Where Does the World Want to Go for Christmas in 2024?

The advent of the Christmas holidays brings a touch of magic to many peoples’ year. For some, it’s a chance to cozy up at home and sip on hot cocoa — or something stronger. Others fantasize about the warm glow of Christmas markets surrounded by snow-draped, half-timbered houses. Read on to learn where the world wants to go for Christmas in 2024. 

Our 2023 Christmas destinations post revealed London to be the most sought-after place to spend Christmas globally, while Vienna was the favorite for Americans. Branson, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois, were the most searched for U.S. travelers longing to stay closer to home. 

To see whether anything has changed, we gathered and analyzed 2024 search data related to Christmas travel spots globally (across 69 countries) and for U.S. travelers both at home and abroad. This post spills the tea — or mulled wine — on what we discovered. 

Key Findings: Dreaming of the Best Places to Spend Christmas

• Worldwide ranking: Once again, London is the most desirable place to go for Christmas based on worldwide search data, followed by Vienna.
• Worldwide ranking changes: This year, Prague edges ahead into third place in the worldwide ranking. This may indicate a growing interest in cities that offer a blend of traditional Christmas atmosphere and affordability. 
• International travel destinations (U.S.): Vienna remains the most intriguing international Christmas destination for those in the U.S. 
• In the U.S. international ranking, Quebec City and Paris are in second and third place, respectively. Search data suggests that Quebec City in particular is growing in popularity with Americans, especially those in the Northeast. 
• Best places to spend Christmas in the U.S.: Leavenworth, Washington, joins Branson, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois, in the top spot for U.S. travelers. 

Where the World Wants to Spend Christmas

Worldwide Holiday Planning: The Best Places to Go for Christmas

Worldwide

Global Christmas Travel Trends

Several European cities make it to the ranking of dream Christmas travel destinations, indicating that many are drawn to the idea of a traditional, winter wonderland-style holiday season. 

After all, it’s easy to understand the temptation — just imagine the smell of candied almonds and mulled wine emanating from Christmas market stalls while hunting for homemade candles and crafts on a frosty night. 

Some dream of experiencing all this, but in a less traditionally festive location: Tokyo. Tokyo is famous for making sure visitors get their fill of Christmas decorations, lights and markets while also encouraging them to indulge in the city’s quirky and creative culture. 

European Christmas Travel Trends

Our data reveals a clear trend of those in European countries more interested in staying in Europe for Christmas. For example, a few European countries, like Austria, Germany and Cyprus, dream of Eastern European cities like Prague and Budapest. 

This suggests that Europeans’ love of Christmas tradition remains strong, but also that many don’t want to embark on long journeys during this time. In other examples of this trend, the Netherlands’ top location is Amsterdam, while France and Luxembourg yearn for nearby Brussels. Swedes are interested in popping over to Copenhagen. 

Christmas Travel Trends Elsewhere

The trend of enjoying the Christmas spirit close to home is also prevalent in Asia. Shanghai is the dream Christmas vacation for people in Taiwan, while those in South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong dream of Tokyo. Japan breaks the mold, with Prague topping the list. For Morocco, Paris — only a few hours away by plane — is a much searched-for destination. 

That said, not everyone seems to mind traveling far and wide for some of the best places to visit during Christmas. Several countries in the Middle East, including Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, show an interest in places like Vienna, London and Prague. Australia, the U.S. and Canada are also fans of faraway Vienna. 

In Latin American countries, most search data is for London, though New York City is popular in Honduras, Uruguay and Chile. Both London and New York City are famed for their cultural diversity, as are Latin American countries, indicating that those in Latin America may have a special affinity for “melting pot” destinations.

Why Do People Want to Go to London for Christmas?

London is one of the most beloved cities for yuletide merrymaking, as it transforms into a true winter wonderland at this time of year. This is especially the case if you head to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, which has Christmas decorations, ice skating rinks, illuminations, markets and shows galore. 

In addition to Hyde Park, popular spots include the Covent Garden Christmas market; the illuminations at Kew Gardens, Carnaby Street and Oxford Street; and Somerset House for ice skating. You can also pop over to Hamley’s to meet Santa Claus in his grotto if you have kids. 

