Crete Leads American Travelers' Interest as Budget-Conscious Destination
Chania, Crete. Credit: szeke. CC BY 2.0/flickr
The Greek island of Crete, a popular holiday destination for international travelers, comes first in interest for Americans looking for budget holidays, according to a new survey on travel trends for the new year.
Leading travel insurance provider Travel Guard released its analysis of Google search data to uncover the destinations Americans were searching for most when planning luxury and budget holidays the past two years.
While Greece topped the budget holiday searches with Crete, it didn’t make it into the Top 10 for luxury holiday searches.
US travelers looking for budget holidays in Crete
The survey examined two years of Google search data, tracking searches for both luxury and affordable travel inspiration, to uncover which destinations are seeing the biggest year-over-year rise in interest among travelers.
The results showed a vivid interest of US travelers for Crete, which leads the list with budget-conscious travel searches up 179 percent year-on-year as Greece’s largest island offers hidden beaches, authentic cuisine and Mediterranean charm, all at a fraction of the cost of the more glamorous Santorini or Mykonos.
Nepal’s Kathmandu, which is the gateway to Everest Base Camp and a favorite for adventure seekers on a budget, ranks second, and Turkey’s Cappadocia takes third place, with its hot-air balloon rides, “fairy chimney” landscapes and boutique cave hotels.
Luxury travel destinations for Americans
In dire contrast to the budget-conscious list, Greece had no destination in the luxury holidays top 10 on Travel Guard’s list.
US travelers were looking to splurge in Abu Dhabi, with searches up 421 per cent year-on-year and the biggest increase worldwide, the classic Mexican resort of Acapulco or Uruguay’s Punta del Este, with 253 and 236 percent year-on-year increase in interest.
Macau, Da Nang in Vietnam, the Estonian and Japanese capital cities of Tallinn and Tokyo respectively, Aswan in Egypt, Banff in Canada and Chengdu in China complete the Americans’ international luxury holidays search list.
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