Delta Vacations has released data on the most notable trends for the 2024 holiday travel season, based on thousands of reservations already made.
Las Vegas is experiencing a significant boost in popularity, with winter travel bookings up 46% year-over-year.
Kama Winters, President of Delta Vacations, attributes this surge due, in part, to high-profile entertainment offerings.
"Whether people are flying in to see The Eagles at The Sphere or Garth Brooks at Caesar's Palace, it's clear that great concerts are one big reason we're seeing a rise in travel to Las Vegas this winter," she said.
Internationally, Panama City, Panama, has emerged as a favorite spot, showing nearly 200% growth in bookings compared to 2023.
"Panama City has excellent restaurants and vibrant nightlife,” Winters noted. “For years, our customers have raved about their trips to Panama City, but we've really seen word of mouth about it spread in the last few years."
Interestingly, some traditionally popular destinations are seeing fewer bookings. Both Paris and Maui are experiencing a decline compared to previous years.
"France is seeing big crowds this summer for the Olympics and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, but there is availability on flights and hotels for this winter. Maui is still bouncing back from the wildfires last year, which means the island won't be as crowded as you might expect."
Mexico and the Caribbean continue to dominate holiday travel, with over 50% of all winter bookings concentrated in just five destinations: Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, and San Jose del Cabo in Mexico, and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) and Montego Bay (Jamaica) in the Caribbean.
The data also indicates a growing trend towards post-holiday travel. Bookings for late December are up 9% compared to last year, and mid-January 2025 bookings are also increasing.
"More travelers are choosing to postpone their holiday vacations beyond Christmas, taking advantage of the quieter post-holiday period for a more relaxed experience,” Winters said.
This article was generated by AI and based on a press release. It was reviewed by a TravelAge West editor.
