With the easing of COVID-related travel restrictions and the reopening of more destinations, the travel industry has seen a resurgence in 2022. Google Flights, the company’s online flight booking search service, has released a list of the top 10 trending destinations for American travelers this year. According to the list, London is the top destination for travelers in 2022.
According to a representative from Google, the “trending” destinations on the list are those that saw a significant increase in search traffic over a sustained period in 2022 compared to 2021.
According to CNN, the top trending destinations may be related to the relaxation of border restrictions and the resulting ease of travel.
The top 10 trending destinations searched for by US Google Flights users for 2022 are as follows:
- London, United Kingdom
- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Paris, France
- New Delhi, India
- Toronto, Canada
- Rome, Italy
- Mumbai, India
- Vancouver, Canada
- Lisbon, Portugal
- New York, United States
The top 5 trending destinations on the list are European, indicating a strong return of travel to the region.
European countries
Europe has seen a return in popularity among American travelers in 2022, with four of the top 10 destinations searched for by US-based Google Flights users being European cities: London, Paris, Rome, and Lisbon. This indicates that Europe holds a particular appeal for the summer travel season this year.
Traveling to Ho Chi Minh, Mumbai and Delhi
The Asia-Pacific region is expected to lose its position as the world’s largest travel region in 2022 due to its slower reopening compared to European countries.
However, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam placed highly on Google Flights’ trending list. Vietnam reopened to tourism in early 2022, while other popular countries such as Japan and China remained closed. Additionally, Mumbai and New Delhi in India made the list of trending destinations for US Google Flights users.
India reopened its borders in late 2021 and US passport holders can apply for travel visas online.
Canada
The lifting of COVID-related travel restrictions in Canada on October 1 led to a significant increase in searches for Canadian destinations among US Google Flights users. Vancouver and Toronto both made the list of trending destinations, with Vancouver in eighth place and Toronto in fifth.
See also the story on Top European travel trends of 2023.
