Virtuoso, a luxury travel agency network, has revealed the most in-demand destinations for the fall and holiday season. The analysis is based on data of more than $40.7 billion in transactions and reflects future travel for September through December 2018.
The Virtuoso Top 10 list includes the most popular fall and holiday travel destinations for Americans based on future bookings. Europe makes a strong showing, and Germany especially is sought after for river cruises and its famed Christmas markets. Although many destinations are international in nature—South Africa and New Zealand are perennial spots for families and adventure travelers—the U.S. also appears on the list, signifying a desire for domestic travel and to stay close to home for the holidays. Here’s the Top 10 list:
1. Italy 2. France 3. South Africa 4. Israel 5. Germany 6. Japan 7. Greece 8. United States 9. New Zealand 10. Switzerland
Virtuoso also released a Hot 10 list, ranking countries that showed the largest percentage growth in year-over-year bookings among U.S. travelers. The Middle East and North Africa are trending, while Israel made this list as well as the Top 10 list. The Hot 10 list includes:
1. Turkey (+310%) 2. Egypt (+264%) 3. Morocco (+144%) 4. India (+128%) 5. Cayman Islands (+124%) 6. Brazil (+92%) 7. Israel (+88%) 8. Switzerland (+82%) 9. Indonesia (+76%) 10. Greece (+74%)
