Europe is favourite destination for US travellers post pandemic
According to travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth.com, Europe regained its spot as the top destination for US tourists, responsible for 22 per cent of bookings in May
By June, this rose to nearly 30 per cent, the highest percentage of sales in 13 months. Historically, US travel to Europe far outweighed any other destination. As much as 46 per cent of sales on Squaremouth.com have been for European travel. At the height of the pandemic, this dropped to less than six per cent.
Ongoing border closures and quarantine requirements sent travellers to countries easier to visit, or kept them stateside. Former popular destinations, like Spain, France, Italy and the UK, fell to Caribbean countries, including Costa Rica, Mexico, Turks and Caicos, and the Virgin Islands.
Most don’t plan to travel until 2022
While many travellers are booking trips to Europe now, most don’t plan to travel until 2022. Squaremouth reports as many as 54 per cent of travellers are heading to Europe next summer, the highest percentage they’ve ever recorded.
Meanwhile, Aircraft utilisation on domestic routes in Asia Pacific and North America has grown significantly since the start of 2021, whilst other markets have stalled or declined, according to aviation data company IBA.