Canada, Japan, Costa Rica, India and the US are trending as the top destinations for 2023, according to Audley Travel.

The tailor-made specialist has seen Tanzania and the Maldives replaced by Japan and India from the top 2022 destination list as borders reopened.

The average duration for 2023 bookings is 19 days, from 17 days in 2022. 

The average number of countries to be explored per trip has also increased to 1.47, up 8% from 1.36 in 2022, the operator reported.

Audley said that clients continue to set aside budget for their travel plans in order to make up for lost time since the pandemic.

But many are keeping a closer eye on their spending than they did in the past due to the rising cost of living.

Greater availability and competitive rates for city accommodation as a result of an ongoing reduction in conference and business travel is providing a new travel option. 

Cities are becoming a destination in their own right rather than as a gateway to access popular sites. 

An example is Cape Town, where clients explore the city and take privately guided day trips to places such as the surrounding winelands that are otherwise explored as part of a multi-day private tour. They then fly to a private reserve in the Greater Kruger National Park for a safari.

Milestone celebrations were cited by 63% of Audley’s in-house country specialists as a top motivator for clients booking 2023 trips, having missed out during the pandemic.

Many clients are also determined to take a much-awaited bucket list trip, which 72% of specialists listed as a key reason driving bookings.

Bookings for next year and beyond also indicate a return to more complex, exploration style itineraries, with clients staying longer in each of the destinations they visit.