San Juan ranks 4th among world’s ‘top emerging destinations’
San Juan, Puerto Rico has ranked fourth in a survey of the world’s “top emerging destinations” commissioned by travel company Skyscanner, earning the distinction of being the “micro escape” place of choice.
Skyscanner’s “2020 Travel Trends Report,” which pulls data from more than 100 million monthly users, found that 2020 will be the year of “slowing down, savoring new foods and traveling sustainably.”
San Juan is defined as a “great option for short, quick, achievable breaks for those that say they’re too busy. It’s about peppering short trips throughout the year to take a breather without having to sacrifice family time or work commitments.”
“As a Caribbean island, Puerto Rico is well-known for its striking beaches and panoramic seascapes. The island is also still healing from the destruction that Hurricane María brought in 2017,” the company confirmed. “Tourism dollars are helping this destination recover and get back on the map as one of the trending travel destinations.”
Skyscanner crunched the numbers from the past two years to find the top nine up-and-coming destinations that are seeing increased tourism from travelers in the U.S. mainland.
San Juan reflected a 40% year-over-year growth in bookings on the Skyscanner travel site that pointed out, among other things, that “U.S. travelers are visiting Spanish-speaking destinations more frequently. In fact, they make up almost half of our emerging destinations list.”
Asheville, North Carolina topped the list, followed by Accra, Ghana and Madrid, Spain. San Juan was followed by Marrakech, Morocco, São Paulo, Brazil, Tokyo, Japan, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Panama City, Panama, that lured travelers with their local gastronomy, sustainable tourism and “slow travel, which emphasizes the need to connect with a destination, travel companions and a more leisurely way of living,” Skyscanner confirmed.
In the survey, Skyscanner suggested visitors to the island explore the El Yunque National Forest, the Arecibo Observatory and take a “stroll through Santurce in San Juan to see the murals that some of the world’s most talented street artists have created.”
Skyscanner describes itself as a service that helps more than 100 million people in 52 countries and in more than 30 languages find the best travel options for flights, hotels and car rental every month.
