CEO Matt Keezer: FlightHub’s Most Popular US Destinations

The numbers are in for FlightHub’s top US destinations for the 2015/2016 holiday season! In all, 12 US destinations appeared in the top 50 according to FlightHub CEO Matt Keezer, saying “US destinations always do well during the holidays due to US consumers travel habits,” adding “whether for business, pleasure, or family reasons, US consumers tend to be very active at this time of year.”

Before we get to the numbers for the holidays, it’s important to recognize how important the tourism industry is to the US economy. According to the US Travel Association, the tourism industry contributed $2.1 trillion to the US economy in 2014, supporting 15 million jobs either in the travel industry or directly tied to it. This accounted for 2.7 per cent of the US’ gross domestic product, generating $141.5 billion in tax revenues for the country. Needless to say, tourism is a massively important industry in the United States.

Now, onto the numbers. The top travel destination in the US this year was Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Fort Lauderdale is a critical artery in Florida’s tourism industry, as many travelers use this airport to get to huge attractions like Disney World in Orlando, and the beaches of Miami. This destination accounted for 2.75 per cent of all of FlightHub’s holiday bookings. The next four destinations are no-brainers, with Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, and Phoenix rounding out the top five. In all, these destinations accounted for nearly 9 per cent of all holiday bookings.

Matt Keezer believes there are a number of reasons why these cities routinely perform near the top, saying “Los Angeles and New York represent a lot of family travel as students, children, and parents reconnect over the holidays,” adding “both Orlando and Phoenix better represent the snowbird movement, with older travelers relocating for the Winter months.”

Rounding out the remaining seven destinations in the top 50 were Miami, San Francisco, Honolulu, Tampa, Las Vegas, Kahului, and Fort Myers.