Travel lovers in Canada and abroad are booking their vacations for 2023 and amexpress has announced the most popular destinations to travel next year.
“Early signs show we are heading towards a record-breaking travel year as we move into 2023,” Vanessa Crooker, vice president of brand, lifestyle and partnerships for American Express Canada, said in a statement to yahoo canada. “We are following very strong momentum in bookings, with steady month-over-month growth.”
“Currently, we have seen air travel exceed 2019 levels and lodging is moving in the same direction.”
The top travel destinations for 2023, as identified by American Express cardholder travel bookings globally, are:
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Copenhagen, Denmark
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Florida Keys, Florida
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Istanbul, Turkey
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Lisbon Portugal
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Mexico City, Mexico
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montenegro
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Paris France
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Sydney, Australia
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Woodstock, Vermont
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Yakuve Island, Fiji
Looking at Canadian cardholders, bookings have increased specifically to these destinations, compared to 2019:
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Paris France
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Lisbon Portugal
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Mexico City, Mexico
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Istanbul, Turkey
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Sydney, Australia
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Florida Keys, Florida
Popular destinations ‘no one size fits all’
One thing American Express Canada Travel and Lifestyle Services has discovered is that hot destinations “are not one size fits all.”
The most popular destination from Toronto is Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from Vancouver is Los Angeles, California, and from Montreal is Paris.
Amex Canada is already experiencing increased demand for peak travel times, particularly during the March holidays, to destinations in Central America, Bermuda and the Caribbean, and Mexico.
Summer travel is skewed heavily towards European travel, with Rome and Venice in Italy and Athens in Greece appearing to be the top travel destinations for Canadians.
Spontaneous trips become a new habit, while planners double down
Just as pandemic restrictions began to loosen, there was a widely reported trend of travelers wanting to make up for lost time and get the most out of their vacation, including wasting more than usual. That trend seems to continue.
“We still see a trend of spending more to ensure memorable experiences,” Vanessa Crooker, vice president of brand, lifestyle and partnerships for American Express Canada, said in a statement to yahoo canada. “For example, luxury property bookings have exceeded pre-Covid levels with an increase of more than 30 percent.”
“We’ve also seen an increase in bookings for premium or business airfares, rather than economy.”
Crooker also identified a new habit that is emerging: spontaneous travel.
“We’ve seen many cardholders become more spontaneous with their travel bookings, shortening the time between booking and travel,” Crooker said. “For example, approximately 35% are now booking travel a month or less in advance, a trend that is 34% higher than in 2019.”
“On the flip side, planners have also doubled with 40 percent of cardholders booking more than 2 months in advance.”
Take advantage of travel benefits, discounts
To get the most out of their vacation, travelers should take advantage of the benefits and booking assistance they can get, including through credit cards and loyalty programs.
For example, premium Amex cardholders Get access to American Express Travel and Lifestyle Services consultants to help plan a trip, plus other benefits at airports and hotels.
“For us, the start of the journey begins at the airport,” Vanessa Crooker said. “Premium cardholders departing from Toronto Pearson International Airport enjoy benefits such as priority access to the security lane, complimentary valet service in Terminal 1 and access to the Plaza Premium Lounge, along with the American Express Global Lounge Collection which unlocks access to more than 1,300 airport lounges. in 140 countries”.
“Once you’re on the road, our Fine Hotels and Resorts program offers premium cardholders access to some of the best hotels in the world with complimentary benefits like a daily breakfast for two, room upgrades, guaranteed late checkout and many others. . And once you’re at your destination ready to explore, we’ve made the car rental experience with our partners Avis and Hertz even smoother by offering benefits like priority service and special discounts.”
If you’re looking to do your own research for your 2023 trip, Amex has curated three-day itineraries for all most popular travel destinations for the coming year.
For ParisAmex’s itinerary recommends staying at the Hotel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, exploring the Jardin du Luxembourg, having a drink at Bar Joséphine, and visiting the St. Ouen Flea Market, to name a few highlights.
If you are looking to travel to the florida keysstay at Isla Bella Beach Resort & Spa, go biking in the afternoon and snorkel with Florida dolphins before eating at the Mahina Marathon, to highlight some of the activities on the Amex-recommended itinerary.