HomeToGo, the marketplace with the world's largest selection of vacation rentals, explores how European travelers are planning their autumn and winter getaways in 2022/2023
Where is travel headed this autumn and winter? After a summer where surging international travel was accompanied by a wave of airport delays, flight cancellations and rising costs, the coming autumn and winter seasons are predicted to see unique shifts in how the world is traveling.
HomeToGo tapped into its wealth of internal search data, combined with a survey of travelers across five key European markets, to uncover the travel trends on the horizon for the 2022 autumn and 2023 winter seasons.
Key Findings:
- Busier autumn and winter for travel: Vacation rental searches in HomeToGo’s five key European markets are up 38% year-over-year for stays between September and March, signaling a strong travel season ahead.
- Digital nomad hotspots are seeing the largest uplift in search demand: Winter sun destinations including Ibiza, Spain (+173% vs. 2021 in searches), Lanzarote, Spain (+170%) and Malta (+200%) are on the rise as this winter season’s go-to workation destinations.
- Autumn international travel rises as a key shoulder season: During what is typically a quieter travel season, HomeToGo has observed a +31% annual uplift in international searches by Europeans for trips between September and November.
- Accommodations are one of the most resilient travel categories amidst inflation: When looking to save money, travelers are more likely to look for cost savings on transportation (e.g. flights), food and drink, or activities ahead of opting for less expensive accommodations.
Lake O'Hara, Yoho National Park
Trend #1: High Demand for Autumn and Winter Travel
Similar to the summer travel season, a sense of confidence is returning for this autumn and winter as plans become more predictable and the desire to visit new places grows.
- The average European respondent is planning 1-2 overnight trips between September ‘22 and March ‘23
- Vacation rental searches for autumn and winter stays are up 38% year-over-year
- Two-thirds (65%) of survey respondents said their decision to travel would not be influenced by Covid-19 case numbers
Trend #2: The New "Sun Worshippers"
Retirees are no longer the only ones able to spend the winters in the sun. Many of the top emerging destinations for this autumn and winter are hot, sunny, and offer easy access for Europeans looking to work from remote.
Destination
Search Trend vs 2021
1. Bali, Indonesia
384%
2. Malta
200%
3. Thailand
176%
4. Ibiza, Spain
173%
5. Lanzarote, Spain
170%
Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia
Survey Insight: 13% of surveyed travelers plan to take a workation in the next 6 months, of which 64% are millennials
Mapped: Emerging Destinations for Autumn/Winter
Trend #3: Rising Demand Meets Rising Prices
Despite the rising cost of living, more than 40% of respondents said their travel plans would not be affected by inflation over the next six months–indicating that many travelers still want to travel!
Those who said their travel plans would be affected by rising prices were asked where they would be most likely to cut costs:
Ytterhogdal, Sweden
Trend #4: The Autumn Shoulder Season Gets Bolder
This summer had a turbulent start with many experiencing flight delays, lost luggage, and long lineups for attractions.
As we move into the quieter autumn season, more travelers are seizing the opportunity to take international trips without the crowds and complications.
- Share of international vs. domestic searches has shifted by 6% compared to last autumn
- In Europe, international searches for autumn stays are up 31% year-over year, signaling strong momentum for the season ahead
Cataluña, Spain
Traveler Tip: The average daily rate for a vacation rental is 14% less expensive in autumn compared to summer.
Most booked regions by international travelers this autumn:
Where are travelers from these countries booking international getaways?
Provence-Côte d'Azur, France
Most booked by travelers from Italy
Algarve, Portugal
Most booked by travelers from Spain
Andalucia, Spain
Most booked by travelers from the UK
Istria, Croatia
Most booked by travelers from Germany
Catalonia, Spain
Most booked by travelers from France
Trend #5: Cleanliness is Key
Beyond price, what are the top considerations when booking a vacation rental?
#1. Cleanliness
#2. Location
#3. Free cancellation
#4. Amenities
Hygiene is a top priority for travelers when booking accommodations. 34% of respondents ranked ‘cleanliness’ in their top five considerations, prioritized over other factors such as location, free cancellation, amenities, and guest reviews.
Martinique
Want to learn more about this forecast or the upcoming travel trends for autumn and winter?
About HomeToGo
HomeToGo was founded in 2014 with a vision to make incredible homes easily accessible to everyone. To pursue this vision, HomeToGo was able to build and constantly grow a trusted and easy-to-use technology platform that brings together property suppliers with travelers from all across the world.
HomeToGo operates a marketplace for alternative accommodation that connects millions of travelers searching for a perfect place to stay with thousands of inventory suppliers across the globe, resulting in the world's most comprehensive inventory coverage in the alternative accommodation space.
HomeToGo's marketplace is beneficial to both of its customer groups: Consumers who visit HomeToGo's websites gain access to the largest inventory in one place, and supply partners who use the platform's reach and technology solutions are better able to serve a wide range of customers and generate more high-quality demand.
While HomeToGo SE's registered office is located in Luxembourg, HomeToGo GmbH is headquartered in Berlin, Germany. HomeToGo operates localized apps and websites in 25 countries.
HomeToGo SE is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the stock ticker “HTG”. For more information visit: www.hometogo.com/about.
Methodology
This forecast focuses on vacation rental travel trends and search behaviors for the autumn and winter period between 1 September 2022 and 28 February 2023. The specific regions of focus for this forecast includes Germany, Spain, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. Findings are based on a combination of internal HomeToGo search data and external survey findings. More detailed information can be found below:
Survey insights: Research conducted by HomeToGo among a general population sample of 2,500 respondents in total, 500 per market (UK, DE, ES, IT, FR). To participate in this survey, respondents had to be 18 or older. The survey was carried out online between 5 August 2022 - 10 August 2022.
Destination search demand insight: Findings for the most searched destinations are based on traveler searches for vacation rentals on HomeToGo (UK, DE, ES, IT, FR) with following parameters:
Search Period 1: 1 January - 11 August 2022 with check-in dates between 1 September 2022 - 28 February 2023
Search Period 2: 1 January - 11 August 2021 with check-in dates between 1 September 2021 - 28 February 2022
Data was collected on 12 August 2022.
Shoulder Season Search Data: Findings for the annual year-over-year increase in international searches are based on travelers searching for vacation rentals on HomeToGo (UK, DE, ES, IT, FR) with the following parameters:
Search Period 1: 1 January 2022 - 1 September 2022 with a check-in date between 1 September 2022 - 30 November 2022
Search Period 2: 1 January 2021 - 1 September 2021 with a check-in date between 1 September 2021 - 30 November 2021
Data was collected on 21 September 2022.