For the first time, Expedia Group unveiled a comprehensive view of traveller trends across Expedia^®and Bookabach^® and the broader travel industry in 2023. Sourced from the company’s first-party data, and from custom research of thousands of travellers,ⁱ these trends point to a year defined by the “no-normal.”

“When we look at Expedia and Bookabach data together, we see a detailed picture of what travel will be in 2023, and it’s exciting,” said Jon Gieselman, Expedia Brands president. “What we’re seeing now is the surge in demand for trips to culture capitals and outdoor destinations beyond the beaches and mountains — all represent the end of a series of new normals trending every year since 2019 and the move to people branching out to unexpected trends in what we’re calling the ‘no normal.” 

Unexpected Travel Trends in 2023: 

Set-Jetters 

Booking a trip after binging a popular new series will become serious business in 2023. Expedia research confirms 61% of Kiwis have considered and 21% have booked trips to destinations after seeing them on streamed shows or movies. One in five (20%) of Kiwis say the influence of streaming services on their travel plans has increased in the last twelve months.  

• New Zealand is the top global set-jetter destination travellers have considered, after seeing it on a show or movie on a streaming service. Sweeping landscapes from famous fantasy thrillers are inspiring this trend, though hobbit and elf sighting aren’t guaranteed.  
• For Kiwi travellers, shows and movies set in beach destinations are of most interest (47%), followed by bucket list destinations (38%), and destinations with mind blowing landscapes (38%).  
• Hawaii is of the most interest to Kiwis based on the influence of streaming services, followed by New York City, Paris, and Italy.  

Culture Capitals 

National parks and rural retreats had big moments the past two years. Now, it’s time for cities to see a comeback. Based on traveller demand, most of the destinations seeing the largest increases are all culture-rich cities where art and culture festivities are getting back to full swing. Check out the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland, plan a trip to WorldPride in Sydney or bask in the cherry blossoms in Tokyo. In 2023, culture capitals are calling:¹ 

• Edinburgh, Scotland​ 
• Lisbon, Portugal​ 
• Tokyo, Japan​ 
• Dublin, Ireland​ 
• New York, USA​ 
• Sydney, Australia​ 
• Dubai, UAE​ 
• Montreal, Canada​ 
• Munich, Germany​ 
• Bangkok, Thailand 

Foodie-menities 

Kitchen credentials are a must, with travellers looking to plate up when they please in their private holiday home escape. Cooking at a holiday home can be cost efficient, and more than half of New Zealand travellers (56%) are using cooking to cut down on costs. And when the best chef’s table is within a private Bookabach holiday home, the top three culinary delights are an outdoor kitchen, air fryer and fancy coffee machine. 

People who want to stay in whole private holiday homes, the only accommodation available through Bookabach, are more concerned with their group’s needs than the location of their rental (64%). In fact, 28% of travellers would rather book a unique holiday home to be with their people in a lesser-known destination than a less interesting, less equipped holiday home in a popular area.  

Hay-cations 

Rustic getaways are on the rise, as travellers crave private holiday homes with abundant space and exhilarating views. Cue the hay-cation, offering an intimate farm stay escape in the New Zealand countryside. Demand for Bookabach homes in the Wellington region – home to the vineyards and farm stays in Martinborough – increased by 24% from September 2021 to August 2022, as travellers seek to reconnect with nature.² Plus, 19% of New Zealand travellers find inspiration in outdoorsy destinations and mind-blowing landscapes. Think rural cottages, flickering fires and sweeping vistas. 

Travellers can live out their farm stay fantasies by booking a luxurious farmhouse or cottage retreat that fits the whole crew, with destinations across the Waikato and Canterbury regions spring readily to mind. 

Trending Destinations 

Travellers in New Zealand are also exploring destinations further afield from home for domestic holidays. These charming spots for holiday home escapes are the go-to getaways for groups wanting to take in tranquil views of the mountains, while combining winery stays with the coastline. Demand for Bookabach’s private holiday homes in each of these destinations has increased by more than 50%:³ 

• Wellington Region 
• West Coast 
• Canterbury 
• Tasman Region 
• Southland 
• Taranaki 
• Marlborough 
• Otago 
• Waikato 
• Auckland Region 

Travel in 2023 will be about saying “no” to normal, breaking routines and searching for experiences without compromises. Whether it’s flying to those once-in-a-lifetime events or hosting group celebrations at a holiday home, travellers are no longer adapting to the next new normal, but creating their own status quo altogether.   

For the full consumer report on The No-Normal; Unexpected Travel Trends in 2023, go to https://www.expedia.co.nz/stories/travel-trends-2023/.