Nearly six months into 2024, travel advisors weighed in on what destinations are strong sellers so far. Much like last year, Europe is the frontrunner. Other destinations, such as Japan, Africa and Alaska, are also top of mind with clients, advisors said.
“We are still receiving a very high demand for Europe, specifically Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal, while our European cruise business – both ocean and river – and escorted tours continue to improve over the last few years,” said JoAnne Weeks, vacation division director at Acendas Travel.
“The biggest demand still remains to be FIT custom itineraries,” said JoAnne Weeks, vacation division manager at Acendas Travel. “We have branched out and have begun really utilizing DMCs like never before. These companies are specialists who offer ‘boots on the ground’ overseas, which gives you such an advantage.”
Kim Goldstein, president of Journeys Inc., said that Spain and Portugal are top contenders for clients this year due to “their mix of beautiful landscapes, historic sites and vibrant culture.”
“The cuisine, stunning beaches, and convenient travel options within these countries make them highly appealing to American travelers.”
For Julie Boller of Atlas Wander Travel, an affiliate of Travel Experts, Scandinavia is a top seller this year. “I have never planned more Sweden, Norway and Denmark,” she said. “The exciting thing is that there is something for everyone. I have several families with both young and older children, couples celebrating milestone birthdays, some younger and some older including 80.”
Ireland is also a top contender this year. “Ireland continues to exceed my expectations,” Boller said. “It has truly become my favorite destination to plan over the past several years. I now have clients that go back year after year because they cannot get enough of the beautiful surroundings, the genuinely kind people, the variety of authentic experiences and even the food.”
Linda de Sosa of Bucketlist Travel Consulting, which is also a Travel Experts affiliate, said she has “five or more bookings for several destinations for this summer including, Amsterdam, Norway, Athens, Istanbul and Prague.”
“I’ve also noticed, people are planning further out for non-European destinations in South America, Africa and Asia.”
“The allure of Asia has been very strong, specifically Japan,” Weeks. “Its mixture of tradition and pop culture has really caught the eye of many seasoned travelers. It’s one of those destinations where you can ‘get it all,’ plus its safe and super clean.”
Claire Schoeder, an independent contractor with Elevations Travel, is also witnessing high demand for the destination. “Japan opened again in October of 2022 and demand ramped up quickly. Though not at pre-COVID levels yet, it is a challenging destination to book due to what seems to be a shortage of guides,” she said. “I have a lot of requests for it and demand is high. Many DMCs are fully committed for June and much of July,” she said.
Schoeder is also fielding client requests for Africa – from Egypt to South Africa. “When I chat with my clients they all say it is a bucket list item – whether it is a safari in Kenya and Tanzania or Southern Africa, a cruise on the Nile or a cruise that visits different ports,” she said. “Many of my clients, simply said, ‘We are not putting travel off right now.’ ”
“In our area, we have seen a continued increase in requests for Alaska for all types of travel – cruise, rail and fly-and-drive,” said Samarah Meil, owner of Amarillo Travel Network in Texas. “It has been interesting to see this destination stay so steady even this late in the year. I think many Baby Boomers as well as Gen X travelers are looking for the experiences that are different than a beach vacation and want to experience nature in an extraordinary way.”
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