Marriott International Hotels study says 77% of Latin Americans consider travel a priority in 2024

02-10-23

• Data collected reveals that 63% of respondents plan to "take a holiday to prioritise their health and wellbeing".

• The most important decision factors for choosing a destination were beaches and relaxation (44%), cultural attractions (42%) and local experiences and cuisine (38%). 

Seventy-seven percent of Latin Americans and Caribbean residents say travel will be a priority in their personal budget in 2024, and two out of three say making time for travel is more important than ever, according to a survey conducted by a US luxury hotel chain.

The Marriott International hotel chain presented the results of a travel trends survey of 1,781 respondents in five key countries in the region to learn about their interests, habits and preferred destinations.

The data collected reveals that 63% of respondents plan to "take a holiday to prioritise their health and wellness", although only 27% currently consider travel a priority and save money to do so.

According to the survey results, 54% of respondents opted to take "at least one trip within their own country in the last year", while 32% opted for international travel.

As for those who say they have travelled in the last 12 months, 45% undertook occasional domestic trips, making between 2 and 3 trips per year, while 15% travelled internationally on more than 4 occasions per year.

The study highlights that 1 in 4 respondents choose to take holidays within their own country for a week, a figure that drops to 22% when it comes to holidays abroad.

Similarly, more than a third (32%) of respondents said that they regularly take international trips of two weeks or more.

In terms of tourist destinations, Caribbean and Latin American travellers prefer places that allow them to be in the centre of everything so they can get out and about and "be within walking distance of tourist attractions (47%), beach destinations for relaxation and enjoyment (43%), and urban destinations with leisure and entertainment areas nearby (33%).

Looking at these preferences from a generational point of view, baby boomers prefer central locations (53%), while Generation Z prefers small towns with typical food and activities (33%).

The most important decision factors for choosing a destination were beaches and relaxation (44%), cultural attractions (42%) and local experiences and cuisine (38%).

For Generation X (the generation that follows the baby boomers and precedes the millennials), however, one of the most important factors is a destination that allows activities for the whole family.