Tripadvisor’s summer travel index touts top destinations for 2024 — hello, surprises

Travel stats have soared in the last year, and they’re poised to soar more. According to a recent survey and data crunching from Tripadvisor, 95 percent of U.S. travelers are planning to travel as much or more this summer than last. And some 85 percent will make “experiences” a priority — with a third describing themselves as art lovers and museum-goers, another third planning food and wine tours and a similar number aiming for amusement park-centric vacations. (The trifecta being art-loving foodies at Disneyland?)
So where are we all going? If you’re heading abroad, chances are high that you’ll be going to sunny shores such as Cancun, which notched the No. 1 spot, and the four Caribbean islands on the list — or to glitzy European cities.
Sticking to the U.S.? Las Vegas, baby — although beachy destinations, including San Diego, accounted for six out of the top 10.
Here are the hottest international and domestic destinations for summer 2024 among U.S. travelers. Find more details at Tripadvisor.com.
Most popular international destinations for summer
1. Cancun, Yucatan Peninsula
2. London, England
3. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
4. Paris, France
5. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
6. Rome, Italy
7. Bavaro, Dominican Republic
8. Palm – Eagle, Aruba
9. Barcelona, Spain
10. Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Most popular domestic destinations
1. Las Vegas, Nevada
2. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
3. Orlando, Florida
4. Honolulu, Hawaii
5. New York City, New York
6. Chicago, Illinois
7. Key West, Florida
8. Ocean City, Maryland
9. San Diego, California
10. Boston, Massachusetts
If you’re looking for something a bit more off the beaten track, Tripadvisor also parsed “fastest growing destinations,” basing their rankings on on year-over-year increases in search traffic. Islands — including three destinations in Maldives — and beaches figure prominently here, but there are some surprises, too. College Station, home of Texas A&M University and the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, took the No. 2 spot on the domestic list. And Pennsylvania’s Pocono Manor sits at No. 4, ahead of Waimea, Hawaii.
Here are the top 10 spots — international and domestic — stirring new interest among U.S. travelers this summer.
Fastest growing international destinations
1. Maunabo, Puerto Rico
2. Puerto Rico, Spain
3. Playa Avellana, Costa Rica
4. Cusco, Peru
5. Iru-fushi, Maldives
6. St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
7. Aguas Calientes, Peru
8. Male, Maldives
9. Fasmendhoo, Maldives
10. Andros, Bahamas
Fastest growing domestic destinations
1. Yosemite National Park, California
2. College Station, Texas
3. Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
4. Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania
5. Waimea, Hawaii
6. Fort Myers Beach, Florida
7. Tavernier, Florida
8. Sandusky, Ohio
9. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
10. Mackinac Island, Michigan