Where will you travel in 2024? USTOA top destination picks!

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

In a recent survey conducted to assess travel trends and forecasts, the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) has designated Italy as the most sought-after international destination for travelers in 2024. The list of top “hot destinations” for the year also includes France in second place, while the United Kingdom and Spain share the third spot.

The USTOA tour operator members have also identified the most popular destinations within the United States for 2024. California leads the list, with Alaska ranking second and New York coming in third.

When asked about tour products with the most robust growth prospects in 2024, small group tours emerged as the top choice. Terry Dale, the President and CEO of USTOA, emphasized that small group tours have been on the rise since before the pandemic, and their continued popularity is evident. Private groups took the second position, followed by FIT (Fully Independent Travel), classic group tours, river cruising, small ship cruising, solo travel, and ocean cruising.

USTOA also inquired about the factors influencing consumers’ destination choices in 2024. Value was identified as the most significant factor, aligning with the concern of economic uncertainty, as noted by USTOA members. Dale noted that consumers will pay greater attention to value, especially for significant expenditures like travel. Distance and ease of travel to and from a destination ranked fourth, with sustainable tourism practices and potential overcrowding rounding out the top considerations.

2024 Business Outlook

The survey results, unveiled at the 2023 USTOA Annual Conference and Marketplace in Los Angeles from December 2 to 6, indicate that 92% of USTOA members anticipate sales growth in 2024. Among these respondents, 63% are “optimistic” and expect a substantial increase in business, ranging from 7% to 10% and even higher. Similarly, 90% of members foresee passenger growth in the upcoming year, with 63% of them expressing optimism about a significant surge in passenger numbers.

Dale expressed his confidence in the industry’s positive outlook, with 86% of tour operator members highly confident to confident that guest bookings will rise in 2024. This optimism reflects the sustained demand for travel following the post-pandemic period.

Global Risks

Despite their optimism, USTOA’s Active Members acknowledge potential threats to travel confidence in 2024. Economic uncertainty, which encompasses global financial instability and currency strength, ranks as the top concern for the year. The cost of living is in second place, down one spot from the previous year’s survey. Terrorism follows closely as the third major concern. Dale attributed these concerns to recent world events, which have influenced tour operator members’ outlook on global risks.

The survey was conducted between October 5 and November 6, 2023, with an impressive 94% participation rate.

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