Demand for a Bahamas vacation increased by almost 23 percent year-over-year prior to Hurricane Dorian striking the northern islands, Expedia has revealed.

Executives with the online travel agent and search engine revealed that for the period from January to September 2019, Nassau was the most sought-after destination in this nation with demand up by nearly 25 percent compared to the same period in 2018. Demand for the Family Islands was ahead by almost ten percent year-over-year, while Grand Bahama was up by more than ten percent.

Expedia Group held its One Caribbean by Expedia Group event prior to this week’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace event at Baha Mar, where executives highlighted the relevance of guest ratings for lodging properties and reinforced the company’s commitment to improving the travel experience.

Freddy Dominguez, Expedia’s vice-president of account management in Latin America; Abhijit Pal, head of research, Travel Partners Group; Veronica Velazquez, global inclusion and diversity lead; and Nuno Sales da Ponte, director of account management for the Caribbean, were the guest speakers.

They discussed the unlimited possibilities that technology has brought to the travel industry, as well as the importance of reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of Expedia Group’s employees, customers, partners and communities.

Expedia is seeking to offer low-cost and basic-feature solutions to alleviate travellers’ stress, such as the new Partner Central Chatbot which provides help and support to lodging properties.

Its research showed that guest ratings carry more weight than brand value in determining how travellers select where they will stay. A non-branded property has the opportunity to compete against an established brand player for traveller preference by focusing on the guest experience.