The Romance Market Continues to Skyrocket

20.02.2024 - 19:00 / travelpulse.com

This article originally appeared in the February issue of AGENTatHOME magazine. Subscribe here to receive your free copy each month.

Travel advisors enamored of destination weddings and romance travel are finding themselves busier than ever, as the market has skyrocketed and expanded.

“The pandemic changed the way couples think about traveling together,” said John Hawks, executive director of the Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Specialists Association (DWHSA). “Getting away together was once a luxury, but now it’s a priority. They value experiences together more than they want physical things—and they’re eager to travel as much as they can while they can.”

DWHSA cited industry reports that show that destination wedding bookings surged from $21 billion in 2022 to $28 billion in 2023 – and DWHSA members expect that those numbers to be even higher in 2024.

Traditionally, more than nine in 10 newlywed couples have taken honeymoon trips, and DWHSA members report no changes in those numbers but steady increases in honeymoon trip budgets.

Destination weddings did shrink during the pandemic, like most travel, but the segment experienced dramatic increases in 2023, which are expected to balloon this year.

“During the pandemic specifically, the group sizes and budgets for destination weddings did shrink dramatically – in many cases, this shrinking trend fueled a huge rise in destination elopements, where just the couple would go on the trip, or the couple with a handful of family and friends,” Hawks said.

“Today, the destination wedding market has rebounded well above 2019 levels, and we’re expecting increases this year that advisors have never seen before. Both ‘Brides’ and ‘The Knot’ have cited a 2023 report (Research and Markets’ ‘Destination Wedding Global Market Report 2023’) predicting the global destination wedding market will almost triple by 2027.”

Beach wedding at Majestic Resorts Punta Cana (Photo Credit: Majestic Resorts)

Susan Essert of Susan’s Getaways/Dream Vacations based in Cincinnati, Ohio, agreed the size of destination weddings has expanded post-pandemic. “People were doing the smaller micro weddings and destination weddings during COVID, and I am excited to see them starting to get back to larger gatherings,” she told AGENTatHOME.

“I did four destination weddings in 2023, and they were all a good size, 40 to 60 people,” she added. “The sizes are growing again since the world has opened back up, and people are excited to travel again.

I have two destination weddings I am currently working for 2024 already and I anticipate doing more than last year, for sure.”

Beachfronts and balmy locales continue to be the most popular for destination weddings, but some couples are seeking more unique venues.

“For