RateHawk, a B2B online platform for booking hotels, flights, and transfers, has revealed the top Easter destinations for 2026
The data highlights the ongoing growth in interest among European travellers in long-haul destinations across Asia and Africa, driven by visa-free policies and a desire to explore less-discovered locations.
The top 10 outbound destinations among European travel agents’ clients are Japan, USA, Thailand, Turkey, Egypt, China, Morocco, South Korea, South Africa and Mexico.
According to RateHawk, another notable trend among Asian destinations is the rapid growth in travel to China and South Korea, which have seen year-on-year increases of 66% and 98%, respectively. Since the end of 2023, China has begun implementing visa-free entry policies, now allowing citizens from 79 European and American countries to visit for up to 30 days without a visa, which is a big incentive for why travellers wish to embark on these previously exclusive destinations.
Another destination that experienced interest among RateHawk’s travel partners is South Africa. Bookings to the country for Easter holidays have more than doubled year-over-year, making it the fastest-growing destination of 2026.
Japan has continued to grow as a destination for its third consecutive year as RateHawk has seen a 40% increase in bookings versus the previous year. Traditionally, travellers choose Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto for the cherry blossom season, which begins in the holidays this year. The exclusive cherry blossom season, or the ‘sakura’ season, is only two weeks in length.
Astrid Kastberg, managing director at Ratehawk, commented on the success of other countries’ bookings, “At the same time, demand for domestic getaways and staycations within Europe stays strong, with Italy, Spain, France, the UK and Germany ranking among the top five domestic destinations for European travellers booking their trips with travel agents.”
