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Q2 Traveler Insights: Travelers set sights on mid-year trips

Our exclusive first-party search and booking data from Q1 2025 reveals the latest traveler behaviors and trends.

author
Richard Kocher

May 20, 2025

Curious where the world’s going next? We’ve got you. Each quarter, we dive headfirst into Expedia’s first-party data to reveal what travelers are craving, booking, and loving across the globe. Q1 2025 showed us one thing loud and clear: Travelers had summer on the brain. From beach escapes to sunny hotspots, they were planning ahead and dreaming of sand between their toes.



Keep scrolling to see what travelers are eyeing next in Q2 - and how you can ride the wave into a successful season. 

International search volumes show strong growth

In Q1, global searches increased by 20% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ), and searches also increased year-over-year (YoY).¹  Similar to trends from our Q4 data, this was driven by a 30% QoQ search increase in Asia Pacific (APAC) and a 20% increase in North America (NORAM).

 

International searches across all regions increased both QoQ and YoY in Q1. The strongest spikes came from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) with a 40% increase in international searches QoQ. Growing interest in international travel is on track to continue based on findings from our latest research.

 

Our 2025 Traveler Value Index shows that nearly 70% of consumers are at least somewhat likely to travel internationally within the next 12 months.

From resolutions to reservations: Summer travel booking starts early

In line with last quarter’s findings and past seasonal patterns, travelers are getting a head start on planning for mid-year travel.

  • The largest search window increase was in the 91-180-day window, with an almost 50% increase in share QoQ. The 180+ day window also saw an increase at 20% QoQ.

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  • For domestic searches, the 91–180–day search window increased by almost 70% QoQ.

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  • APAC and LATAM saw the largest QoQ increases in the 180+ day search window planning and, and EMEA saw the largest increase in 91–180–day planning.

Takeaway

Attract and retain travelers through One Key

From hotel and flight bookings to car rentals, a comprehensive travel rewards program across the U.S. like One Key means attracting and retaining high-value travelers for the long haul. As searches increase, partners can leverage One Key by offering Member Only Deals and delivering an unmatched experience for travelers while maintaining strong demand.

Beach destinations, EMEA countries on the rise for NORAM travelers.

Our traveler search trends showed beach getaways in the U.S. were top of mind for summer planning this year.

Interestingly, searches from Canada to popular EMEA countries also increased in ranking throughout Q1, including Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, and France.

 

Search increases from January to March for travelers in North America (NORAM)

Between countries/territories

  • Over 30% increases from Canada to Ireland and the Netherlands
  • 25% increases from Canada to Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal

Between countries/territories

  • Panama City Beach, Florida (115% increase)
  • Virginia Beach, Virginia (105% increase)
  • Destin, Florida (100% increase)
  • Ocean City, Maryland (100% increase)
  • Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (60% increase)

Takeaway

Offer travelers more with a package trip

With summer approaching and demand from Canadian travelers rising for U.S. beach towns and European trips, now’s the time to offer bundles that meet traveler needs and boost booking value.
  
Bundling hotels with air, car rentals, or activities adds convenience and drives conversion. A Florida hotelier, for example, could tap into the 115% surge in Panama City Beach searches with a package including lodging, transfers, and local discounts. Prebuilt or customizable, bundles turn demand into higher-margin bookings.

Motorsport races and music festivals rev up searches

Our recent research dug into the rise of sports tourism, and our Q1 data shows travelers continue to travel for sporting events. This quarter, travelers looked ahead to annual motorsport events, including the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indy 500.  

 

  • Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo saw a significant 130% spike in WoW searches during the week of March 10 for the dates of the event (May 23-25). As a potential indicator for the search spike, this was also the week that the F1 season kicked off in Melbourne, Australia, prompting interest in future races.

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  • Home to the annual Indy 500, Indianapolis, Indiana, saw the highest week-over-week spike in searches at 50% following the announcement of the event dates (May 23–25).

Set to gather music lovers for multi-day events and highly anticipated shows, music festivals and concerts slated for summer 2025 fueled a search increase in the U.S. and South America.  

  • In the week (March 13) of announcing the annual four-day music festival Lollapalooza, searches for Chicago, Illinois, spiked more than 100% WoW for the dates of the event (July 31-August 3).

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  • Rumors of a potential concert by a renowned pop artist known by fans as the ‘Queen of Pop’ or ‘Mother Monster,’ the week of January 13 saw the highest spike in searches to Rio de Janeiro (150% increase) WoW for dates around the event (May 1-3). After officially announcing her concert the week of February 10, there was an almost 100% WoW search increase.

Drawing on insights from our Summer Travel Outlook on how Americans were planning their summer vacations, cities including New York, Miami, and Chicago were attracting visitors for major sports and music events. Top music events creating surges in searches included:

 

  • A 250% surge in interest for Madison, Wisconsin, likely attributed to a concert series by the renowned British band behind “Yellow” and “Fix You.”

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  • A 55% increase in searches for San Juan, Puerto Rico, following an announcement by a popular Puerto Rican rapper on his 21-show residency in Puerto Rico.

Takeaway

Take advantage of the sports tourism boom

With fans more willing to travel for their favorite teams than ever before, now's the time to leverage high-demand periods for sports. Check out our research to learn how your brand can get in on the action.

