With the Philippines on the rise and France and Brazil falling behind, the cities and countries travellers in 2019 are favouring might surprise you…
There are two types of traveller: Those that would rather opt for the ‘safe bet’ of the familiar or notoriously popular destination, and those that adopt the mentality of ‘the greater the risk, the greater the reward’, visiting lesser-known destinations. New research, however, has shown common trends across all travellers on a global scale, revealing there has been a shift in the world’s most increasingly popular destinations.
The historic wonders of Cairo’s pyramids of Giza and the extensive Egyptian Museum still attract visitors from around the world, but rising hotspots like Warsaw with its Gothic churches and Old Town Square, and Seoul with its stunning Gyeongbokgung Palace and Buddhist temples have become frontrunners in luxury tourism. So your personal holiday favourites notwithstanding, here is a list of the thriving, as well as the declining, cities and countries among travellers.
Top 5 Cities with the Biggest Increase in Popularity
Budapest +87.20%
Seoul +70.48%
Copenhagen +68.24%
Tel Aviv +63.31%
Warsaw +63.08%
Research showed that when it came to cities, the Hungarian capital of Budapest came out on top, with an 87.2 per cent increase in search traffic, which also reflects tourism statistics, which have risen by 39.6 percent. General interest in travelling to the city has been increasing since the end of the Cold War, but it’s the past decade in particular that has seen dramatic growth thanks to far more direct flights to Ferenc Liszt International Airport, significant government-led tourism drives and the fact that it is one of the cheapest cities in Europe to visit.
Top 5 Cities with the Biggest Decrease in Popularity
Sharm El Sheikh -91.47%
St. Petersburg -79.65%
Cairo -74.67%
Las Vegas -60.13%
Varna – 51.03%
Top 5 Countries with the Biggest Increase in Popularity
Philippines +170.45%
South Korea +76.11%
Saudi Arabia +56.41%
Kazakhstan +47.83%
Netherlands +43.17%
The Philippines has enjoyed the greatest increase in Google search interest over ten years, with an astounding 170.5 per cent. While many avoided the country in the 90s due to political issues, the beach-filled escape bounced back in the early 2010s with visitor numbers doubling in the last decade.
A plethora of luxury resorts, including an action-packed surfers’ paradise and a romantic, Santorini-esque getaway, are available to make the most of this tropical vacation. Amanpulo on the private Pamalican Island, with its sea-view spa and idyllic location, is one of our particular favourites.
Top 5 Countries with the Biggest Decrease in Popularity