From price-conscious luxury holidays to analogue adventures: the international travel companyn Skyscanner reveals the 2024 travel trends that will influence the industry and travelers' behavior next year - based on millions of hotel and flight data and a comprehensive travel behavior study.

What is certain is that traveling is still very popular with Germans - whether to the trendy destination of Krabi, to the award champion Fort Lauderdale or to the next international concert.

Popular travel destinations in 2024 – Asia is trending

According to Skyscanner data, long-haul destinations will be particularly popular with German travelers in the coming year: seven of the ten most popular destinations are in Asia. From sunshine and relaxation in Krabi (Thailand) to cultural diversity in Taipei (Taiwan), the travel destinations couldn't be more diverse. According to the survey, the weather (63 percent of respondents), food (57 percent) and culture (49 percent) are the most important factors for choosing a travel destination in 2024. Locally, going to the beach (58 percent) and tasting are the most important factors Local food (49 percent) and historical tours (30 percent) were at the top of the survey participants’ agenda.

Top 10 travel destinations for Germans in 2024 (largest increase in search queries)

The price-performance ratio is decisive

The price-performance ratio is still an important decision factor for German holidaymakers for or against a travel destination, with the costs of the hotel (37 percent) and the flight (24 percent) playing a particularly important role. Skyscanner data shows that 41 percent of German vacationers plan to spend more money on travel in 2024 than in 2023. Only 14 percent say they will spend less money.

What is particularly exciting are destinations where it will be cheaper than usual in 2024. In the past 12 months, prices for flights to Fort Lauderdale, USA have fallen by 32 percent, followed by flights to Seville, Spain (-22 percent) and Varna, Bulgaria (-12 percent). In 2024, travelers will also have the chance to go on a dream vacation at a cheaper price than a year ago.

Top 10 destinations with the highest price drops for flights from Germany

The 'vibe' is crucial

Skyscanner data shows that the way consumers assess the value of a trip in particular will change over the next year. Although price is important, it will no longer be the deciding factor in 2024. Almost half of travelers (49 percent) rate the general atmosphere and mood of a travel destination as an important factor when choosing a vacation spot. The topic of travel mood also shows the high importance of experiences in the travel year 2024:

• Traveling to attend a concert: Some stars are currently announcing major international tours. Interest in traveling abroad for a concert is greater than ever before - especially when there are cheap tickets and low-cost airlines fly to the destination. More than a third of German travelers (35 percent) would book a short-haul flight to see their favorite artists live if it meant they could save money. According to the analysis, the cheapest concert tickets in 2024 with the most performances for under 25 euros are offered by the destinations Leeds (Great Britain), Bordeaux (France) and Rome (Italy).

• “Main Character Energy”: 28 percent of German travelers use film and television as a source for their travel inspiration. Skyscanner often notices an increase in search queries for the respective filming locations, especially when popular series start. Travelers want to follow in the footsteps of their favorite characters and feel like the main characters of their favorite series. “Emily in Paris” is currently at the top of the list. After the third season started at the end of December 2022, Skyscanner recorded a 2023 percent increase in searches from Germany to Paris in January 45 compared to the previous month.

• Price-conscious foodies: 27 percent of German travelers have booked a travel destination solely because of a specific restaurant they want to visit. Another 41 percent say they would like to do this someday. Trying authentic local cuisine is the second most popular activity for German holidaymakers when abroad, with 49 percent preferring this hobby to almost anything else. The city of Osaka tops Skyscanner's list of perfect destinations for budget-conscious foodies in 2024. There, travelers will find some of the cheapest high-end restaurants in the world.
• Destinations to relax: 50 percent of survey participants pay more attention to their sleep health today than they did a few years ago. A restful sleep is undisputedly at the top of what German travelers are planning for their next vacation, followed by activities such as historical tours (30 percent), nightlife trips (29 percent) and water sports (29 percent). 40 percent of German travelers say they sleep better on vacation and 34 percent feel the need for a relaxing vacation. According to Skyscanner, the three best cities for a particularly restful sleep are Hoi An (Vietnam), Santorini (Greece) and Rome (Italy). In these cities, many travelers rated the quality of sleep on their vacation as very good.

From Polaroid lovers to price-conscious luxury fans – these travel types will be trendy in 2024

According to Skyscanner, vacationers in 2024 will primarily crave experiences that have a higher lifestyle value:

• Analog Adventurer: In the age of constant accessibility and a lot of time on the Internet and social media, Generation Z longs for analogue adventures on vacation in which they ignore digital devices. However, for many people it is difficult to switch off while on vacation and actually leave everyday digital life behind them. For example, a fifth of 18 to 24 year olds take a disposable camera with them on vacation and 19 percent take a Polaroid camera. However, many people find it difficult to switch off on vacation and actually leave everyday digital life behind them. Although 85 percent of travelers think this is important, 35 percent often scroll on social media while on vacation and a quarter of survey participants are even planning their next vacation online.  

• Holiday vacationers: Travelers increasingly want to celebrate big milestones in style: More than half of survey participants (52 percent) have taken a group trip to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. Another 21 percent say they would like to do so. According to Skyscanner data analysis, Spain, Turkey and Greece will be the most popular holiday destinations in 2024.

• Price-conscious luxury vacationers: Although the cost of living remains high, Skyscanner is seeing a strong willingness among travelers to spend money on luxury when budgets allow. 12 percent of vacationers plan to upgrade their flight to business or first class in 2024, while 15 percent plan to treat themselves to access to an airport lounge. When you look at the accommodation, five-star hotel luxury doesn't necessarily have to come with a high price tag. The travel company's recent analysis shows that the average cheapest five-star hotels in the world are in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A night in a luxury hotel costs an average of 95 euros.