Spring 2024 Recap: 6 Travel Stats You Should Know
When the cold weather of winter passes, travelers eagerly take to the skies to enjoy their sunny spring getaways. Outside of the holiday season, spring is one of the most popular times of year to take a trip.
From popular destinations to traveler spending habits, Squaremouth recaps the top trends that came to light this past spring season.
Italy remains the top international spring destination
For a second consecutive spring season, Italy has been crowned the most popular international vacation spot. In fact, roughly 1 of every 4 travelers that purchased a policy through Squaremouth listed Italy as their primary destination.
It’s hard to be surprised as Travel + Leisure lists spring as the best time of year for an Italian adventure. Other popular spring destinations include Mexico, the United Kingdom, Spain, and France.
The Cost of Spring Travel Jumps 37% in 2 Years
The rising cost of travel continues to be a trend we’ve witnessed over the past several years, and this spring was no exception. In the spring of 2024, the average trip cost roughly $6,800, a $700 increase from last year and a staggering $1,800 jump from 2022.
As costs continue to rise, travelers have much more to lose if they need to cancel their trip before it departs. If you’re planning travel, and are spending more than usual on your trip, we recommend protecting your travel costs with Trip Cancellation coverage.
Japan sees large traveler spike
While European destinations continue to attract large crowds during the spring, it’s hard to overlook Japan’s continued upward trajectory. Compared to last spring, our data indicates that Japan has experienced an impressive 14% increase in travelers.
Spring experiences an increase in older travelers
Spring getaways aren’t age restricted. The warmer weather attracts travelers of all generations. This spring, we witnessed a jump in senior travelers, specifically those aged 75 and over. To be exact, we saw an 11% increase in travelers in this age group covered by insurance compared to last year.
Hiking the most popular spring activity
Before the spring season kicked off, we asked 5,750 travelers how they planned to spend their upcoming trips. Roughly 42% of respondents reported they were looking for adventure. When travelers purchase policies for adventurous trips, they often require plans that include the Sports & Activities waiver.
Digging into the types of activities that travelers are insuring, we can see that hiking is among the most popular in the spring, followed closely by scuba diving, cycling, and snorkeling.
Average international trip length is 13 days
Spring provides the perfect opportunity for a long getaway, either with family, with friends, or solo. When travelers protect trips overseas, they often are gone for just under two weeks. Domestic spring trips are often shorter in length, averaging 9 days in total.
On the topic of days, our data indicates that spring travelers typically purchase travel insurance 8 weeks prior to their Departure Date. Purchasing a policy ahead of your trip can provide longer coverage and greater peace of mind.
Methodology
Squaremouth is the nation’s leading travel insurance marketplace. The stats listed in this article are based on more than travel insurance policy sales from March 19 to June 20, as well as post-purchase survey responses.