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Gotham visitors have lots of buyer’s remorse.
US tourists may want to think twice before booking a summer trip to the Big Apple. New York City ranks second only to Las Vegas among destinations that US-based travelers regretted going to, according to a survey by travel insurance firm Travel Guard.
Per the study, a staggering 9% wished they could have a do-over after hitting up the city that never sleeps.
The insurance company released the study ahead of the summer tourist season to help mitigate the chances of going somewhere adventurers regret.
Unfortunately, travel regret is an all-too-common phenomenon, per the study, which noted that tourists’ remorse can stem from a variety of factors. The most common is something going wrong on the trip — illness, cancellations, etc. — followed by feeling too stressed to enjoy the visit, and improper planning in third.
Other common issues included not having enough money to cover travel expenses and choosing the wrong tag-along companion.
All told, 97% of jaunters said they regret at least one vacation; US travelers additionally estimated they squandered $1,490 on a trip they wish they never took.
However, in yet another example of the online embellishment scourge, nearly a third of travelers waxed poetic on social media about a trip — when they actually regretted it.
To compile the comprehensive survey, Travel Guard reached out to 1,022 US travelers and 200 from across 18 countries, asking about trips in the past year that they wished had gone differently, making sure to specify what went awry, and how those experiences changed how they approach travel today.
And, apparently, there’s nothing more unsatisfying than a list-topping Vegas vacation: 11% of its visitors feel like they’d been cheated worse than sitting for hours at a slot machine.
That aligns with recent chatter claiming that the gambling mecca is Sin-flating prices — from $14 lattes to $26 botles of water from a hotel minibar — as they struggle to offset losses caused by plummeting tourism.
Still, it’s a bit puzzling that New York City snagged second place, especially given that New York dominated a recent countdown of the “most loved” tourist spots in the US, with Rockefeller Center clocking in at No. 1.
“It’s more than just a building, it’s a cultural landmark in the center of Midtown Manhattan,” wrote travel E-sim provider Holafly in its hefty list of the 100 most hated vs. beloved American hubs.
Then again, maybe those sights are canceled out by Times Square, which is regularly ranked one of the world’s worst tourist traps.
Following close behind on the most-regretted list were Miami (8%) and Orlando (7%). Many travelers had bad experiences abroad as well, with Cancun and Mexico City placing fifth and sixth, respectively, while London trailed close behind in seventh.
Top 10 most regretted destinations among US-based travelers
- Las Vegas — 11%
- New York City — 9%
- Miami — 8%
- Orlando — 7%
- Cancun — 7%
- Mexico City — 6%
- London — 4%
- San Francisco — 3%
- Honolulu — 3%
- Paris — 3%
Sadly, the United States is a mecca of travel regret, ranking second only to South Africa on the list of most regrettable destinations overall — with a massive 97% of visitors claiming misgivings about at least one trip here.
The 10 countries where travel regret is the most common
- South Africa – 98%
- United States – 97%
- Mexico – 96%
- Brazil – 96%
- Japan – 95%
- Hungary – 95%
- United Kingdom – 95%
- Australia – 95%
- Netherlands – 94%
- Canada – 94%
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