The ‘dupe’ trend hit travel in 2023. It's a good way to save on your next trip, experts say

cnbc.com:

Travel was expensive and busy in 2023, leading jetsetters to seek out cheaper, less-trodden alternatives to popular hot spots. It's a great way to save money on trips heading into 2024, according to experts.

This concept — seeking out cheaper duplicates, or "dupes," of pricey products — was popularized by Gen Z and millennial influencers on social media and has gained broad traction amid high inflation.

«In 2024, Americans are more likely to choose hidden-gem destinations over tried-and-true tourist hotspots for their vacations,» said Jon Gieselman, president of Expedia Brands.

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Dupe is, of course, a new term that puts a spin on the old concept of bargain hunting.

Data shows that travelers leveraged the strategy more in 2023. For example, flight searches more than doubled for several «dupe» destinations internationally, according to Expedia data.

Searches to Taipei, a dupe for Seoul, were up 458% in the U.S. and 2,786% globally, according to Expedia. Those to Pattaya, Thailand, an alternative to Bangkok, rose 163% in the U.S. and 249% globally.

Likewise, flight searches to the island Curaçao, a stand-in for St. Martin, were up 228% in the U.S. and 185% worldwide. Those to Perth, Australia, a dupe for Sydney, jumped 33% in the U.S. and 109% globally. Additionally, those to Liverpool, England, a London alternative, spiked 138% in the U.S. and 97% worldwide, according to Expedia.

The data compared searches in the 12-month period through Aug. 31, 2023, to the same period the prior year.

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