigning Six Nations champions, while Wales are fresh off a major semi-final in the 2011 World Cup. Kicking off at 4pm, anticipation for the match is high, with Wales currently on top form, and expectations for England as high as ever. The hosting nation are the current holders of the Six Nations trophy, but Wales have picked up a number of neutral fans since their good run in the World Cup, and the young side has been winning plaudits from all corners. It promises to be as close a contest that the Six Nations has ever witnessed.

Tickets are available directly from rfu.com. To help travelling supporters stay close to the action on the nights before and after the game, LondonTown.com has released limited double rooms at reduced rates at top London hotels.

Among the discounts, the Continental Hotel has a number of double rooms within its four-star premises. Starting from just 50 pounds (a 78% discount), rugby fans can stay within a half hour’s walk from Twickenham Stadium.

Almost as close, the Richmond Hill hotel is less than two miles from Twickenham Stadium. The Richmond offers a 78% discount on selected double rooms. Starting from 63 pounds per night, the Richmond is a modern hotel set in a 17th Century building. One of the finest London hotels in the area, this four star is available at the discount only when you book through LondonTown.com. See their website for more information

For more travel features, visit:

www.travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin