With millions of Americans planning their 2024 vacation, we're tracking a growing travel trend that can save you money. It’s called dupe destinations.
Casey Carr is the vice president of Sharon Carr Travel. He's been following emerging travel trends post-pandemic, starting with these so-called "dupe" trips.
"It's been a theme on TikTok in the past years,” Carr said. “It means duplicate destinations."
The concept focuses on budget travel by trading out a popular destination for somewhere with a similar feel that's cheaper. For example, visiting Montreal instead of Paris. "It's basically French,” the Texas-based travel agent said. “All the street signs are French. Everybody speaks French. It's sort of a mini-France right here on our own shores."
Other examples include Toronto instead of New York, Portugal instead of Italy, or the Philippines instead of Japan. Carr says there are a lot of economic destinations available right now, which is good news for Americans planning to travel this year.
Airfare, hotel stays, and even car rentals are significantly cheaper compared to 2023, with prices leveling off after several years of surging costs.
Carr recommends considering your options, then hiring a travel agent instead of booking online to avoid unwanted surprises when visiting an unfamiliar area. "We see people get bit with things like that all the time," he said. "There's no cost typically to use a travel agent."
If you do plan to travel in the coming months, you won't be alone. The International Air Transport Association estimates 4.7 billion people will take a trip this year, breaking the pre-pandemic record.