How Top Travel Destinations Have Been Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic

It’s clear by now that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a devastating blow to international travel, but research from travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth sheds new light on just how hard the impact has been.

a castle like building in a city: Aerial panoramic cityscape view of Paris, France with the Eiffel tower on a fall day (encrier / iStock / Getty Images Plus)

© encrier / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Aerial panoramic cityscape view of Paris, France with the Eiffel tower on a fall day (encrier / iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Analyzing travel insurance policies purchased through Squaremouth over the past year (September 12, 2019 – September 11, 2020) for all future travel and comparing the six months prior to the pandemic (September 12, 2019 – March 11, 2020) to the six months since it was declared (March 12, 2020 – September 11, 2020), the site found that international trips account for only 47 percent of all insured travel over the last six months compared to 86 percent before the start of the pandemic.

The United States is the only top destination to experience an increase in travelers for trips booked amidst the coronavirus crisis (plus-7.48 percent) as Americans still feel most comfortable taking domestic getaways. The remaining nine top destinations in the six months prior to the pandemic have all seen dramatic dropoffs by comparison:

—Mexico (minus-75.15 percent)

—Italy (minus-93.89 percent)

—France (minus-90.78 percent)

—Canada (minus-74.92 percent)

—Spain (minus-93.16 percent)

—United Kingdom (minus-84.27 percent)

—Bahamas (minus-83.53 percent)

—Israel (minus-86.55 percent)

—Costa Rica (minus-91.64 percent)

Squaremouth has also seen a significant change in the top 10 international destinations since the pandemic began as travel restrictions in places like Europe continue to limit the places Americans can go. Since March, more travelers are targeting accessible destinations like Mexico and the Caribbean, with destinations like the U.S. Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos and Jamaica overtaking European favorites such as Italy, Spain and Germany.

Fortunately, earlier data from Squaremouth found that Americans do want to travel internationally in 2021, with 65 percent of trips booked for next year being to international destinations.

Gallery: The Most Google Searched Destinations for a Post-Lockdown Vacation (TravelPulse)

Table of Contents

Where the World Wants to Go

Leading online visa application and assistance processing firm Official-esta.com recently used the Google Keyword Planner tool to find the countries that people are most looking forward to traveling to for a post-lockdown getaway using terms such as “Flights to Destination X” and “Holidays in Destination X.” Here are the 10 garnering the most interest heading into the final third of 2020.

10. Australia

It should come as no surprise that travelers can’t wait to visit Down Under. With 1,174,920 annual global searches, Australia edges out nearby New Zealand and China to kick off the top 10. Nonetheless, the nation has yet to fully reopen to tourism.

9. Japan

Despite strict travel restrictions, Japan continues to be on the minds of travelers around the globe, tallying 1,257,360 annual global searches. The country was supposed to be buzzing this summer as host of the 2020 Olympic Games but instead reported just 3,800 visitors in July, marking a year-on-year decline of 99.9 percent for the fourth consecutive month.

8. Turkey

Turkey reopened its borders to travelers this summer, a decision that has likely boosted interest in the transcontinental nation. According to Official-esta.com’s research, Turkey is the eighth-most-searched country with 1,459,920 annual global searches based on data pulled from August 2020.

7. Greece

Greece was one of the first countries to reopen to foreign tourists this summer and finds itself firmly in the top 10 of the most sought-after destinations for a post-lockdown vacation with 1,468,440 annual global searches.

5. Spain

One of the world’s most-visited countries in terms of international tourists, Spain remains a coveted escape, picking up well over 1.5 million annual global searches, according to Official-esta.com’s Google Search Volume data. The European hotspot was among the many to resume tourism this summer but remains off limits to Americans heading into the fall.

4. Thailand

Thailand is always a favorite among international travelers but the beloved Asian country has been closed to foreign visitors this summer amid fears that it could remain shutdown through the remainder of 2020. Fortunately, officials have been considering health and safety programs that could permit a reopening as soon as October.

3. Mexico

Mexico continues to be one of the most accessible international destinations for Americans in the time of COVID-19, with popular tourist areas such as Los Cabos and Riviera Maya having been open to U.S. travelers for months. Many of the country’s beautiful beaches have since followed suit. Mexico’s 1,722,360 searches per year are good enough for third-most in the world.

2. The Maldives

The Maldives reopened its borders to travel on July 15, much to the delight of eager travelers hoping to return to the South Asian island nation’s world-class beaches and breathtaking overwater bungalows.

1. Italy

Italy was one of the countries hit hardest by the coronavirus crisis but remains as alluring as ever, based on Google search data, garnering nearly 2 million annual global searches (1,939,440), which is more than 140,000 higher than the second-ranked Maldives.

11/11 SLIDES