Looking For Revenge

According to KAYAK’s 2023 Travel Trends Forecast, 2023 will be the year for revenge travel.

Despite rising flight prices (up 21% year over year), KAYAK data shows international flight searches in Canada are up nearly 100% (98% year over year) compared to only 64% in the U.S. proving Canadians are making up for lost time and booking big this year.

KAYAK’s Senior Country Manager Leon Mulder said: “After nearly three years of lockdowns and travel restrictions, travel is back in a big way.”

Mulder continued: “With heightened interest for international travel, it’s clear Canadians aren’t just planning a quick weekend getaway, they are hungry for bucket list trips to make up for lost time.”

To help make these ambitious travel plans a reality, KAYAK is sharing its top trends and money saving tips for Canadians, including when to fly, where to stay and how to get more bang for your buck amid rising prices.

Highlights from KAYAK’s 2023 Travel Trends Forecast include:

• Travellers are craving vibrant street culture, kaleidoscopic nightlife and a world of flavours. With Manila (+287% year over year increase in searches), Tokyo (+279% year over year), and Bangkok (+229% year over year) leading as the top trending international destinations, APAC is trending in 2023. And, with airfare to the South Pacific down an average of 25% since last year, cost doesn’t have to come at the expense of culture.
• Cool and coastal international cities are the move for those trying to save. For those looking to dip their toes in international waters, KAYAK data is showing flights to some coastal destinations are cheaper than last year such as Melbourne (a 10% year over year decrease in airfare), Vaitape (-9% year over year), Copenhagen (-8% year over year), Croatia (-5% year over year) and Greece (-3% year over year).
• Cheap deals can be found with flights departing on Thursdays and Fridays.* KAYAK historical data shows that on average, the lowest flight prices can be found if you plan to travel on one of these days.
• Staycations are on their way out. Searches for accommodations domestically are up 10% compared to last year while international stays reign supreme with searches up 94% compared to last year.
• Roadtrips are revving up. Data from KAYAK shows rental car searches by Canadians are up both internationally (78% year over year) and domestically (4% year over year) compared to car rental searches downshifting in the U.S. (down 3% vs. last year).
• More planning, less procrastinating. Canadians are becoming more comfortable with booking travel further in advance, with the average flight booking window increasing by 21% for domestic travel and 14% for international travel compared to last year. That’s more than a month for domestic flights (44 days in advance) and approximately two months (56 to 64 days in advance) for international destinations.

For more, go to https://www.ca.kayak.com/news/2023-travel-trends-ca/ .