US travelers buck the trend, maintaining preference for 1 to 3.5-star hotels

SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--After almost a year of restricted travel, travelers are indulging in more high-end stays this New Year�s Eve. According to booking data from digital travel platform Agoda, 4 to 5-star hotels are the accommodation of choice to ring in 2021 globally and saw an increase of 13 percentage points as compared to 2019, pushing 1 to 3.5-star hotels down to second place this year.

Bucking the global trend, travelers from the United States, as well as travelers from Taiwan and Thailand, maintained their preference for 1 to 3.5-star hotels this New Year�s Eve, followed by 4 to 5-stars hotels and non-hotel accommodation.

Korean and Singaporean travelers have maintained their desire for 4 to 5-star hotels as the top choice this New Year�s Eve.

This year, travelers are also looking to get away from it all to explore more diverse destinations than in 2019. Beach destinations and coastal cities like Miami Beach (US), Langkawi (Malaysia), Quy Nhon (Vietnam), Yeosu-si (Korea), as well as places known for their natural beauty such as Cameron Highlands (Malaysia), Hua Lien (Taiwan), Laguna (Philippines) and Sapa (Vietnam) climbed the ranks to top 10 domestic destinations in respective markets for staycations this New Year�s Eve.

�While 2020 might have upended many travelers� plans, Agoda�s data that 4 to 5-star hotels are most popular among New Year�s Eve bookings this year shows us that there�s great desire among travelers to pamper themselves and optimistically usher in the New Year in style. We are heartened that travelers are not letting the pandemic dampen their travel spirits, and are also spending the New Year exploring domestic destinations less traveled, supporting local tourism communities in those areas,� said Errol Cooke, Vice President of Partner Services at Agoda.

Top Domestic Destinations for US travelers

• Miami Beach and Music City Nashville are attracting US travelers this year-end, moving popular cities Houston and San Francisco off the list.
• Las Vegas continues to hold top spot.

Note to editors:

Agoda booking data was collated on 10 December 2020 for NYE bookings in 2019, 2020.

About Agoda

From its beginnings as an e-commerce start-up based in Singapore in 2005, digital travel platform Agoda has grown to offer a global network of over 2.5 million properties in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, offering travelers easy access to a wide choice of luxury and budget hotels, apartments, homes and villas, to suit all budgets and travel occasions. In 2019, Agoda added a flight product and packages to help make travel even easier.

Headquartered in Singapore, Agoda is part of Booking Holdings (Nasdaq: BKNG) and employs more than 4,000 staff in 30 countries. Agoda.com and the Agoda mobile app are available in 39 languages.

For more information, please contact [email protected]

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