School's out, summer is here; Agoda shares where independent travelers are heading

SINGAPORE - Agoda, one of the fastest growing online travel agents (OTA), revealed the top trending summer travel spots, globally, for independent travelers in 2018. 

The allure of Japan with its combination of unique culture, temples, mountains and beaches, proves too much to resist as Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa and Kyoto all feature in the top ten Asia Pacific destinations this summer.

In Europe, independent travelers are seeking out the historical and contemporary sights and sounds of the region's great cities with cosmopolitan London (England), Paris (France), and Rome (Italy) taking the top three spots. Italy's fashion favorite Milan and romantic Venice also feature in the top ten, after Barcelona (Spain) and Amsterdam (Netherlands). Moscow (Russia) comes in as the 9th top destination for the summer of 2018, most likely boosted by the football matches in this spectacular city. 

American cities Las Vegas, New York and Los Angeles are the top three picks for North American travel this summer, with beach destinations Oahu and Orlando sitting in the top ten among other great destinations such as Chicago, San Francisco and Toronto (Canada). Agoda's top Central and South American hotspots are Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), Cusco (Peru), Lima (Peru), Nassau, (Bahamas) and Buenos Aires, (Argentina).

"Worldwide, we are seeing that the diversity and vibrancy offered by cities holds real appeal for independent travelers this summer. These travelers are looking to explore more than just the usual tourist sights, instead they like to immerse themselves in local neighborhoods to really experience the city, off-the-beaten-track.  Through Agoda they get to choose from a great range of hotels, apartments or villas at any budget, and the Agoda app highlights great things to do and places to see in their neighborhood," explained John Brown, CEO, Agoda. 

Summer travel facts:

• Bali is the top Asia Pacific destination for UK travelers
• Australians are the biggest international travelers to Bali, followed by South Koreans, Chinese, Singaporean and Malaysian travelers
• Top summer destinations for Taiwanese independent travelers are Tokyo, Okinawa, Osaka, Kyoto and Seoul, and they are the top travelers by origin to each of these destinations
• American travelers' top three Asia Pacific destinations are Tokyo, Kyoto and Bangkok
• Most popular African destinations are the Seychelles, Johannesburg (South Africa), Durban (South Africa), Mauritius and Cape Town (South Africa)
• Dubai tops Middle East travel followed by Medina and Mecca, which receive huge numbers of pilgrims for Hajj (19-24 August 2018)
• Despite being the Southern Hemisphere winter, Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast are in the top five Pacific Ocean destinations and still receive their fair share of tourists during the June to August period. Guam and Saipan also feature.

Top Destinations by Region