Dr Carl Sagan said, “You have to know the past to understand the present”. This is especially true when understanding how people choose where to travel. As the 2024 holiday season winds up, travel app Booking.com crunched the numbers and revealed the ‘most searched’ domestic and international destinations for year-end travel — insights that could prove just as valuable for 2025.
Among emerging patterns is what it’s calling rising “domestic searches”: a 40-100 percent increase in domestic interest from the same time last year. “From the cultural hubs of Udaipur and Jaipur to the picturesque hill stations of Manali, Munnar, Ooty and Mahabaleshwar and the coastal cities of Goa and Puducherry, Indians are exploring an abundance of activities the country has to offer. Reflecting the continued desire for spiritual journeys, Varanasi is experiencing a 100 percent increase in searches from the same time last year,” the report stated.
For those who planned domestic leisure trips between December 21, 2024, and January 5, 2025, the following destinations topped the list:
It’s never too early to plan your vacation. Take inspiration from our story on the 25 best places to visit in 2025.
While tried-and-true holiday spots like Dubai, Bangkok, and Singapore continue to lead the pack, Booking.com‘s search data highlighted a remarkable surge in year-end travel searches for places like Baku (up by 120 percent), Lapland (up by 125 percent), Danang (up by 80 percent), and Tbilisi (up by 60 percent). Among the top three most searched countries were the United Arab Emirates (110 percent), Thailand (60 percent) and the United Kingdom (35 percent).
When it comes to international travel between December 21, 2024, and January 5, 2025, the top 10 most searched destinations were:
Note: The above-mentioned results are based on an examination of search sessions between November 26, 2024, and December 2, 2024, with check-in dates between December 21, 2024, and January 5, 2025.
(Feature image credit: Kashish Lamba/Unsplash)
Related | Travel Trends 2025: What’s Hot And What’s Not In The Future Of Travel
Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
Sneha Chakraborty is a journalist and photographer covering how travel intersects with food, culture, ..Read More
