Amadeus’ forward-looking business intelligence data released a new report today, 11th December, revealing the destinations that are currently recording the top hotel occupancy rates for the weeks of Christmas and the entry of the New Year, running 22nd December to 4th January.

The report shows year-on-year growth in some major markets worldwide.

According to Amadeus Demand360 data as of 2nd December, global hotel occupancy is up four percent from 2023. 

The top destinations for the Holidays

The study revealed that the top destinations for holiday travel are:

1.       Lihue, Hawaii 
2.       Montego Bay, Jamaica 
3.       Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam 
4.       Aruba 
5.       Queenstown, New Zealand
6.       Macau, China
7.       La Romana, Dominican Republic 
8.       Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 
9.       Bridgetown, Barbados
10.       Cebu, Philippines 

While the popularity of the Caribbean and Asia Pacific (APAC) remain consistent, the top ten list of countries is very different from last year’s. 

China, in particular, is a new addition to the list, and most of these top destinations have individually seen substantial growth from last year. 

Lihue in Hawaii, for example, saw a 13 percent increase in hotel occupancy, from 82 percent to 93 percent.

The southern Philippine city of Cebu, on the other hand, saw a 20 percent increase, jumping from 70 percent last year to 84 percent this year. 

The data also highlights significant growth in hotel occupancy at a regional level across Europe, China, Latin America, Asia, and the Caribbean from last year. 

Comparatively, growth in hotel average daily rate (ADR) is also seen across these markets, with the Caribbean up 15 percent and Latin America 9 percent on 2023 prices.

According to Amadeus’ vice-president for data partnerships in hospitality Katie Moro: “The growth we are seeing this year in hotel occupancy in the international markets is positive news for hoteliers worldwide. Warm weather climates are very popular during the holiday season, and it’s interesting to see the shift towards exploring new destinations. The data highlights the continued, growing enthusiasm for travel, and presents a real opportunity for hoteliers to understand what is going on in their markets and launch marketing campaigns to tap into this demand. By having access to these forward-looking insights, hoteliers can also better prepare their staff for peaks in occupancy and optimize their revenue strategies.”