Salzburg, Austria — Photo by HomeToGo

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – HomeToGo, the marketplace with the world’s largest selection of vacation rentals, today revealed its latest trend report stuffed with delectable insights on Thanksgiving and holiday season travel. Based on a survey of U.S. travelers and an analysis of HomeToGo search behaviors, the study shows that many Americans are getting into the festive spirit this year with more than half (50%) of U.S. travelers planning visits to holiday markets and winter festivals. Traveler search behaviors also reveal an increase in demand for larger vacation rentals over Thanksgiving, especially in mountainous areas and seaside towns. Cabins are also in high demand for the holiday season, making up more than 43% of filtered accommodation searches on HomeToGo.

We love to see so many people planning getaways for the holidays with their family and friends this year. Based on our research, it’s clear that Americans are eager to gather once again and plan trips together for the holidays. Mike Pearce, HomeToGo spokesperson and travel expert

HomeToGo’s Key Findings for Thanksgiving (Nov. 17 - 26, 2023) include:

  • Which destinations are trending for Thanksgiving?
    Among the regions that have seen the largest year-over-year increase in search interest on HomeToGo include Oak Island, NC (+383% YoY), Starkville, MS (+304% YoY), Fort Pierce, FL (+285% YoY), and Wears Valley, TN (+277% YoY).
  • How far are people traveling? According to HomeToGo‘s data, the average distance travelers are searching is 631 miles from their homes (+10% YoY). Also, more than three-quarters (79%) of searches on HomeToGo.com for stays during the Thanksgiving period are for domestic and rural areas.
  • How long are travelers planning to stay? HomeToGo search trends reveal rising demand for shorter trips over the Thanksgiving period. The average length of stay searched by Thanksgiving travelers is 5.2 nights, a 17% decrease from the previous year.
  • How many guests are joining for Thanksgiving? HomeToGo‘s search data indicates bigger group sizes in 2023. The average group size for this upcoming Thanksgiving is 4-5 people, a 23% increase from last year.

HomeToGo’s Key Findings for the Holiday Season (Nov. 27, 2023 - Jan. 6, 2024) include:

  • Which activities and experiences are trending for the holiday season?
    According to survey findings, more than 50% of travelers are planning to visit holiday markets and winter festivals this year.
  • Trending festive towns for the holiday season? There has been a considerable annual uplift in many towns and areas known for their festive celebrations, including Georgetown, CO (+59% YoY), Helen, GA (+40% YoY), Fredericksburg, TX (+25% YoY), and Asheville, NC (+22% YoY).

For a complete breakdown of Thanksgiving and holiday season travel trends, read the full report at: hometogo.com/united-states/thanksgiving/#2023-holiday-travel-trends.

Methodology: Findings are based on an external 500-participant survey conducted by HomeToGo on August 13, 2023. Search insights are based on traveler searches on HomeToGo.com for stays with a check-in during the Thanksgiving period (Nov. 17 - 26, 2023) or Holiday season (Nov. 27, 2023 - Jan. 6, 2024). The complete methodology can be found here.

About HomeToGo

HomeToGo is the SaaS-enabled marketplace with the world's largest selection of vacation rentals, listing millions of offers from thousands of trusted partners, including Booking.com, Vrbo and TripAdvisor.

From vacation homes, cabins, beach houses, apartments, condos, house boats, castles, farm stays and everything in between, HomeToGo combines price, destination, dates and amenities to find the perfect accommodation for any trip worldwide.

Founded in 2014, HomeToGo operates local apps & websites in 25 countries across Europe, North America, South America, Australia and Asia-Pacific. HomeToGo also operates brands such as Agriturismo.it, AMIVAC, Casamundo, CaseVacanza.it, e-domizil, EscapadaRural, Kurzurlaub, Kurz Mal Weg, Tripping.com and Wimdu. To learn more, visit www.hometogo.com or download the HomeToGo app.