TORONTO, Jan 5 — Colombia’s Cartagena has emerged the top trending destination of 2018 for Canadians, in a new forecast that predicts which destinations Canadians will be heading to in the new year.

According to Kayak’s 2018 Travel Forecast, interest in Cartagena as a tourist destination has risen dramatically among Canadian globetrotters, with a 58 per cent spike in travel searches for the stylish city compared to the previous year.

For the report, analysts looked at searches conducted on Kayak’s Canadian portal between June 1 to December 1, 2017, for travel from Canada between January 1 to June 1, 2018.

Analysts credit increased flight routes, record low crime rates and a booming economy to the rising interest.

Cartagena is also touted as a romantic, Caribbean getaway, thanks to its old city centre, cobblestone streets, and sun-soaked beaches.

Rounding out the top five spots on the trending destinations list are Casablanca, Morocco, Phuket, Thailand, Osaka, Japan and Bali, Indonesia — all far-fetched destinations for Canadian travellers.

"Flying within Canada can cost travellers a small fortune. Perhaps because of this, we see less Canadians travel domestically, looking instead to destinations where they can maximise their time off while getting the best bang for their buck,” explained David Solomito, VP NA brand marketing, Kayak in a statement.

Another standout destination for Canadians is the Maldives: Along with landing sixth on the top trending destinations list for 2018, the tropical island is also the top travel deal of 2018, with flight prices down 31 percent from the year before.

Travel hacks 2018

Kayak’s travel forecast also comes with a few tips and tricks on how to maximise the travel year ahead.

For instance, for domestic flights, experts recommend flying in April when the median airfare is at its lowest. Flying in April to a destination within Canada could save travellers more than US$150 (RM600) compared to taking the same flight in December.

When it comes to international flights, the most expensive month to fly is July, when the kids are out of school and the weather is at its warmest in the Northern Hemisphere. Budget flyers are better off reserving their international trip in February, when median flights can drop under US$670, says Kayak.

Meanwhile, budget-conscious flyers may also want to consider domestic destinations like Saskatoon, Edmonton and Kelowna, which are posting price drops of 30 percent compared to last year, and US cities like Boston, Dallas, Palm Springs, Chicago, Denver and Tampa, which are also seeing prices drops of at least nine percent.

Here are the top 10 trending destinations among Canadian travelers:

1. Cartagena, Colombia — Searches up 58 per cent

2. Casablanca, Morocco — Searches up 51 per cent

3. Phuket, Thailand — Searches up 50 per cent

4. Osaka, Japan — Searches up 49 per cent

5; Bali, Indonesia — Searches up 46 per cent

6. Male, Maldives — Searches up 44 per cent

7. Jacksonville, Florida — Searches up 38 per cent

8. Faro, Portugal — Searches up 38 per cent

9. Oranjestad, Aruba — Searches up 37 per cent

10. Kahului, Hawaii — Searches up 36 per cent

Top 10 Deal Destinations among Canadian Travellers (destinations that have decreased in flight price year over year)

1. Male, Maldives — Flight prices down 31 per cent

2. Boston, Massachusetts — flight prices down 19 per cent

3. Dallas, Texas — Prices down 16 per cent

4. Palm Springs, California — Prices down 15 per cent

5. Chicago, Illinois — Prices down 12 per cent

6. Denver, Colorado — Prices down 11 per cent

7. Jacksonville, Florida — Prices down 11 per cent

8. Belize City, Belize — Prices down 11 per cent

9. Copenhagen, Denmark — Prices down 10 per cent

10. Tampa, Florida — Prices down 9 per cent

Top 10 Most Popular Destinations among Canadians (the most searched for destinations on Kayak)

1. Orlando, Florida 

2. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

3. Cancun, Mexico 

4. Honolulu, Hawaii 

5. San Jose, Costa Rica

6. Las Vegas, Nevada

7. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

8. Miami, Florida

9. Los Angeles, California

10. Kahului, Hawaii — AFP-Relaxnews