Lost on where to take the family come Yuletide? These are the most popular destinations. Photo / Shutterstock
Lost on where to take the family come Yuletide? These are the most popular destinations. Photo / Shutterstock
A festive-themed map has shed light on the most popular places around the world that people want to visit come Christmas 2023 - and the number one is no shocker.
The map, generated using Google search data for common Christmas travel-related keywords, revealed where some across the globe would prefer to spend the festive holidays, and it appears London is the top spot come Yuletide.
Searches such as “Christmas in London” and “things to do in London for Christmas” are ranked the highest in 20 countries such as Spain, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand, reports the Daily Mail.
Vienna in Austria is the second most-searched city, nabbing number one spot in 15 countries, including Italy, Germany, and the US.
Sharing bronze is New York City and Paris (the top searches in eight countries each) closely followed by Budapest (top in six countries); Madrid and Prague (joint fifth and topping three countries); and Brussels and Tokyo (joint sixth with two top searches).
Completing the global ranking in joint seventh are three German cities - Berlin, Munich and Nuremberg. Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Strasbourg all make top searches in one country each.
Make the most of Christmas in the colder hemisphere and fly to London for a winter holiday. Photo / Getty Images
The map was made by Cloudwards.net, a website that analyses software and privacy tools, and revealed the most popular Christmas locations according to social media platforms and Google search volume data.
The searches suggest that Europeans usually opt for nearby destinations, such as Vienna and Budapest.
For UK nationals, Prague is the go-to Christmas vacation spot, while the French set their sights on Brussels. For Portuguese locals, Paris the the ultimate festive escape while Austrians like to make the trip to Nuremberg for the holidays.
In stark contrast, the data reveals that many Canadian, US and Australian holidaymakers are happy to travel far from home for the perfect Christmas getaway.
Another map, honing into US data, shows that a majority of the states would choose a European Christmas, with Vienna nabbing the top spot in 26 states.
Vienna in Austria is the second most-searched city, nabbing number one spot in 15 countries including Italy, Germany, and the U.S.
States such as California, Kansas and Florida all had the Austrian city at the top of their lists, with Quebec City, Paris and Barcelona also proving popular for the holidays.
In the Southern Hemisphere, London is the popular choice, earning the most searches in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, as well as Indonesia and Paraguay.
Cloudwards.net said of the findings: “London, Vienna, Paris, Budapest and New York City are among the most sought-after Christmas holiday destinations, thanks to their irresistible festive charm.
“Though European cities take the lead, New York City has its own special festive vibe that attracts people from around the world.
“While many countries, including Japan, favour spending Christmas in European cities such as Vienna and Paris, others, including Jordan and Thailand, are drawn to the wonderfully quirky Tokyo.”
