London, Paris, and Toronto have emerged as the most popular international destinations among US travelers, according to a new ranking by online booking site Hotels.com.
Though the European capitals are perennial favorites among US travelers, and Toronto an easy destination for east coast Americans thanks to proximity, the list also reveals a growing trend: the increasing popularity of Latin American destinations.
A closer look at the 50 Most Popular Destinations for Americans report shows that many of the big movers and shakers on the list are found in Latin America.
During the first half of 2014, for instance, Mexico City, Cancun, Panama City, Bogota and Sao Paulo all climbed four spots from 2013.
Newcomers to the list this year include Puerta Vallarta, Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) and Lima, Peru — often described as the gastronomic capital of Latin America.
Recently at the World Travel Awards Latin America — billed as the Oscars of the travel industry — Peru snagged a slew of awards including leading culinary, cultural and heritage destination.
The event also named Quito, Ecuador Latin America’s leading destination.
Meanwhile, Seoul, South Korea was the biggest mover on Hotels.com’s list of the most popular destinations among Americans, jumping six spots to #23.
Predictably, New York was the top destination for foreign tourists to the US, followed by Las Vegas and Orlando.
But it seems that foreigners are also getting wind of the beautiful beaches of Clearwater, Florida, as it climbed 12 spots on the list of most popular cities for international visitors.
Last year, readers of USA Today named Clearwater Beach the best beach town in Florida.
Likewise, Brooklyn, New York climbed an impressive eight spots in the ranking.
