As travel ramps back up, many people are looking not just to travel but to travel in luxury. A recent study has uncovered the states most likely to desire luxury vacations based on trending search terms.
10 US States in Need of a Luxury Vacation
Ritzy Charters conducted the study using Google Trends data to discover the level of interest in each area for multiple search terms. Terms included ‘luxury vacation,' ‘luxury resort,' and ‘luxury vacation rentals.' They took scores for all 11 terms in each area and then took an average to see which US states needed a luxury vacation most.
East Coast Region on Top
All of the top 10 states ranked in the survey are located on the East Coast of the United States. New York scored the highest with 80.18 points. The survey also notes New York wins the category of ‘luxury villa' searches. These results indicate New Yorkers want to escape to a sunnier and warmer destination.
Next is Florida at 71 points, which achieved the highest scores in ‘luxury cruises' and ‘yachts' despite boasting many luxury resorts and beaches, including Palm Beach. Many high-end cruise lines and luxury yachts have home ports in the Sunshine State, which raises Floridians' awareness of the potential for nautical adventures.
States in Need of a Luxury Vacation Include Connecticut and New Jersey
States adjacent to the Big Apple follow closely, with Connecticut taking third and New Jersey taking fourth. Connecticut scored the highest in searches for ‘luxury vacations,' while New Jersey scored the highest for ‘five-star resorts.' While the top two could specify their ideal trip, Connecticut didn't show a preference but scored highest with the search terms ‘luxury vacation.'
Another adjacent Northeast state, Massachusetts, came in eighth. Its capital, Boston, features five-star hotels, like The Four Seasons, and even a few luxury resorts. However, the study proves that Massachusetts residents are seeking a luxury escape a little further from home.
Southern States Are Searching for Luxury Too
The next three spots move further down the coast, proving that southern hospitality shines through while still catering to luxury travelers. South Carolina scored fifth, scoring high for ‘luxury vacations.' Georgia followed closely behind, demonstrating that the Peach State residents desire ‘luxury vacation rentals.'
Virginia finishes seventh, with adjacent areas Maryland and Washington DC rounding out the list at ninth and tenth. The nation's capital scored highest in the ‘luxury resorts' and ‘yacht charter' categories, which could be due to its high percentage of government officials and diplomats in residence. Maryland scored highest in the ‘luxury vacation' search term category.
Interesting Observations From The Study
“There are many factors that can take your vacation to the next level of luxury, including a five-star hotel, first-class transport, and a spectacular destination – and what's clear in the study is that the East Coast is keen for an extravagant getaway, given that all ten of the areas in the top ten belong to this region,” states a spokesperson for Ritzy Charters.
“However, it's interesting that some states are considering different types of vacations to others, such as New Jersey searching for ‘resorts' while Florida searches for an ‘adventure at sea,'” the spokesperson continues. “It goes to show that you aren't limited for options when you're searching for a luxury escape, and there's something out there for everyone.”
Not All States Are Interested in Luxury
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the results pointed to North Dakota residents as the least interested in a luxury vacation. They scored 1.91 out of 100 for the search terms surrounding a luxury vacation.
Did your state make the list? If it didn't make the list, there weren't enough searches that included the specified terms from your state. However, just because it's not highly searched doesn't mean people aren't discussing it outside the interwebs.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Kelley Dukat is a freelance writer, photographer, and event planner currently based in the United States. She has spent the last year as a nomad traveling and house-sitting. She holds a Journalism degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and previously served as a trade magazine editor. Her favorites include dog-friendly travel, road trips, and nomad life. She is currently working on a memoir and a series of personal essays.