Reports

Reports
Expedia releases top searched destinations in 2025
Expedia has released its top destinations for 2025 with locations in the United States, Japan and Italy. Big Sky in the Rocky Mountains, U.S., was ranked as the top destination, with a 92% increase in search interest from 2024. Travel Expert for Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo, Melanie Fish, told CNBC that Big Sky seemingly “came out of nowhere” but its “long been known for world-class outdoor recreation, skiing and snowboarding in the winter and hiking, mountain biking and rafting in the summer”. In second place was Okinawa, Japan, where search interest rose by 71%. Japan has become a travel hotspot in recent years due to a weak yen and lifted restrictions. Due to this, some cities like Kyoto have begun to introduce tourist taxes to curb overcrowding. Okinawa is emerging as an alternative destination in Japan to large cities like Tokyo and Osaka. It also meets Expedia’s “Smart Travel Health Check” framework. “What we see in Okinawa is that they are taking proactive environmental measures like coral reef restoration, they’re moving towards a decarbonised economy by using renewable energy sources,” Fish says. “They’re celebrating local heritage and making sure visitors have educational opportunities.” While
Reports
40% of APAC tourists travel for sports, music events
Around 40% of travellers in Asia Pacific countries plan international trips around sports or music events, according to a Hilton survey conducted in China, India, Australia, Singapore and Japan. Chinese respondents reported the highest rate of interest in travelling internationally for sports or music events, at 59%. Across countries, 70% said they would travel internationally for sporting events, while 63% said they would do so for music events. “Sports and entertainment tourism is becoming one of the defining travel trends in Asia Pacific, and F1 (Formula One) is leading the charge,” said Ben George, Hilton senior vice president and commercial director, Asia Pacific. India saw the second-highest rate of interest in sports or music-related international trips, at 57%. Around 60% of respondents said they had travelled domestically or internationally for a entertainment or sports event in the past. Proximity to the event and price were respondents’ top priorities for accommodation on these events-related trips, with 72% naming each as their main consideration. Quality of hospitality was in third place, at 70%. Almost half of respondents said they were likely to attend these live events with friends, at 47%, while
Reports
US, UK fall in the Henley Passport Index rankings
Singapore has been named the country with the world’s most powerful passport, as Asian countries continue to lead the global mobility race. According to the latest Henley Passport Index, the Singapore passport has visa-free access to 193 out of 227 destinations globally. South Korea and Japan narrowly trail behind in equal second place, each granting citizens the ability to access 190 destinations visa-free. Europe remains strong, occupying the rest of the top five, with seven European Union passports sharing in third place and another seven in fourth place. The only country to challenge this European dominance was New Zealand, which reached fifth place alongside Greece and Switzerland. The country with the weakest visa was Afghanistan, with its citizens only able to access 25 destinations without a visa. Once the most powerful visas in the world, the United Kingdom and the United States have now fallen a place in the rankings since January to sixth and 10th place, respectively. This follows a long-term downward trend, with U.K. citizens able to visit 186 destinations while the U.S. trails with 182. For the first time in the index’s 20-year history, the U.S. is at risk of losing its top 10 spot. As for t
Reports
'So crowded': Tourists overwhelm travel hotspots
The downside of excessive tourism is being laid bare, with a travel company revealing how a surge in travel is pushing some destinations to the edge. Go2Africa said global travel almost recovered to the levels prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2024 as 1.4 billion people spent time overseas. “But as millions of tourists return to globetrotting, the surge in tourism is starting to strain some destinations,” the Cape Town and Nairobi–based company wrote in this blog. “Some places, like iconic European cities, have become so crowded that tourists actually outnumber the people who live there. “Others manage to strike a healthy balance between visitors and locals, offering a more genuine and relaxed experience. “As a result, more travellers are seeking unique, off-the-beaten-path destinations away from the usual tourist crowds.” Go2Africa said Vatican City was the world’s most overwhelmed destination with 7,709 visitors per resident, with Venice a distant second (392), followed by Andorra (117) and San Marino (59). France remains the most visited country in the world, welcoming more than 100 million international tourists in 2024. West Virginia was the most overcrowded American state as it welcomed 75 mill
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ABS: Total arrivals to Australia rise 7.9% in April
Australia’s international travel activity continued to strengthen in April 2025, with the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showing steady increases in both visitor arrivals and resident returns. According to the ABS, total arrivals reached 1,763,390 in April 2025, up 7.9% from a year earlier. Total departures rose 16.7% to 1,925,790. A total of 641,150 short-term visitor trips were recorded during the month, representing an 8.1% increase compared to April 2024. While this marked a significant rise, visitor numbers remained 8.5% below April 2019 pre-COVID levels. New Zealand remained the leading source of overseas visitors, contributing 123,950 trips, or 19% of total arrivals. China followed with 73,770 and the United Kingdom at 55,990.Credit: ABSOn the outbound side, 1,044,530 Australian residents returned from short-term international trips, an increase of 8.3% on the same month last year and 14.0% higher than April 2019 levels. Indonesia was recorded as the most popular overseas destination for returning residents, with 139,910 trips, ahead of New Zealand at 131,360 and Japan with 107,130. Across Australia’s states and territories, New South Wales saw the highest number of returning re

Reports
Travel flies high, embraces AI in 2025: Deloitte
Demand for travel among Americans is projected to remain high in 2025, with artificial intelligence set to be a major trend in the industry. Americans are planning more trips per year on average compared with 2023, per a report by Deloitte, increasing to 2.14 holidays per year. The number of travellers saying they would stay longer than seven nights rose by 8%, with 10% growth in those aiming to significantly increase their travel budget . “Enthusiasm for experiences post-pandemic has fueled three years of growth across much of the travel industry. Metrics like air passenger volumes and hotel revenue per available room have largely reached or surpassed 2019 levels,” the report said. “But the industry is also able to turn more attention to challenges and opportunities in innovation. Two years of experimentation with generative artificial intelligence (Generative AI), both by providers and travellers, has begun to reveal the most promising near-term opportunities for the technology.” Greater lifestyle and financial flexibility has partly driven strong travel demand, Deloitte said. The number of travellers expecting to work remotely on their longest trip of the season increased from one third to one half, while 37% of tho
Reports
The most expensive countries for travel insurance
Travel insurance can be expensive, and according to Southern Cross Travel Insurance, some countries can be more costly than others. In 2024, one traveller claimed A$627,630 on travel insurance after suffering a stroke in Albania and spending 10 weeks in the hospital, making it the largest claim of 2024. This was followed by a $362,034 claim from a woman who suffered a collapsed lung in Thailand. The most costly countries for Australians to travel to based on medical claims are the U.S., Canada, Peru, Greece, Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand, Japan, Cyrus and Spain. According to Mozo Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand, Japan, and the U.S were also some of the most popular destinations for Australians in 2024. Southern Cross Travel Insurance chief executive Chris White said that anyone could need medical treatment regardless of how healthy they are. “Medical incidents occurring on holidays are extremely stressful due to the compounding factors of being away from a familiar home environment, not speaking the language, and not knowing the local healthcare system,” White said. “We know that when we take away the worry of managing hospital arrangements, medical costs and payment uncertainty, it can reall