Expedia Group’s Q3 “Traveler Insights” shows traveler enthusiasm holds strong
Search volume steadies, while EMEA shows growth. Following a strong 25% quarter-overquarter (QoQ) increase in traveler searches on our traveler brands in Q1 2023, search volumes in Q2 held steady with the prior quarter, indicating sustained travel interest globally. This trend is consistent with seasonality in previous years, with persistant search volumes in Q2 2022 after a 25% QoQ lift in searches in Q1 2022.
Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) showed the strongest search growth, with a 10% increase in searches both QoQ and year-over-year (YoY). Globally, week-over-week (WoW) search volume fluctuated throughout Q2, with some upticks leading up to and around major holidays and events. During the week of April 10, EMEA saw a 20% WoW increase in search volume, with a nearly 30% increase in domestic searches and an over 15% increase in international searches. This uptick may have been tied to planning for then-upcoming events, including the King’s Coronation (May 6) and Eurovision in Liverpool (May 7), revealing that travelers in EMEA are searching nearly one month out.
North America (NORAM) and Latin America (LATAM) searches were strong the week of May 22 leading up to Memorial Day weekend in the U.S., with around a 10% increase in each region. This tells us that these travelers may be booking last minute, especially in advance of three-day weekends.
Traveler interest on the rise for European cities
European cities saw substantial increases in search volume, with some experiencing double-digit growth in the quarter, including cities throughout Italy: Rome (30%), Venice (30%), and Florence (40%). Turkish beach cities such as Antalya and Dalaman also saw strong search growth in Q2, experiencing a nearly 70% and an over 150% uptick in searches, respectively.
Long-haul destinations on the rise
Looking at the top 10 booked destinations across all regions, longhaul destinations outside the origin region rose in popularity, showing that international travel demand remains strong. London and New York were both popular destinations for travelers, appearing on the top 10 booked destinations list across all regions.
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