As beach vacations dwindle and the summer comes to a close, Hotels.com has identified the most popular destinations for travelers in the first half of 2014 with insights from the Hotel Price Index (HPI). By examining the top popular travel destinations for U.S. international travelers, and the top U.S. destinations for foreign visitors, the HPI is also able to forecast popular destinations for the rest of the year and beyond.
For U.S. travelers, Latin America is trending on the 50 Most Popular International Cities for Americans list and is likely to continue its heightened popularity through the rest of the year and into 2015.
New to the list by Hotels.Com is the resort town of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, which fell off the list in 2012. Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican beach resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean’s BahÃa de Banderas and frequently visited by celebrities looking for a private hideaway.
Many other Latin American cities are experiencing considerable developments in their hospitality sectors as well. During the first half of 2014, Mexico City (#16) and Cancun (#20) ascended four spots, while Panama City (#35) and Bogota (#38) each boosted their popularity ranking by four positions. This year also marks the debut of Lima (#44) on the list of 50 Most Popular International Cities for Americans.
With five Mexican cities dominating the Latin American contingent, it is clear that the country’s efforts to rebound from the unfavorable spotlight over the past few years are making considerable traction. As the tourist board’s “Live It to Believe It” marketing campaign continues to saturate the airwaves and attract new visitors, Americans may opt to further explore the cultural offerings of other Mexican cities.