Middle East hotspots on the rise in EMEA

Top destinations in the Middle East also saw strong search ranking increases and bookings in Q1. Among the most popular cities in Saudi Arabia, Makkah and Madinah saw a steep YoY search ranking increase of over 400% in Q1. As a potential indicator of the spike, the observance of Ramadan during Q1 saw an influx of more than 100 million travelers to the region.

 

Several Turkish destinations also saw strong search ranking increases YoY among travelers. Some of the top destinations included Serik (100% increase), Nevşehir (90% increase), and Ankara (85% increase).

 

The top booked inbound Middle East destinations YoY were Israel, Jordan, Oman, Türkiye, and Lebanon, with double digit growth on YoY bookings.

 

New locations join the EMEA and LATAM top destinations

Taking a closer look at the top searched destinations by region, global rankings remained consistent QoQ. Warm weather destinations like Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Miami, Florida, rose in search rankings while New York, New York, shifted down. 

 

Regionally, EMEA travelers added three new destinations to their rankings in Q1, with more vacation planning geared towards Spain and Portugal. LATAM travelers also added two new destinations to their search rankings: Paris, France, and Mazatlán, Mexico. For APAC travelers, Singapore was among the top destinations to rise in search rankings within Q1. 

Top searched destinations by region

*New top 10 searched destinations

For APAC Travelers 

  1. Tokyo, Japan 
  2. Sydney, Australia 
  3. Melbourne, Australia
  4. Seoul, South Korea  
  5. Osaka, Japan
  6. Singapore
  7. Gold Coast, Australia
  8. Fukuoka, Japan
  9. Incheon, South Korea 
  10. Taipei, Taiwan

     

For LATAM Travelers

  1. Mexico City, Mexico
  2. Cancun, Mexico
  3. Sao Paulo, Brazil
  4. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  5. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
  6. Playa del Carmen, Mexico
  7. Madrid, Spain
  8. Paris, France*
  9. New York, New York
  10. Mazatlán, Mexico*

For EMEA Travelers 

  1. London, England  
  2. Paris, France
  3. Istanbul, Türkiye
  4. Dubai, UAE  
  5. New York, New York
  6. Rome, Italy
  7. Amsterdam, Netherlands
  8. Barcelona, Spain* 
  9. Lisbon, Portugal*
  10. Palma de Mallorca, Spain*

     

For NORAM Travelers 

  1. Cancun, Mexico
  2. Las Vegas, Nevada
  3. Orlando, Florida
  4. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
  5. Miami, Florida
  6. Los Angeles, California
  7. Chicago, Illinois
  8. New York, New York
  9. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  10. Boston, Massachusetts

International destinations enter Vrbo rankings for LATAM travelers

New destinations for EMEA, NORAM, and LATAM travelers joined their top Vrbo destinations list in Q1².  Barcelona, Spain, and Nice, France, were among the top rankings for EMEA travelers, while Clearwater Beach, Florida, and Chicago, Illinois, were new destinations for NORAM travelers. 

 

LATAM travelers added both international and national destinations to their top Vrbo rankings, including Paris, France, and Kissimmee, Florida. 

Top searched vacation rental destinations

*New top 10 searched destinations

For APAC Travelers 

  1. Melbourne, Australia
  2. Sydney, Australia
  3. Perth, Australia
  4. Adelaide, Australia
  5. Brisbane, Australia
  6. London, England
  7. Auckland, New Zealand
  8. Paris, France
  9. Waiheke Island, New Zealand
  10. Canberra, Australia

For LATAM Travelers

  1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  2. São Paulo, Brazil
  3. Florianópolis, Brazil
  4. Guarapari, Brazil
  5. Camaçari, Brazil
  6. Ipojuca, Brazil
  7. Mexico City, Mexico
  8. Salvador, Brazil
  9. Paris, France*
  10. Kissimmee, Florida*

For EMEA Travelers 

  1. Paris, France
  2. London, England
  3. Rome, Italy
  4. Berlin, Germany
  5. Lisbon, Portugal
  6. Hamburg, Germany
  7. Barcelona, Spain*
  8. Amsterdam, Netherlands
  9. Nice, France*
  10. New York, New York

For NORAM Travelers 

  1. Nashville, Tennessee
  2. Kissimmee, Florida
  3. Scottsdale, Arizona
  4. Paris, France 
  5. Orlando, Florida
  6. London, England
  7. Clearwater Beach, Florida*
  8. New York, New York 
  9. Chicago, Illinois*
  10. New Orleans, Louisiana

Takeaway

Improve visibility for increased bookings

Set the right rate for your vacation rental property to help boost bookings and maintain a competitive edge. Rate automation can monitor important data points from supply and demand trends to seasonality and historically booked rates.

 

This puts you in control of pricing strategy and allows you to update your settings or override rates around the clock.

Research & Insights

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A headshot of Richard Kocher

Richard Kocher

Senior Director, Media Insights & Planning

 

Richard is senior director of Media Insights & Planning. His team is responsible for mining Expedia Group’s exclusive first-party search and booking data and market insights to inform partners’ strategies, product selection, and audience targeting. Prior to overseeing the global Media, Insights, and Planning team, Richard led Business Development and Account Management teams in display and sponsored listings across EMEA and APAC. He has postgraduate degrees in Anthropology from the University of Sussex and Business Administration from Warwick Business School – and lives with his family in Redmond, Washington.

 

Read more posts by Richard

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