Where Americans Want to Go for Christmas Around the World

Top Worldwide Christmas Vacation Ideas for Americans

U.S. — Top International Destinations

Best International Places for Americans to Visit During Christmas

Similar to 2023, current search data shows that Vienna is the most popular city for Americans thinking of getting into the holiday spirit overseas, followed by Quebec City. The top three are the same as in 2023, but London and Rome share fourth place this year instead of Barcelona, with Rome being a newcomer to the list. 

We noticed a special affinity for both Paris and Vienna down South, with five states for each, including Missouri. However, in the Northeast, all states search for Quebec City the most, which reinforces the preference for not traveling too far for Christmas vacation. 

Why Americans Might Want to Go to Vienna for the Christmas Season

Vienna has been crowned the world’s most liveable city three years in a row. The city is celebrated for its rich culture, history, music and architecture, so it’s no wonder so many are enchanted by it. At Christmas, though, the city really outdoes itself. 

Vienna’s infamous Christmas market tradition dates back to the Middle Ages. Modern revelers can seek out hand-crafted soaps, candles, fragrances, jewelry and ceramics against magnificent backdrops like Belvedere Palace and Schönbrunn Palace before warming up with hot punch or munching on typical “Stollen” or roasted chestnuts. 

Vienna’s magnificent but classy Christmas setup and warm, festive atmosphere, coupled with the city’s magical blend of historical and contemporary, may represent the idea of the perfect European Christmas for Americans. 

Best Places to Go for Christmas in USA

Top Cities to Visit for Christmas in USA

U.S. — Top U.S. Destinations

Best Bucket-List Places to Go for Christmas in USA

Three places tie as the best cities for Christmas for those in the U.S.: Leavenworth, Washington; Chicago, Illinois; and Branson, Missouri. This marks a change from 2023, when the latter two cities were at the top and Leavenworth was in third place. 

In second place this year, Boston, Massachusetts, pushes ahead of Helen, Georgia, whereas last year, they were in joint third place behind Leavenworth. New York City retains a spot near the top of the ranking, tying for third place with Helen. 

In keeping with the pattern of people in some regions liking to stay close to home for Christmas, the top three places are the top preference for the states surrounding them. For example, Leavenworth, Washington, is the favorite of nearby Oregon, Idaho and Montana, while Chicago, Illinois, is the preference for Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin. 

We saw the same trend with Illinois, Oklahoma and Kansas, all of which dream of heading next door to Branson, Missouri. 

Why Do Americans Want to Visit Leavenworth, Chicago & Branson for Christmas?

These three cities are renowned for their holiday cheer. Leavenworth, Washington, is a quaint, Bavarian-style village famous for its lights (from Thanksgiving to the end of February) and family-friendly Christmas activities. In 2024, these include carols and other musical performances, a gingerbread house exhibition, festive snacks, crafts and more. 

Frosty Chicago, Illinois, is another favorite for its festive cheer. During December, the big city is packed with holiday decorations, Christmas lights and markets, and you can admire the famous Chicago Christmas Tree. 

Branson, Missouri, is known for having some of the best Christmas decorations and lights in the U.S. and for festive hotspots like Silver Dollar City. Activities such as taking the Polar Express, watching a live show and visiting the gingerbread village are also draws, especially for families. 

Holiday Dream Travel Trends: Year-Over-Year Comparison

Though some locations have retained their top spots this year, we noticed a few interesting changes. Firstly, in 2024, the distance between the top two preferred places to vacation for Christmas worldwide is smaller. 

London is only three points ahead of Vienna this year, with 24 and 21 points, respectively, whereas in 2023, Vienna was five points behind. This suggests that intrigue around Vienna is growing. We may see it take over as the top international Christmas destination in the years to come. 

We also noticed that Prague, which was in joint fifth place with Madrid in 2023, has moved into third place in 2024, suggesting a growing interest in destinations that offer a blend of festive spirit and affordability. 

New York City and Paris have both dropped in the ranking, while Tokyo has edged into fourth place, suggesting that trends may be changing. Nevertheless, London and Vienna are still light-years ahead of the competition. 

Year-Over-Year Comparison: U.S. 

