Travel might be on pause in these unprecedented times, but data from Booking.com reveals that this hasn’t stopped people across the world from dreaming about its possibilities.
Delving into the millions of wish lists created by would-be travelers on its platform over the last two months, with properties wish-listed across over 100,000 different destinations since the start of March, Booking.com shares the top destinations and places to stay on peoples’ minds as they plan for when the time is right to travel again.
Since the beginning of March, destinations inspiring travel dreams for people across the world include Bali, Andalusia, London, Florida, and Paris, suggesting that cultural hotspots and beach escapism are at the forefront of travel imaginations, alongside the stimulation of the big city after weeks of confinement. Endorsements left for these destinations by past travelers on Booking.com suggest that their shared appeal lies in city walks, nature and culture, indicating perhaps the experiences that travelers are most excited to embrace again.
Dreaming about a change in scenery and the opportunity to enjoy a stay experience outside of their own home, the most wish-listed types of places to stay for global travelers are hotels and apartments. Hotels account for 40% of all properties wish listed by travelers globally over the last two months, and apartments account for 20% of all properties wish-listed globally.
Three of the top wish-listed places to stay include the stunning Five Jumeirah Village – a world-class resort located in the heart of luxurious Dubai, the beautiful Paradise Island Resort & Spa which is located at the exclusive white sand beaches of the Maldives, and Amora Ubud Boutique Villas, where you can wake up on the edge of a hilltop overlooking the breathtaking Balinese jungle.
Arjan Dijk, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com, said: “These are unprecedented and challenging times in which safety remains the top priority. We also know that in such times, dreaming about experiencing the world again has immense power to fire our imaginations and keep spirits high. It’s amazing to see the array of different travel experiences our customers have been busy dreaming about while they wait for the opportunity to travel again. Building a wish list on Booking.com is an inspirational way for everyone to start dreaming about travel again, and we are committed to making it easy for them to turn those dreams into reality when the time is right.”
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*Methodology: based on comparing wish list data on Booking.com between March and April 2020 to the same months in 2019. Customers on Booking.com can wish list properties by clicking the ‘heart’ button present on every property’s listing on the platform.
