A new study from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP reveals Italy as
the premier destination for travelers in 2024 and 2025, according to United
States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) members. The research also indicates
significant growth in the tour operator industry, with projected sales of $24.4
billion for 2024.
Portugal and Greece secured second and third positions
respectively in the rankings, while France and Japan tied for fourth place.
Spain, Iceland, Croatia, South Africa, Australia, Morocco and Thailand also
featured prominently in the destination list.
“Europe continues to dominate our popular destination
lists. In fact, Europe accounts for half (52%) of the Active Member travel
packages sold in both 2023 and 2024,” said Terry Dale, president & CEO
of USTOA.
The study identified emerging destinations gaining traction,
with Vietnam leading the category, followed by Iceland and Japan in second
place. Croatia, Morocco, South Korea and Turkiye shared third position, while
Albania, Bhutan, Italy, Namibia and South Africa tied for fourth.
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Experiential travel data shows art and culture and culinary
programs leading tour operator offerings at 77% each. Safari and nature
products follow at 71%, while multi-generational and family programs represent
65% of offerings. Adventure travel comprises 64% of tour operator products.
The industry shows strong financial performance, with USTOA
members contributing $22.6 billion to the U.S. tour operator industry in 2023,
serving 7.9 million travelers. Projections for 2024 indicate an 8% increase in
sales, with 73% of operators forecasting growth between 7% to 10% or higher for
2025.
Despite positive outlooks, the study identified potential
risks to industry growth. Geopolitical conflicts topped concerns with 58% of
respondents “very to extremely concerned,” followed by political
instability at 56%. Notably, overcrowding ranked third at 46%, marking a
significant shift from previous years when it ranked lower in importance.
The survey, conducted between July and October 2024,
achieved a 96% participation rate among tour operators.
This article was generated by AI, based on a press release distributed by U.S. Tour Operators Association. It has
been fact-checked and reviewed by a TravelAge West editor.