For Americans, Vienna is still the most sought-after place to go during Christmas, but the gap between Vienna and Quebec City — once again in second place — is closing. There are only six points between them this year, compared to 18 points in 2023. This is a huge change, and interest in Quebec City is especially strong in the Northeast. 

There have also been changes regarding U.S. cities. Leavenworth joined Chicago and Branson at the top, and Boston is now in second place, ahead of Helen and New York City — home to the Rockefeller Center. These two cities were tied for third place in 2023. Las Vegas, which was in fourth place in 2023, is now towards the bottom of the ranking. 

Addressing Holiday Scams

Whether you decide to jet off and celebrate Christmas in a faraway land or remain at home, it’s important to be wary of potential holiday scams. Holiday scams take various forms, but they can include: 

• Fake travel websites (flights, trains, etc.)
• Fake vacation rental offers
• Fake online stores
• Donation scams
• Phishing

Unfortunately, the holiday season is a scammer’s dream — people are spending more money and may be feeling especially generous. If you don’t know what to look out for, you could be tricked into donating to fake charities or paying for flights that don’t exist. With that in mind, let’s go over some tips to avoid falling victim to scams:

• Don’t click links from unrecognized senders or engage with the senders of these messages.
• Research businesses or charities that contact you to make sure they’re genuine.
• Use charities’ official websites for donations.
• Stick to known and secure payment platforms.
• Watch out for travel sites promising discounts that seem too good to be true.
• Look out for signs of scam websites and social media accounts, such as poor grammar and typos, an unprofessional aesthetic, no contact details, URLs missing “HTTPS” and more.
• Use a reliable VPN with anti-phishing features, like NordVPN, to help you identify potential scam sites. VPNs are also ideal for securing your data when using public WiFi networks while traveling and for getting around streaming service geoblocks. 

Methodology & Sources

To create this ranking, we collected 2024 data from various sources, including Christmas destination-themed TikTok videos, and analyzed search volume for keywords like “Christmas in [city],” “Christmas markets in [city]” and “Christmas lights in [city]” using Google’s keyword tool.

To ensure we got the whole picture, we took into account both English searches and searches in countries’ native languages. Some countries and states had to be excluded from the analysis due to a lack of sufficient search data. Once we analyzed the data, we categorized it as follows: 

• International Christmas cities
• Popular U.S. cities for international travel
• Top U.S. Christmas destinations

Armed with this information, we conducted research on the top destinations to find out more about why they’re such desirable Christmas destinations, and analyzed the differences between this year’s results and our results from 2023. 

Final Thoughts

Everyone has their own idea of the perfect Christmas getaway, but one thing is clear: Some cities have so much festive charm that they’re on bucket lists around the world. Though there aren’t huge shifts in the top-ranked positions between 2023 and 2024, there are still enough changes to suggest that Christmas holiday trends are developing year to year. 

What does the ideal Christmas vacation look like to you? Is it watching the National Christmas Tree Lighting on CBS with some hot chocolate, or jetting off to the heart of a frosty, faraway land? Spread some Christmas cheer in the comments and, as always, thanks for reading. 

FAQ: Christmas Vacation Ideas

• Where Should I Go for Christmas?

  If you’re willing to travel, European cities like London, Vienna and Prague are famous for their Christmas spirit. However, if you’re not into following the crowd, there are plenty of hidden-gem Christmas cities not on our ranking. Among the cities some travel bloggers recommend are Vilnius, Lithuania; Riga, Latvia; and Lille, France.

• What Are the Top Christmas Destinations?

  London, Vienna, Quebec City and Prague are among the most popular Christmas cities worldwide and for U.S. travelers abroad. In the U.S., Leavenworth, Washington; Chicago, Illinois; and Branson, Missouri, are the current favorites.

• Where Are the Best Places to Spend Christmas in the USA With Snow?

  According to Visit the USA, Chicago, Illinois; Aspen, Colorado; Door Country, Wisconsin; Taos, New Mexico; and Boston, Massachusetts, are the best places for a white Christmas in the U.S.

• What Is the Most Christmassy Place in the World?

  There are many Christmassy places, but Romanievi, Lapland, in Finland, is called “the official hometown of Santa Claus.”