AVA Intelligence Inc., which provides the travel planning service “AVA Travel” powered by AI, conducted a survey of users who used AVA Travel to create travel plans for this summer (July to September 2024) after January 2024.
The survey revealed that keywords such as “relaxation,” “nature,” and “leisurely” were trending this summer, suggesting an increasing desire for digital detox in extraordinary spaces. While keywords like “family-friendly” and “family travel” saw a rise, “solo travel” also gained popularity.
Additionally, there was a noticeable trend in favor of scenic locations, with high demand for keywords like “Instagrammable spots” and “hotels near the sea.” Popular destinations included nature-rich spots like Yakushima Island and the Dinosaur Museum. For travelers departing from Tokyo, nearby prefectures like Kanagawa and Chiba were favored, while from Fukuoka, hot spring areas in Kumamoto Prefecture were a top choice. This trend toward domestic travel may reflect the impact of natural disasters and rising costs this year.
The summer of 2024 saw record-breaking heat, leading to a surge in popularity for cooler destinations. In the prefectural ranking, Hokkaido took the top spot, followed by Nagano, both known for their cooler climates. Okinawa ranked third overall, with its remote islands like Yakushima and Amami Oshima gaining particular attention. Fukui Prefecture, where the Hokuriku Shinkansen opened in March this year, also showed an upward trend, landing in the top 10. Major metropolitan areas like Fukuoka and Tokyo ranked 14th and 15th, respectively.
Regarding trip durations, short trips of one to two nights accounted for about 60% of all plans, while roughly 20% of travelers opted for longer trips of three nights or more. Additionally, about 5% of people planned day trips. When it came to planning ahead, approximately 60% of respondents started organizing their trips two to three months in advance, indicating a trend toward careful planning. Around 20% either began planning more than four months ahead or made their arrangements just one month prior.
As for transportation, airplanes were the most popular choice, followed by cars and trains. About 10% of users reported that they had not yet decided on their means of transportation.
AVA Travel is an app that leverages AI to simplify the travel planning process. By automatically searching for and selecting tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants, and transportation options based on users’ preferences, requirements, and purposes, it allows for quick and easy travel planning that would otherwise take considerable time.
