A new report by Amadeus in collaboration with UN Tourism reveals continued growth in demand for travel to destinations across the Americas, despite economic and geopolitical challenges.
North America continues to be the most popular and searched for destination in the Americas, seeing 13% growth in September to December compared to the same period last year. Central America has seen similar growth (12%) as travelers look for sun.
The third report in the series, Travel Insights: Focus on Americas, September to December 2024, highlights the top travel trends for the region and is designed to support National Tourism Administrations (NTAs) and National Tourism Organizations (NTOs), Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and private sector companies to drive tourism in their regions.
According to the latest World Tourism Barometer by UN Tourism, around 790 million tourists traveled internationally in the first seven months of 2024, about 11% more than in 2023 and only 4% less than in 2019.
Data shows a strong start to the year, followed by a more modest second quarter. With increased air connectivity and visa facilitation supporting the recovery in international travel, the data shows all world regions have recorded a strong year so far. The Americas recovered 97% of pre-pandemic arrivals this seven-month period, backed by solid intraregional demand. Strong travel from the United States benefitted destinations in Central America (+18.6% as compared to the same period of 2019) and the Caribbean (+8.7% as compared to 2019) in particular. Arrivals to North America remained 7% below pre pandemic levels and South America 4.3% below.
Key areas of growth across the subregions
The top 10 most searched destinations remain the same as in 2023, with the U.S., Canada, and Mexico topping the list. Demand for beach destinations over the holiday season continues to trend, as searches for Mexico stand out with 19% growth for the period analyzed. The highest growth rate in destinations was seen by Chile (29%), followed by Colombia (27%), and Peru (24%).
The report reveals some insights into the subregions for the final four months of the year:
- North America – travelers from the U.S., UK, Canada, and Brazil provide the top search volumes for the region with New York City as the top searched for destination.
- Central America – Costa Rica and Panama remain at the top of the list for traveler interest. El Salvador has seen significant growth (25%)
- Caribbean – Puerto Rico has risen to be the second most searched destination, behind the Dominican Republic. Curaçao has seen the highest growth as demand from South American travelers continues to rise.
- South America – Traveler interest remains strong, with Brazil as the top destination and Florianópolis topping the list of cities with the highest growth in travelers’ interest from 2023.
A noteworthy trend can be seen in the resurgence of Chinese travelers, largely due to the improved air connectivity and the easing of travel restrictions. When looking at North America, China is in the top 30 origin markets based on search volume, with a 53% growth in travelers searching for trips to the Americas compared to 2023. Japan saw a similar significant growth rate of 40%.
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UN Tourism says, “UN Tourism is pleased to once again partner with our Affiliate Member Amadeus to provide key insights on travel trends to the Americas. The data on searches and bookings provides an essential tool for all stakeholders in the region and enhances data driven sound strategies for tourism.”
Francisco Pérez-Lozao Rüter, President, Hospitality, Amadeus, says, “I am optimistic to see the continued demand for travel in the Americas region. This third Americas report in partnership with UN Tourism has continued to show the role and impact of data insights to help destinations promote and target the right travelers. Having transparency on where people are searching to travel gives destinations the power to launch campaigns to capitalize on this interest.”
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