Miami Beach is done with spring break tourists. But those tourists were already looking elsewhere.
- Miami Beach announced it’s “breaking up” with spring break tourism.
- But data shows that Miami Beach wasn’t among the three trending destinations this March anyway.
- Las Vegas, New York City, and Orlando snagged the highest spots.
The City of Miami Beach announced that it’s “breaking up” with spring breakers after “unruly crowds, lawless behavior, and a string of violent acts in recent years,” a press release in February said.
Young revelers typically flock to Miami Beach in March for weeklong vacations. Some residents have complained about the behavior of those tourists. As a result, this year, local officials implemented “tough” new measures, including bag checks, DUI checkpoints, restricted beach access, license plate readers, and a heightened police force to dissuade rowdy conduct.
But Miami Beach wasn’t at the top of tourists’ minds this year anyway, according to travel company Booking Holdings.
Data shared by Booking Holdings showed the top 10 trending travel destinations for Americans from March 2 to March 30. Here’s the breakdown.
Las Vegas scored the No. 1 spot for most of March, followed by Orlando and New York City
The Nevada city — known for its lavish tourism sector — ranked No. 1 for three out of the four weeks, specifically between March 2 and 23.
The only time Las Vegas slipped to the No. 2 spot was from March 23 to March 30.
Las Vegas might be attracting travelers’ attention for several reasons, including the Sphere concert venue and the return of F1 racing to the city late last year. There are also celebrity residencies, casinos, lush resorts, and other attractions.
Orlando, located in central Florida, snagged the No. 2 spot from March 2 to March 23. It sailed into the top trending destination spot from March 23 to March 30.
Like Las Vegas, Orlando is a popular American tourist spot for several reasons.
The city is near amusement parks like Disney World and Universal Studios, as well as other attractions like the John F. Kennedy Space Center. Although Orlando is not coastal, it’s a skip away from beaches like Daytona Beach and Cocoa Beach.
New York City consistently ranked No. 3 throughout March.
New York City is a beacon for American tourists and tourists across the globe. Local sites like Central Park and the Statue of Liberty are popular stops, while the collection of art museums and famed restaurants often draw attention. Depending on the season, there are also several sports teams to watch.
Miami Beach never ranked above No. 4
Based on Booking Holdings’ data, Miami Beach peaked at No. 4 among trending destinations from March 2 to March 23. The city then dropped behind South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach and Cancún, Mexico, to the sixth spot from March 23 to March 30.
The City of Miami didn’t fare much better, ranking sixth for the first two weeks of March before peaking at No. 5 from the 16th to the 23rd.
Miami fell to the 11th most trending destination between March 23 and March 30.
