Holiday Travel On The Rise: More Americans Bite On The Big Apple And Mexico Takes The (Fruit)Cake

RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans are traveling for the holidays more than ever, according to Allianz Global Assistance's Top 10 Holiday Destinations survey. After analyzing 3.3 million flight itineraries*, the travel insurance and assistance company discovered a 24 percent increase over last year, and a 42 percent increase from 2017.

After reviewing plans for travel from December 19 to December 27, 2019, Allianz Global Assistance revealed that holiday favorites New York City and Cancun continue to reign as the top domestic and international destinations. Almost half of the top 10 international destinations are in Mexico, proving once again that American travelers prefer beaches and breezes over ice and snow for their holiday getaways.

The Top 10 Holiday Destinations list featured two newcomers this year: Las Vegas, Nevada appears at #8 in the domestic rankings and Toronto, Canada debuts at #10 for international. Aruba, which has appeared the last two years at #10 for international destinations, jumps three places to #7 while Nassau, Bahama rose to #2 from fourth place last year, the first year it appeared in the Top 10 International Holiday Destinations list. 

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (#9) reappears on Allianz's Top 10 International Holiday Destinations list for the first time since 2016, with a 28 percent increase in American travelers from last year. Consistent with Allianz Global Assistance's 2019 Top 10 Thanksgiving Destination Index, which revealed the Dominican Republic as the top international destination among American travelers, the findings come at a critical time for the Dominican Republic's tourism industry which saw a significant decline earlier this year.

"The holiday season can be the most wonderful time of the year but harsh weather, illness and delays can make traveling a stressful experience especially, as our survey unwrapped, when 24 percent more Americans are flying," said Daniel Durazo, director of marketing and communications for Allianz Global Assistance USA. "Whether you're jumping in a sleigh ride or soaking up the sun, give yourself the gift of peace of mind and buy trip protection when you book your travel."

The official Top 10 international destinations in order of popularity are Cancun, Nassau, San Jose Del Cabo, London, Montego Bay, Mexico City, Aruba, Puerto Vallarta, Santo Domingo, and Toronto.

For the fourth consecutive year, New York City is the number one domestic destination, followed by Orlando, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta, Seattle, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis. Las Vegas appeared on the top 10 domestic list for the first time this year, with travel to the destination increasing 44 percent, knocking San Francisco out of the ranking.

Allianz Global Assistance offers travel insurance** through most major U.S. airlines, leading travel agents, online travel agencies and directly to consumers. For more information on Allianz Global Assistance and the policies offered for travelers, please visit: http://www.allianztravelinsurance.com.

*Methodology: The data of U.S. travelers' 2019 holiday travel plans was gathered by analyzing the number of travelers who went through the online booking process of airfare and package paths for partners offering Allianz   Global   Assistance   travel   to   generate   itineraries   for   flights   departing   from  US  airports during 12/19/2019 -12/26/2019 and returning 12/20/2019-12/27/2019, compared to the total ticket counts of travelers in 2017 and 2018 departing from the same U.S. airports during the peak holiday travel season. In total, 3.3 million itineraries were analyzed using this methodology.

About Allianz Global Assistance 
Allianz Global Assistance is a leading consumer specialty insurance** and assistance company with operation centers in 35 countries. In the United States, Allianz Global Assistance USA (AGA Service Company) serves 40 million customers annually and is best known for its Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans. In addition to travel insurance, Allianz Global Assistance USA offers tuition insurance, event ticket protection, registration protection for endurance events and unique travel assistance services such as international medical assistance and concierge services. The company also serves as an outsource provider for in-bound call center services and claims administration for property and casualty insurers and credit card companies.

**Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply to all plans. Plans are available only to U.S. residents. Not all plans are available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and limits vary by plan. For a complete description of the coverage and benefit limits offered under your specific plan, carefully review your plan's Letter of Confirmation/Declarations and Certificate of Insurance/Policy. Insurance coverage is underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: Oakbrook Terrace, IL), rated "A‐" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: Richmond, VA), rated "A+" (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101‐C series or 101‐P series, depending on state of residence. AGA Service Company d/b/a Allianz Global Assistance is the licensed producer and administrator of Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans in the U.S. and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. Allianz Global Assistance, TravelSmart, and AgentSmart are marks of AGA Service Company or its affiliates.  The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between Allianz Global Assistance and Jefferson Insurance Company. Noninsurance benefits/products are provided and serviced by Allianz Global Assistance. SmartBenefits proactive payments and "no receipts" payments available only on certain plans.  For plans that include proactive payments:  when you opt in and provide flight information, Allianz Global Assistance will monitor flights and send flight status and benefit alerts, including alerts about flight delays that qualify for automated travel delay payments.  Standard message/data rates apply to SMS alerts.  Automated claims and payment system availability is not guaranteed and is subject to our sole discretion.  All claims subject to policy terms, conditions, and exclusions. 

SOURCE Allianz Global Assistance

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