The Travel Trends That Defined Summer 2024

by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 3:15 PM ET, Wed August 21, 2024

Sigh…the last long weekend of the summer is rapidly approaching.

So long beach days, lazy days, and the general feeling of freedom that accompanies summer.

As the season wraps up, the experts at hotel search platform trivago are reflecting on the trends that shaped and defined summer 2024.

And before you say it, yes, overtourism was certainly among the factors that remerged in full-force this summer.

That’s in no small part because travel was at historic highs this year, according to more than a few industry sources, including trivago. That reality may have also driven up prices in some instances.

While airfare domestically and to most major regions of the world was down this summer compared to past years, according to Hopper and other industry analysts, international ticket prices still remained higher than pre-pandemic levels thanks to steep fuel costs.

But prices, whatever they happened to be, didn’t dampen the enthusiasm among Americans for summer travel.

Separate data, from travel insurance provider Squaremouth, shows that globetrotters intended to spend more on their trips this summer than ever before — an average of nearly $10,000. That amounts to a 7 percent increase over 2023 and 14 percent increase over 2022, which Squaremouth says was “largely due to the overall rising cost of travel and inflation.”

Yes, it was a busy — and costly — summer indeed.

Here are some of the top trends that trivago says dominated the summer 2024 frenzy.

Travel matters

Apparently the fact that 'travel matters' is a feeling that was shared far and wide this summer among globetrotters.

Those who responded to a trivago survey on the issue said that travel significantly boosts their well-being. On that front, 78 percent of U.S. travelers said regular vacations improve their mental health, while 30 percent said they travel specifically to enhance their mental wellness (Raising hand.)

“With so many Americans working hard, taking the opportunity to unwind and seek adventure is more important than ever” says trivago.

Major events drove demand

Two words: Taylor Swift. Okay, maybe two more words: Paris Olympics.

Moral of the story? Major events dominated summer 2024 travel. Taylor Swift continued her global domination with the Eras Tour, which inspired Americans to travel around the world in order to catch the wildly popular concerts, no matter where they were being held.

Sports fans meanwhile, headed to The City of Light to take-in the Olympics extravaganza.

With so many major events driving demand around the globe, in-destination prices also ticked upward. In Paris, for instance, the Eiffel Tower rolled out a 20 percent fee increase ahead of the Olympics.

Affordable destinations and accommodations dominated

The experts at trivago say summer 2024 also brought about something of a decline in demand for expensive destinations like London and Paris (apparently aside from the Olympics, that is), while there was an increase in demand for more affordable destinations like Osaka, Tokyo and Turkey.

Though calling Tokyo affordable, even with the weakened Yen, is really a matter of debate. Another recent study, this one from Squaremouth, found the average Tokyo vacation is currently clocking in at around $9,000. Still, it is indeed accurate to say that travelers are currently flocking to Japan in record numbers, particularly Americans.

  Globetrotters also traded down in hotel star ratings to save a few dollars this summer, says trivago.

Advance planning ruled the season

Travelers were not willing to leave their summer 2024 getaways to chance. (And who can blame them, really?)

Instead of booking at the last minute, people booked trips further in advance in order to ensure they found the best prices in order to compensate for economic pressure and price increases.

“When we look at our global users, in 2023, we saw that the average search interest window was between 30 to 40 days, whereas this year it has increased to a range of between 40 to 70 days," according to trivago.

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