Coming into your “villain era” takes on a new meaning this year with KAYAK’s 2023 Travel Trends Forecast deeming 2023 the year for revenge travel.
In fact, despite rising flight prices (up 21% YoY) KAYAK data shows international flight searches in Canada are up nearly 100 percent (98% YoY) compared to only 64 percent in the U.S. proving Canadians are making up for lost time and booking big this year.
To help make these ambitious travel plans a reality, KAYAK is sharing its top trends and money-saving tips for Canadians, including when to fly, where to stay, and how to get more bang for your buck amid rising prices.
Highlights from KAYAK’s 2023 Travel Trends Forecast:
Travellers are craving vibrant street culture, kaleidoscopic nightlife, and a world of flavours. With Manila (+287% YoY increase in searches), Tokyo (+279% YoY), and Bangkok (+229% YoY) leading as the top trending international destinations, APAC is trending in 2023. And, with airfare to the South Pacific down an average of 25 percent since last year, cost doesn’t have to come at the expense of culture.*
Cool and coastal international cities are the move for those trying to save. For those looking to dip their toes in international waters, KAYAK data is showing flights to some coastal destinations are cheaper than last year such as Melbourne (-10% YoY decrease in airfare), Vaitape (-9% YoY), Copenhagen (-8% YoY), Croatia (-5% YoY) and Greece (-3% YoY).*
Cheap deals can be found with flights departing on Thursdays and Fridays.* KAYAK historical data shows that on average, the lowest flight prices can be found if you plan to travel on one of these days.
Staycations are on their way out. Searches for accommodations domestically are up 10 percent compared to last year while international stays reign supreme with searches up 94 percent compared to last year.***
Roadtrips are revving up. Data from KAYAK shows rental car searches by Canadians are up both internationally (78% YoY) and domestically (4% YoY) compared to car rental searches downshifting in the U.S. (down 3% vs. last year).**
More planning, less procrastinating. Canadians are becoming more comfortable with booking travel further in advance, with the average flight booking window increasing by 21 percent for domestic travel and 14 percent for international travel compared to last year. That’s more than a month for domestic flights (44 days in advance) and approximately two months (56-64 days in advance) for international destinations!*
Top trending & deal destinations Canadians are searching to take their revenge:
To learn more about this year’s top travel predictions, check out here.
*KAYAK considered searches for flights from 7.1.2022 – 11.20.2022 for travel between 1.1.2023 – 12.31.2023. To compare year over year, we considered searches for flights from 7.1.2021 – 11.20.2021 for travel between 1.1.2022 – 12.31.2022. To compare year over three year, we considered searches for flights from 7.1.2019 – 11.20.2019 for travel between 1.1.2020 – 12.31.2020. Percentages and prices are on average. Destinations were excluded based on certain criteria, such as inadequate search volume.
**KAYAK considered searches for rental cars from 7.1.2022 – 11.20.2022 for travel between 1.1.2023 – 12.31.2023. To compare year over year, we considered searches for rental cars from 7.1.2021 – 11.20.2021 for travel between 1.1.2022 – 12.31.2022. To compare year over three year, we considered searches for rental cars from 7.1.2019 – 11.20.2019 for travel between 1.1.2020 – 12.31.2020. Percentages and prices are on average. Destinations were excluded based on certain criteria, such as inadequate search volume.
***KAYAK considered searches for stays from 7.1.2022 – 11.20.2022 for travel between 1.1.2023 – 12.31.2023. To compare year over year, we considered searches for stays from 7.1.2021 – 11.20.2021 for travel between 1.1.2022 – 12.31.2022. To compare year over three year, we considered searches for stays from 7.1.2019 – 11.20.2019 for travel between 1.1.2020 – 12.31.2020. Percentages and prices are on average. Destinations were excluded based on certain criteria, such as inadequate search volume.