Most Searched Travel Destinations of 2023, According to Google

Whenever I plan a trip, my first step is to Google the destination. As Dinogo’s SEO specialist and search enthusiast, I’m not alone—over 8.5 billion searches occur on Google daily. Analyzing this vast data gives insight into our shared travel aspirations and answers questions like, “Which destinations were the hottest in 2023?”

Using Google’s Destinations Insights tool, which analyzes travel-related searches to gauge interest in specific areas, I set out to uncover the answers. I focused on searches conducted within the United States from January 1, 2023, to December 1, 2023, filtering for accommodation-related queries only to exclude air travel searches from international travelers returning home. This tool doesn’t differentiate between business and leisure travel, so the following lists reflect a mix of both.

While searches don’t always translate to actual bookings, they provide a glimpse into where travelers are most keen to explore. Here are the 10 cities and 10 countries that U.S. travelers looked up the most in 2023.

The most popular cities searched overall

In 2023, U.S. searchers frequently googled trips to these 10 cities more than any others. Unsurprisingly, many travelers opted for destinations closer to home, with locations in the USA, Mexico, and Dominican Republic dominating the top 10 list.

1. Las Vegas
2. New York City
3. Chicago
4. Los Angeles
5. Orlando
6. Cancún, Mexico
7. Nashville
8. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
9. San Diego
10. New Orleans

The most-searched international cities

When focusing solely on international destinations, the list changes significantly. While cities in Mexico and the Caribbean remain popular, iconic locations around the globe also feature. In 2023, these were the most-searched international cities by U.S. travelers:

1. Cancún, Mexico
2. London, England
3. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
4. Paris, France
5. Rome, Italy
6. Tokyo, Japan
7. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
8. Dubai, UAE
9. Barcelona, Spain
10. Playa del Carmen, Mexico

According to the tool, which classifies San Juan, Puerto Rico, as an international destination, it ranked as the 10th most-searched international city. However, if we categorize U.S. territories as domestic, Playa del Carmen in Mexico claims the 10th position.

The most-searched countries

Continuing our exploration of international travel, here are the 10 countries that garnered the most searches in 2023:

1. Mexico
2. Dominican Republic
3. United Kingdom
4. Canada
5. Italy
6. France
7. Japan
8. Spain
9. India
10. Thailand

It’s worth noting that Google’s Destination Insights tool lists Puerto Rico as the 10th most-searched country. If we treat U.S. territories as domestic, then Thailand takes the 10th spot for countries, while Puerto Rico remains at number 10 otherwise.