Mexico and the Maldives lead the way in demand for long-haul beach and sun destinations in 2022. The majority of European travellers choose Cancun, but British visitors prefer the United States, with Orlando and New York topping the list. Based on Skyscanner's global flight statistics, the new study identifies the locations and international routes that are trending above 2019 levels.
Heathrow-Orlando and Heathrow-Cancun are the routes with the most growth potential for 2022 over pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Gatwick-Cancun and Edinburgh-New York are also in the top ten (Newark). Bookings with a booking horizon of 7-29 days now account for a third of all bookings across Skyscanner's global platforms, up 25 percent from 2019.
According to the company, booking horizons of less than a week have increased, while booking horizons of 90 days or more have decreased by 29 percent, indicating that those ready to travel are searching and booking as soon as routes open up or limitations are loosened. "We are getting more evidence that certain markets and routes are recovering, with demand exceeding pre-pandemic levels," said Hugh Aitken, vice president of flights.
Statistics show that winter sun locations such as Cancun, the Maldives, Dubai, and Orlando are proving to be popular. "When compared to 2019, global and regional booking horizons remain reduced, affecting typical seasonality." However, taking Europe as an example, there are some early signs of normalisation, with a fifth of customers planning trips up to two months ahead of time, up 14 percent year on year.
"Short-haul and domestic air travel dominated in 2021, but we expect international medium and long-haul to rebound in 2022, as vaccination rates rise and limitations are revised," says the report. Cancun and the Maldives have similar characteristics that draw tourists to sublime beach destinations each year. Lying in the heart of the Caribbean Sea, tourists are pulled towards Cancun’s vibrant Mayan culture and adventure thrills. The Maldives is a preferred destination with its secluded islands dotted across coral atolls in the Indian Ocean.
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