Top 10 tropical destinations Americans want to visit in 2024

January 17, 2024 Queer Forty Staff 5 min read

A new study shows the most desired tropical getaways for U.S. snowbirds for 2024.

New Yorkers show a distinct preference for Brazil, known for its Carnival and Amazon rainforest, as their top tropical destination.

Thailand, which is currently advancing towards same-sex marriage equality legislation, has emerged as the most popular tropical destination in America as a whole, capturing the interest of travelers in 22 states. Costa Rica, known to be LGBTQ-friendly, places second, and Belize is the third most popular tropical destination in America. Jamaica is also on the list, although in that island nation LGBTQ activists such as Maurice Tomlinson are fighting to get a sodomy law repealed that criminalizes consensual sex between same-sex partners.

Ronan McLoughlin, founder of wereviewresorts.com, commented on the findings: “New Yorkers are showing a fascinating trend towards diverse tropical destinations, with Brazil leading the way. This reflects a broader interest in destinations that offer a mix of cultural immersion, natural beauty, and adventure.”

This information is part of a larger study by the all-inclusive review site wereviewresorts.com which analyzed the Google search behaviors of each state to pinpoint which tropical destination was searched for the most. The study looked at the Google search traffic for 156 tropical destination terms across every state in America to discover destinations with tropical climates Americans most want to visit.

Thailand is the tropical destination that Americans most want to visit, generating more than 6,750 Google searches each month from hopeful jetsetters per 100,000 citizens living in the United States. Known as The Land of Smiles, Thailand offers sought-after cultural richness, culinary excitement, and scenic beauty, key features that have secured this Asian country as the most searched-for tropical destination in 22 out of 50 states, including states like North Carolina, Nebraska, and Vermont.

Costa Rica | Photo: Costa Rica Drone Tours

Costa Rica is the second most sought-after tropical destination for Americans seeking a land rich in wildlife, world-class resorts, and stunning national parks. It receives more than 6,124 Google searches per 100,000 American citizens each month. Costa Rica, which literally translates to ‘Rich Coast,’ was the most searched-for tropical destination in ten states, including Alaska, which just so happens to be the coldest state in America, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.

Belize is the third most sought-after destination for Americans looking for a tropical escape and receives more than 5,306 Google searches per 100,000 American residents each month. Belize, the land of the ancient Maya empire, is the most searched-for tropical destination in eight states, including Colorado, Minnesota, and Washington. Belize is also the only English-speaking country in Central America, meaning that asking for directions to landmarks such as the Great Blue Hole or Mayan Ruins is simple.

Brazil is ranked fourth as the tropical destination Americans most want to visit, receiving more than 4,758 monthly Google searches of every 100,000 people living in America. This South American nation, famous for its Carnival and the Amazon rainforest, was the most searched-for tropical destination in New York and featured in the top five most searched-for destinations across 28 states, which include Massachusetts and North Dakota.

The Philippines is America’s fifth most sought-after tropical travel destination, with more than 4,717 out of every 100,000 Americans googling the Asian country every month. The Philippines, comprising more than 7,640 islands, was the most searched-for tropical destination in eight states, including Hawaii, America’s very own tropical paradise, Texas, and North Dakota.

Vietnam places sixth and receives more than 4,413 monthly Google searches for every 100,000 American citizens on average and was the top-searched tropical destination in South Dakota.

The Galapagos Islands are the seventh destination Americans most want to visit, gathering more than 4,272 monthly searches per 100,000 American citizens from people wanting to see the source of Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Cuba is America’s eighth most sought-after tropical destination, garnering over 4,100 monthly Google searches per 100,000 U.S. residents. It is the leading search in Florida and appears in the top five searches for Kentucky. Its appeal includes unique attractions such as the native Bee Hummingbird, the smallest bird in the world, which may interest some of the 45 million bird watchers in the U.S.

Australia ranks ninth as the tropical travel destination that Americans most want to visit and receives more than 3,350 Google searches each month per 100,000 people nationally. The nation’s desire to visit Australia may be tied to a love for all things nature because ‘the land Down Under’ is famous for things like the Great Barrier Reef, which inspired the ocean in the movie Finding Nemo, koalas, and kangaroos.

Peru rounds off the top ten tropical destinations Americans most want to visit, with more than 3,206 out of every 100,000 Americans googling the South American nation each month. The home of Machu Picchu, Nazca Lines, and the native Llama appears in the top five most searched-for destinations in New Jersey.

The most common language spoken in the top ten tropical destinations was Spanish, and the most commonly searched-for continent was South America, which accounted for three destinations, followed closely by Central America, which saw two popular destinations.

This study’s insights on America’s favorite tropical destinations appears to underscore a trend toward immersive travel experiences celebrating local languages and cultures, especially in Spanish-speaking regions.

McLoughlin commented further: “Budding tropical travelers should brush up on their Spanish because the study also showed that 40% of the top ten destinations were Spanish-speaking, making Spanish more common than any other language.”