As per the most recent UN World Tourism Barometer, it was observed that approximately 790 million tourists embarked on international travels in the first seven months of 2024. This figure is 11% higher than 2023 and only 4% less than the one in 2019.
It is indicated that the year started strongly and was followed by a more moderate growth in the second quarter. With the aid of visa facilitation and improved air connectivity, every region in the world has noted a commendable year regarding international travel recovery.
In this seven-month period, The Americas attained 97% of its pre-pandemic tourist arrivals due to strong intra-regional demands. The sharp growth in journeys originating from the United States favored Central America (+18.6% when compared to the same period in 2019) and the Caribbean (+8.7% compared to 2019). Meanwhile, arrivals to North America remained 7% below pre-pandemic levels with South America trailing at 4.3% below.
Studies reveal that of the top 30 searches, Bonaire Island and La Romana have experienced the fastest growth on a year-on-year basis, specifically in the region of the Caribbean. The rise can be attributed mostly to enhancements in connectivity .
The highest popularity based on searches and bookings in this subregion is claimed by Punta Cana. San Juan in Puerto Rico and Montego Bay in Jamaica are also major players in pushing travel demands. However, the positions of these two destinations swap when it comes to travel agency bookings.
In the booking and searching charts in the Caribbean, Punta Cana tops them all, with Montego Bay coming second in bookings and third in searches. This underlines the continuous appeal of several locations in the Caribbean. For destinations such as Curacao and Saint Lucia, which are frequently searched but less booked, it is vital to increase visibility through various channels. Enhancement of air routes and greater collaboration with tour operators and travel agencies are crucial steps to achieve this.
The highest search volumes for the Caribbean between the months of September and December 2024 come from travelers in the United States, Argentina, and the United Kingdom. South America is increasingly becoming a crucial source market for the Caribbean. Argentina holds the second position with moderate year-on-year search growth, while Brazil and Colombia have shown growth rates of more than 20% each year.
In the Caribbean market, the United States has a dominant 61% share followed by Canada with 9%, demonstrating the significance of North America to Caribbean air capacity. Contrastingly, Europe only displays minor participation.
An analysis of direct flights to the Caribbean between September and December 2024 revealed a small overall decrease compared to 2023. The number of routes starting in Panama and France noted a minor increase, while the number of direct routes from Germany stayed constant.
The list of the 10 most desired destinations remained identical to the one in 2023, with no changes in the ranking order. The United States, Canada, and Mexico continue to top this list, generating sizeable interest. The most substantial year-on-year growth rate was registered by Chile with 29%, followed by Colombia with 27% and Peru with 24%, indicating the growing interest in travel to South America.
The top booked destinations remained largely consistent from 2023 to 2024 based on GDS booking volumes, however, there was a slight change in their rank. Peru saw a 42% increase in bookings, recapturing its strong pre-pandemic position as a favoured destination in the region. The country moved up two spots on the list because of this impressive year-on-year growth. Brazil too saw significant growth of 33%, although it maintained its rank.
The distribution of seats to the Americas by country shows minor shifts in the top 10 positions. The United States still dominates with a 45% share. Canada and Mexico follow, each with a 12% and 10% share respectively. The increase in seat availability, often due to growing demand to these regions, is an important aspect to consider.
In a comparison of the 10 most sought-after destinations between 2023 and 2024, only minor changes are observed. The Dominican Republic continues to be the most sought-after, with search volumes increasing by 20% owing to affordable flights and promotions of cultural and natural attractions. Puerto Rico ascends to second place with growth of 22%. Curacao shows the highest year-on-year growth in travel demand, becoming more and more popular among travellers.
Observation of the 10 cities with the highest surge in search volume among the top 30 most searched destinations shows that many of the rapidly growing cities are not located in the top-ranked countries. The islands of Bonaire and Curaçao are ascending the charts, evidencing significant year-over-year growth in the periods analyzed.
Study source: AMADEUS