An examination of Trip.com travel data reveals the Destinations Christmas wish lists users of the global travel platform.
London was the most searched-for location by European Trip.com users looking for Christmas destinations, with Paris and Istanbul rounding out the top five.
Trip.com’s European customers also expressed a desire to return to Asia, with Bangkok and Manila ranking second and fourth in terms of flight searches in December.
Travellers in the United Kingdom continued to explore the best of Britain, with London being the most searched-for destination in December. Domestic trips to London increased by 232% in 2019 compared to the year before the pandemic, according to data.
The relaxation of travel restrictions in Asia has also resulted in an increase in popularity for trips to the region, with Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore all ranking among the top five most searched for destinations by British tourists.
“December is a popular time for getaways to destinations near and far for Europeans, and Trip.com data shows where our users are searching this festive season to go visit. Our data analysis reveals London in the UK is still the top sport according to our search history for Trip.com users looking to travel this month, with popular holiday Asian hotspots like Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore also making the top five.”
Andy Washington, Trip.com General Manager EMEA
The country’s domestic tourism hotspots proved the most popular for Italian Trip.com users, with no other destinations – short of long-haul – appearing in Trip.com’s top five.
Milan in the north of the country was the most searched for destination for December getaways, followed by Catania, the capital Rome, Naples, and Palermo in Sicily in fifth place.
Meanwhile, French Trip.com users have set their sights on exotic long-haul destinations, with the exception of one major French city, Paris, where searches have reached 96% of 2019 levels.
According to Trip.com data, the most searched-for destination was the country’s capital, followed by New York and Bangkok in third place, with Istanbul in Turkey in fourth place and Dubai in the Middle East in fifth place.
Istanbul was the most searched-for destination among German Trip.com users in December, followed by Bangkok. Surprisingly, the third, fourth, and fifth-placed cities were all German domestic destinations: Frankfurt, Berlin, and Munich.
Spanish Trip.com users chose Madrid, Spain’s capital, and Barcelona, Catalonia’s capital, as their top two favorite destinations. London was chosen as the third city, France as the fourth, and Argentina’s capital as the fifth.
An analysis of UK Trip.com users revealed that the most searched-for destination in December was the country’s capital, London, followed by Bangkok in second place and Manila in the Philippines in third. Keeping with the Asian theme, Kuala Lumpur came in fourth, followed by Singapore in fifth.
Despite economic headwinds, inbound travel to Europe has remained strong this winter, with Asian travelers returning to the continent for post-pandemic trips.
According to flight searches in December, the largest inbound market for the UK was Spanish tourists, followed by Thai, German, and Chinese tourists.
Domestic travelers lead the way in the other European countries, with the most regional searches. However, data show that visitors from Canada, Turkey, and the United States also drove Europe’s inbound travel revival.
Travelers to Europe have also continued to immerse themselves in the culture of each country, with ticket and attraction bookings on the rise.
The London Eye on the city’s South Bank was the most popular attraction in the UK this Christmas, followed by the Tower of London, located near the world-famous Tower Bridge.
The most popular attractions in France are Disneyland® Paris & Walt Disney Studios Park and the Eiffel Tower, as visitors enjoy the city’s famous sights and sounds.
The Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel, Park Guell, and Neuschwanstein Castle all saw high bookings in Italy, Spain, and Germany, respectively.