Cancun Is the Top Travel Destination for Americans This Winter, Followed By Punta Cana
Where are American travelers headed this winter? Well, it’s not to a cold-weather destination, according to a new report from TripAdvisor.
The travel giant has shared its winter travel index for 2024-2025, and one destination stands out among international getaways: Cancun in the Mexican Caribbean.
More American travelers are looking to Cancun than anywhere else this winter, followed by another Caribbean hotspot, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, which came in second.
Another Mexican Caribbean destination, Playa del Carmen (home to the soon-to-rebrand Thompson Playa del Carmen, whose transformation we reported a few weeks ago, came in fourth.
Three other Caribbean vacation spots came in the top 10: Aruba, San Juan, Puerto Rico and another Dominican Republic destination, Bavaro (which is technically also Punta Cana, but we won’t nitpick).
The report was based on a pair of data points: a customer sentiment survey conducted earlier this fall, and traffic data on the TripAdvisor platform.
While Cancun’s traffic has been sliding in recent months, it’s likely this points to a rebound for the area in the all-important winter season.
As for Punta Cana, it’s not a surprise: the Dominican Republic remains the most popular destination in the Caribbean, and continues to break tourism records this year.
Caitlin Sullivan began her career with Caribbean Journal as Arts and Culture editor before shifting to travel full time. She writes frequently on the Caribbean cruise industry, flight networks and broader travel news. Her most frequent Caribbean destination? Nassau.
