Stats: Top 2019 Spring Break Destinations From Virtuoso

Winter is in full swing – which makes it the perfect time to dream of a spring break escape. Luxury travel network Virtuoso has rounded up a list of the hottest spring break destinations to watch this year, based on its internal transaction data for the months of March and April. Good to know: major spring holidays will occur deeper into April this year, which could extend the spring travel period, Virtuoso said. 

Here are the most popular destinations for spring break travel, based on future bookings:

  1. United States
  2. Italy
  3. France
  4. United Kingdom
  5. New Zealand
  6. Israel
  7. Japan
  8. Australia
  9. Spain
  10. China

Sunny destinations in the United States hold perennial appeal, while a favorable exchange rate is drawing travelers to a number of destinations in Europe. Israel is also high on the list due to its Easter and Passover celebrations, as is Japan for its cherry blossom season – that country was named the top emerging destination in 2019 in Virtuoso’s previously released Luxe Report, the organization notes. 

Also good to know is the countries that have seen the largest percentage growth in year-over-year bookings for the spring travel period. While not as popular in an absolute sense as some of the bigger-name destinations on the previous list, these destinations are showing growing appeal to travelers looking for an off-the-beaten-path getaway, according to Virtuoso’s data:

  1. Switzerland (+589%)
  2. Greece (+312%)
  3. Morocco (+302%)
  4. Japan (+220%)
  5. United Arab Emirates (+197%) 
  6. Spain (+112%)
  7. Turks and Caicos (+90%)
  8. New Zealand (+84%)
  9. Chile (+78%)
  10. Puerto Rico (+70%)

Japan is notable here for its presence on both lists – popular and up-and-coming – while Greece has been showing increased popularity since last summer, Virtuoso said. Caribbean destinations such as Turks and Caicos and Puerto Rico are also staging a comeback. 

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