North America Most Popular Destination, Interest in Latin America Rises

A joint report by Amadeus and UN Tourism indicates an ongoing increase in travel demand to various destinations across the Americas despite existing economic and geopolitical concerns.

Data extracted from Amadeus’ Navigator360 reveals that North America remains the most sought-after destination in the region, with a 13% growth in demand from September to December compared to the same period in the previous year. Central America has seen a similar rise (12%) with travelers seeking sun-soaked destinations.

The report, “Travel Insights: Focus on Americas, September to December 2024,” aims to support national tourism administrations, tourism organizations, destination management organizations, and private sector companies in promoting tourism in their regions.

The top 10 most searched travel destinations remain the same as in 2023, with the U.S., Canada, and Mexico leading the list. Beach destinations, particularly in Mexico, saw a 19% increase in demand during the holiday season. Notably, the highest growth rate in destinations was observed in Chile (29%), followed by Colombia (27%), and Peru (24%).

The report provides further insights into the subregions for the final four months of the year:

• North America: Travelers from the U.S., UK, Canada, and Brazil provide the top search volumes for the region, with New York City as the top searched-for destination. 
• Central America – Costa Rica and Panama remain at the top of the list for traveler interest. El Salvador has seen significant growth (25%)
• Caribbean – Puerto Rico has risen to be the second most searched destination, behind the Dominican Republic. Curaçao has seen the highest growth as demand from South American travelers continues to increase.
• South America – Traveler interest remains strong, with Brazil as the top destination and Florianópolis topping the list of cities with the highest growth in travelers’ interest from 2023.

An intriguing trend highlighted in the report is the resurgence of Chinese travelers due to improved air connectivity and eased travel restrictions. In North America, China ranks among the top 30 origin markets based on search volume, with a 53% growth in travelers searching for trips to the Americas compared to 2023. Japan also showed significant increase of 40%.