For all those who are putting together their travel wish lists for the year - or lifetime - ahead, luxury vacation company Kuoni has some data-driven suggestions for destinations. They analyzed Google data from 210 countries to find the most searched-for “rare” travel experiences.
- Kuoni defines those as experiences “that occur twice a year or less.”
- These include everything from “wandering colorful and bustling streets at city festivals to experiencing dazzling natural wonders.”
- After sorting through the data from the searches, the company finds that the ultra-rare “Manhattanhenge” is the most searched-for experience on the planet.
- Also known as the Manhattan Solstice, it happens in May and July each year when the sunset aligns perfectly between the streets of New York City, giving viewers a perfect sun shot by the skyscrapers of Manhattan. The sunrise version happens in December and January.
The World’s Must-See Rare Travel Experiences, According to Google Data
- Manhattanhenge - New York City (over 1.3-million annual searches)
- Venice Carnival - Venice, Italy (1.2-million annual searches)
- Rio Carnival - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (over 738-thousand annual searches)
- Day of the Dead - Mexico (645-thousand annual searches)
- Chelsea Flower Show - London (over 613-thousand annual searches)
- Golden Week - Japan (over 410-thousand annual searches)
- Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta - Albuquerque, New Mexico (over 157-thousand annual searches)
- Northern Lights in Lapland - Finland (over 146-thousand annual searches)
- Oktoberfest in Munich - Germany (over 142-thousand annual searches)
- Obon Festival - Japan (over 11-thousand annual searches)
Source: Travel and Leisure