Jamaica has made the list of the top 10 destinations favored by affluent travelers for future visits compiled by the luxury travel network Virtuoso. The list was created through an analysis of airline bookings data. While information about where, how, and when Americans may begin traveling again in the light of the coronavirus pandemic remains to be seen, but t there are indications that some people, especially wealthy individuals,  expect to begin taking trips by the holiday season at the end of 2020.  These travelers seem to be choosing for warm-weather locations for their future vacation journeys. It is too soon to know how summer travel plans will develop but trends indicate that planning for holiday travel is on the upswing. According to Virtuoso’s managing director Misty Belles, many people have a tradition of spending the holidays with friends and family at locations other than their homes and they are eager to maintain this tradition.

Information from Guesty, a property management software product has confirmed the findings of Virtuoso, showing that current reservations for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s have risen by 39 percent, 40 percent, and 23 percent, respectively when compared to the same reservations in 2019. The increase was attributed to pent-up demand following the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 containment policies and canceled plans for the summer season. Belles noted that people are ready to travel after months of sheltering in place.

Virtuoso examined airline sales data for the pending 2020 holiday season to determine the Top 10 destinations currently being booked by those planning to travel during this period. Locations with tropical and temperate climates lead the list, particularly those close to the US for American travelers, including the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Mexico. Destinations in Africa and the Middle East have also been chosen for winter holiday travel.

Favored Caribbean destinations on the Top Ten list include Montego Bay in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands, and St. Martin in the French West Indies. Also on the list are Puerta Vallarta in Mexico, Maui in Hawaii, and Los Angeles in California. Middle Eastern destinations are Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and those in Africa include Tanzania, Nairobi in Kenya, and Cape Town, South Africa.

Information and Photo Source: CNBC,  Staicy Androose on Unsplash