#TakeMeBack: International tourists can't wait to return to these New Zealand destinations. Photo / Tim Marshall, Unsplash
#TakeMeBack: International tourists can't wait to return to these New Zealand destinations. Photo / Tim Marshall, Unsplash
While the world's jetset have been grounded by various Covid-related travel restrictions, there is one destination where people continue to flock: Instagram.
The popular social media platform shows there is plenty of pent up desire to travel among would-be tourists. A study of intention from 208,362 social media posts by US travellers has revealed the top destinations that they are missing the most.
The study by payday loans company CashNetUSA counted the frequency of the hashtag #TakeMeBack on posts since March to show the top destinations in the minds of would-be tourists.
The Hobbiton Film Set is one of New Zealand's top destinations for international tourists. Photo / Greg Nunes, Unsplash
The pyramids of Giza, Egypt comes at number 1, which has almost twice the number of tags of Bali, in second place. Santorini, Disneyworld Florida and the Eiffel Tower made up the rest of the top five.
However, New Zealand was not overlooked.
Unsurprisingly, Milford Sound is the destination most missed by US tourists, followed by Hobbiton in Matamata. However, Waiheke Island and Mt Maunganui also make the top ten.
The NZ destinations international tourists miss most
1. Milford Sound, Fiordland 2. Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, Waikato 3. Lake Pukaki, Canterbury 4. Turoa, Manawatu-Wanganui 5. Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve, Waikato 6. Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, Canterbury 7. Abel Tasman National Park, Tasman 8. Waiheke Island, Auckland 9. Mount Maunganui, Bay Of Plenty 10. Roys Peak, Otago
Milford Sound in Fiordland is unsurprisingly New Zealand's most missed destination. Photo / Daniel Buckle, Unsplash
While Americans can't wait to get travelling again, not everyone is as eager for international tourism to take off.
In Europe ambassadors to the EU have considered keeping their borders closed to US tourists when Coronavirus travel restrictions are eased on July 1.
On Tuesday the New York Times reported that some EU officials had expressed concern over the US's high infection rates. The US would need a majority of the 27 member states to vote in favour of opening borders to allow trans-Atlantic travel.
The bloc has said it will have a staged re-opening, with priority given to non-member states in Europe.
Waiheke Island is among New Zealand's 10 most missed destinations for inbound tourists. Photo / Sebastien Goldbeg, Unsplash
The world's most Instagrammed hotels
In a separate study of Instagram behaviour, company Inkifi claims to have identified the world's most glamorous hotels. While hoteliers around the world have been struggling during the pandemic, there is still a glamour attached to these buildings.
The list is dominated by properties in the US, Dubai and Singapore.
The Burj al Arab in Dubai is officially the world's most Instagrammed hotel. Photo / Supplied, Inkifi
Comparing the number of hashtag posts to the price per-night, the Burj Al Arab Jumeirahurj Al Arab in Dubai towers above the rest for social media fame with (1.8 million posts). This includes the neighbouring hotel Atlantis (340,000 posts) on the artificial Palm island and the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa. However, the seven-star super hotel is also the by far the most expensive on the list, at $1880 a night.
The most economical Insta-famous hotel would be Cesar's Palace in Las Vegas (1.56 million posts). With rooms from $146 a night, that's an impressive 10,714 posts per dollar.
The Ceaser's Palace is a favourite location for Instagrammers. Photo / Supplied, Inkifi
In a separate study by Inkifi of national parks and Instagram-famous attractions, Tongariro National Park was found to be the most tagged park in New Zealand with 127,882 posts.
