After almost a year of restricted travel, travellers are indulging in more high-end stays this New Year’s Eve. According to booking data from digital travel platform Agoda, 4 to 5-star hotels are the accommodation of choice to ring in 2021 globally and saw an increase of 13 percentage points as compared to 2019, pushing 1 to 3.5-star hotels down to second place this year.
Bucking the global trend, travellers from the United States, as well as travellers from Taiwan and Thailand, maintained their preference for 1 to 3.5-star hotels this New Year’s Eve, followed by 4 to 5-stars hotels and non-hotel accommodation.
Korean and Singaporean travellers have maintained their desire for 4 to 5-star hotels as the top choice this New Year’s Eve.
This year, travellers are also looking to get away from it all to explore more diverse destinations than in 2019. Beach destinations and coastal cities like Miami Beach (US), Langkawi (Malaysia), Quy Nhon (Vietnam), Yeosu-si (Korea), as well as places known for their natural beauty such as Cameron Highlands (Malaysia), Hua Lien (Taiwan), Laguna (Philippines) and Sapa (Vietnam) climbed the ranks to top 10 domestic destinations in respective markets for staycations this New Year’s Eve.
“While 2020 might have upended many travellers’ plans, Agoda’s data that 4 to 5-star hotels are most popular among New Year’s Eve bookings this year shows us that there’s great desire among travellers to pamper themselves and optimistically usher in the New Year in style. We are heartened that travellers are not letting the pandemic dampen their travel spirits, and are also spending the New Year exploring domestic destinations less travelled, supporting local tourism communities in those areas,” said Errol Cooke, Vice President of Partner Services at Agoda.
Top Domestic Destinations for US travellers
Miami Beach and Music City Nashville are attracting US travellers this year-end, moving popular cities Houston and San Francisco off the list.
Las Vegas continues to hold top spot.
| New Year’s Eve 2019 | New Year’s Eve 2020 | |
1 | Las Vegas | Las Vegas | |
2 | Los Angeles | Orlando | |
3 | Chicago | New York | |
4 | Dallas | Atlanta | |
5 | Orlando | Dallas | |
6 | Houston | Chicago | |
7 | New York | Miami Beach | |
8 | Atlanta | Nashville | |
9 | San Francisco | Phoenix | |
10 | Phoenix | Los Angeles |
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