'Destination Dupes’, ‘Dry Tripping’ and ‘Go-ccasions’ revealed as 2024 top holiday trends

Scooch over staycations and package holidays as there are some new trends on the travel block for 2024 and we're already itching to pack.

From ‘Destination Dupes’, to ‘Dry Tripping’ and ‘Go-ccasions’, our holidays look set to get a shake-up next year as Brits look to get more from their trips away.

Whether you're starting to think about next year's time-off or you're keen to know where the jet-set are heading, we spoke to the travel experts to reveal 2024's biggest travel trends.

Destination Dupes

According to Expedia the ‘dupe’ trend sweeping TikTok, offering affordable alternatives to popular products, will take over travel in the year ahead.

Therefore, places that are a little unexpected and more affordable than the tried-and-tested destinations will boom in popularity.

They include Palermo, dubbed ‘the new Lisbon’, and Taipei instead of Seoul, which has seen the biggest uptick in searches over the past year.

Almost six in 10 (59%) UK holidaymakers would consider visiting a destination that is similar to a tourist hotspot, but not as well known. That's in part due to affordability (61%), it being less crowded (60%) and it having more of an authentic culture (26%)

Read more: Mum goes goes to Ibiza and parties until 5am for £81—and gets back in time for school run (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)

Dry tripping

Hotels.com, a brand under the Expedia Group banner, highlights the trend of Dry Tripping, where travellers detox while on holiday.

The study of 2,000 adults found half would be interested in staying at hotels that offer easily accessible alcohol-free beverage options – with four in 10 likely to book a detox trip in the next year.

Tour tourism

Mega acts like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé triggered a wave of tourism this year as people flock to their stadium shows, and Expedia predicts this trend will continue to grow.

In a new twist to Tour Tourism, 30% of travellers say they would travel outside of their home city for a concert because tickets were cheaper elsewhere, and 43% would travel for a concert as an excuse to visit a new place.

Read more: How to get a row of seats to yourself on a plane, according to experts (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)

Go-ccasions

Expedia is also predicting the rise of the ‘Go-ccasion’; a trip to celebrate even the smallest milestone.

More than two in 10 (21%) are looking for ‘any excuse’ to go away with loved ones, while eight in 10 have already travelled for a specific occasion, or intend to do so in the next year – with celebrating birthdays (49%), reunions (34%) and wedding anniversaries (31%) all considered trip triggers.

Cool-cationers

Heat has officially had its holiday heyday, with sweltering conditions accelerating a rise in travellers chasing cooler climes. According to Booking.com 43% of UK travellers say that as temperatures soar close to home, they will use their holiday to cool down elsewhere.

This effect taps into the expected rise of water-centric travel with just under a third of UK tourists (28%) claiming to be interested in water-centric holidays in 2024.

This fresh form of feel-alive wellness travel will see floating yoga, water sound baths and snow meditation surge, as well as a boom in ice therapy retreats, underwater hotels and mermania, with water no longer the backdrop but the main event.

Read more: Skyscanner reveals 'huge price drop' to these travel destinations in 2024 (Yahoo Life UK, 3-min read)

Surrender seekers

In 2024, just bring yourself. Travellers increasingly want to surrender themselves to the element of surprise, explore the unknown and venture into uncharted territory on holiday, with half of UK tourists (50%) keen to book a surprise trip where everything down to the destination is unknown until arrival.

Shifting from rigorous planning to chance encounters and experiences with a roll of the dice, these surrender seekers are relinquishing control for the art of letting go.

The travel industry is already responding with tech-enabled flexible services and the launch of Booking.com’s AI Trip planner, with 36% of travellers saying they would trust AI to plan a trip for them.

Watch: Woman plans overseas daytrip for best friend's birthday - for less than a train ticket to London

Reboot retreaters

With life feeling somewhat troubled right now, Booking.com predicts travellers will increasingly be booking one-track trips rooted in self-improvement. The new era of sleep tourism, for example, welcomes sleep concierges and cutting-edge tech to serve the 55% who want to travel in 2024 to solely focus on uninterrupted shut-eye.

Matchmaking holidays

For those currently in the dating pool, Booking.com found over a third (33%) of UK travellers are hoping to carve out time for a matchmaking holiday to find a spark with a new partner or lover, while more than a third (34%) would focus on a heartbreak holiday to get over an ex.

Little luxuries

Fuelled by the cost of living crisis, travellers in 2024 will employ money saving hacks to cut costs, yet level up holidays with ‘à la carte’ luxuries. Behind the scenes these little luxury 'affluencers' will be curating budget-friendly travel itineraries in order to splash out on special moments thanks to their wider financial sacrifices.

According to Booking.com more than a half (53%) of UK travellers plan to pick destinations where the cost of living is less expensive than their hometown, while travelling closer to home is also a draw for some who will be searching for luxe-for-less copycat holidays to reduce costs in 2024 (43%).

Many (46%) UK travellers will also be willing to pay for day passes to use the amenities in a five star hotel rather than actually staying there.

Read more: Meet the woman who loves to travel solo, as quarter of UK adults want to take a trip alone (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)

Mindful aesthetics

Gone are the days when comfort and exceptional design were solely associated with excess and extravagance, with a growing movement of hotels and other unique places to stay presenting inventive, yet aesthetically pleasing responses to significant environmental and social challenges.

Holidaymakers who have an eye on style and sustainability will be looking to hunt down impressive architecture that has environmental features at its heart, with almost half (48%) of Booking.com respondents looking for accommodation that has wow-factor sustainability innovation and 49% wanting to see sustainability in action.

Additional reporting SWNS.