Rethymno Ranked in Top 10 Budget-friendly Spots for American Travelers

Rethymno, Crete. Photo source: HomeToGo

Rethymno in Crete found to be among the top 10 affordable, upcoming international destinations for U.S travelers due to its low-cost overnight stays and sunny weather, according to a new study from HomeToGo, a vacation rental company.

The company recently released its 2024 Summer Forecast list, revealing the vacation preferences and plans of American travelers for warmer months. The list was created based on recommendations from the company’s online platform and price data.

The Cretan city appears in second place on this list, having seen a “staggering” year-on-year search increase of +717 percent via HomeToGo.com. Additionally, the average overnight stay price in the city is 143 dollars (131.6 euros) for a vacation rental stay this summer.

Tokyo topped the list of destinations, followed by Limerick, Ireland; Vodice, Croatia; Vlorë, Albania; Ferrara, Italy; Münster, Germany; Costa Calma, Spain; Vilnius, Lithuania; and Essaouira, Morocco.

Defining trends and vacation motivations

According to HomeToGo, beach destinations are in high demand, with 70 percent of Americans planning to visit coastal locations this summer. Other motivation factors are city breaks (58 percent), national park and wilderness area retreats (56 percent), mountain escapes (50 percent), and visits to rural towns and communities (42 percent).

Based on the findings, 41 percent of US travelers will travel to attend a music event, with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour leading as the top reason.

Sapporo, Japan. Photo source: HomeToGo

Sports fans are also getting in on the travel action, with 43 percent of Americans taking a vacation to visit a sporting event in summer 2024, notably the UEFA EURO 2024 and Paris Olympics.

Outside of arenas and stadiums, Americans will be embracing the outdoors in summer 2024, with almost half (49%) stating that they have adventure tourism planned for the season ahead. In addition, 47 percent of U.S. travelers are eager to visit tranquil destinations for unplugged experiences, 35 percent indicate an interest in astrotourism, and 32 percent are intrigued by the idea of traveling to experience psychedelics safely or legally.