online trends in travel

• Inspiration
• Destinations
• Places To Stay
• Style & Culture
• Food & Drink
• Wellness & Spas
• News & Advice
• Partnerships
• Traveller's Directory
• Travel Tips
• Competitions

The biggest travel trends for 2024

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

If 2022 was all about a return to travel, then 2023 was the year we went further than ever before. Travellers took to the skies, rails, roads and seas to tick off major bucket-list moments, with Arctic adventures, luxury yacht cruises and even the first tourist trip into space .

In 2024, travellers will be putting what’s important to them front and centre of their plans, valuing deeper experiences that leave a positive impact, time spent with loved ones and wellness moments that last well after checkout. We’ll be choosing destinations carefully, slowing it down to enjoy the silence and the stars, indulging in our love of food in new and interesting places, and immersing ourselves in wellness practices that help us live longer.

These are the 20 travel trends likely to guide how we see the world in 2024.

Astro tourism

1. Astro tourism

What’s the trend? Astronomy, of course, is a field of study that has been around since the dawn of civilisation, and the act of gazing up at the stars has long been a source of soul-soothing wonder. Today, the more society falls deeper into an ever-expanding virtual world, the more we feel a need to broaden our horizons in the real universe. Astro tourism, or star bathing, is the act of travelling with the aim of catching sight of astronomical phenomena – disappearing to lands devoid of any pollution, crowds and traffic, where we can focus solely on the skies above and while away hours gazing at the stars, planets and constellations overhead.

Why will it matter in 2024? Increasingly, wellness-centric hotels and spas are creating the space for guests to gaze upwards, watching for comets, spying constellations and identifying patterns in the glittering expanse. In the UK, Port Lympne has opened the Lookout Bubble, a glass dome allowing guests to sprawl out on king-sized beds and study the stars. Further east on the Arabian Gulf, Zulal Wellness Resort is surrounded by the expanse of the Qatari desert – the ultimate destination for pollution-free astromancy, with dedicated workshops and stargazing sessions for families and children looking to learn more about the cosmos. Safari company Desert & Delta organises trips for travellers looking to soak up the stars across Botswana and Namibia, where guests can sleep in tents at remote locations such as the Makgadikgadi Pans, one of the world’s largest salt flats, and spend nights with uninterrupted star vistas. Similarly, Tswalu is a South African safari camp with star beds set on a sleep-out deck in the Korannaberg mountains. And 2024 happens to be a big year, astronomy-wise, from mind-boggling eclipses to spectacular meteor showers – plus, scientists are predicting the best displays of the northern lights in 20 years, according to the Guardian , as we approach the next solar maximum (the sun’s peak of its 11-year activity cycle). Olivia Morelli

2. Eco diving

What’s the trend? A rise in divers choosing their travel destinations based on the sustainability of the scuba centres, and having a more positive, regenerative impact on the ocean once there.

Why will it matter in 2024? In 2022, UK marine ecology charity The Reef-World Foundation found that 95 per cent of divers wanted to book with sustainable operators, but struggled to do so. In response to this, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (Padi) launched its Eco Center accreditation on World Earth Day (22 April) 2023, with the United Nations Environment Program and Reef-World itself. The steps required to earn this green status are so rigorous – including sharing evidence of conservation activities and a real reduction in environmental footprint – that Padi advised operators to allow at least 12 months to hit the criteria, taking us to… Earth Day 2024. After an initial figure of just 11 worldwide, there are now 100, and Padi has set a goal to reach 660 by 2030 – a 10th of its membership. “South East Asia currently has the highest density (more than 20), along with the Caribbean ,” says Julie Andersen of Padi. So what does this mean for divers and their trips? “The type of conservation work done and reported on depends on the Eco Center,” Andersen explains. “Those in the Caribbean offer coral replanting programmes, key for regenerating coastlines. In Baja, Mexico , they’ve developed citizen science courses, collecting data for whale conservation.” There are also a number of new Padi courses being launched for any diver to take anywhere, including the Global Shark and Ray Census in August 2024, as well as the relaunch of the Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course before December. Becky Lucas

3. Home swapping

What’s the trend? Increasingly, discerning travellers are looking to stay away for longer stretches, while the rise of remote jobs post-pandemic means that working and living abroad has never been more appealing. The catch? Forking out on hefty accommodation fees while you’re at it. Enter home swapping: the perfect solution to guarantee yourself a (free) home abroad while you offer up your own in exchange – for weeks or even months at a time.

Why will it matter in 2024? As the cost of holidaying continues to climb, home swapping is an affordable alternative to splashing out on expensive hotels or Airbnbs. And while the concepts of couch surfing and house exchanges have existed for decades, several slick new platforms are redefining what home swapping looks like today. Twin City, which operates in cities as far-flung as Lisbon and Los Angeles , has curated a community of 1,100 plus carefully vetted users in just eight months. For an annual subscription fee of £150, members can find Twins to connect with through the platform, and are encouraged to exchange local recommendations for their city as well as their homes, enabling members to feel as if they’re swapping with a trusted friend rather than a stranger. Meanwhile, Kindred, a home-swapping platform where members rack ​​up credits for each night that they exchange homes, raised $15 million in funding this year to expand operations across the USA and Europe, and currently has 10,000 plus homes in more than 50 cities. Members simply pay a cleaning and service fee for each stay, while the cost of the stay itself is free. Or skip out on membership fees entirely and head straight to TikTok, where Gen Z appears to be spearheading the home-swapping movement on social media. Inspired by cult film The Holiday , trending tags #houseswap and #homeswap have garnered more than 23 and 20 million views respectively, with users utilising the platform as a means to advertise their homes, discover like-minded peers to swap with and document their adventures along the way. Gina Jackson

4. Train stations are the new food destinations

What’s the trend? Train stations around the world are usually passed through as quickly as possible, having not been designed for commuters to stay and hang out. Nowadays, as travel delays increase and visitors want more local experiences, it pays for train stations to welcome travellers with shops, restaurants and bars for them to explore. In an effort to create a more dynamic visitor experience, historic train stations are being revamped, with bespoke food and drink offerings as an integral part of the redesign.

Why will it matter in 2024? As train stations are renovated to accommodate more travellers and update old infrastructure, local restaurants and bars are being added to attract more customers. In 2023, the new Moynihan Train Hall in New York City became home to The Irish Exit, a bar from the team behind the acclaimed Dead Rabbit, and Yono Sushi by trendy BondST, plus outposts of beloved NYC restaurants Pastrami Queen and Jacob’s Pickles, with Mexican hotspot La Esquina coming soon.  Platform 1 a new bar and restaurant that opened in November underneath Glasgow Central Station . The cave-like space, with its historic brick arches, serves street-food-style dishes and craft brews made in the on-site microbrewery, plus there’s an outdoor beer garden. As part of its renovation, Toronto’s Union Station launched Union Market in May 2023 with favourite local food retailers Manotas Organics, Chocolatta Brigadeiro’s, Patties Express and Kibo. Meanwhile, in Somerset, Castle Cary station is in the process of a revamp, with nearby hotel The Newt creating a creamery, cafe and co-working space, which is set to open in 2024. Also on tap for the next few years is the completed renovation of 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, with plans for a 20 per cent increase in concession space that will focus on local purveyors. Devorah Lev-Tov

5. Sports tourism

What’s the trend? No longer the domain of lads on tour keen to sink as many pints as possible with one eye on a football game, sports tourism has evolved in the past few years with a new generation – and type – of sports fan emerging thanks to glossy TV documentaries ( Formula 1: Drive to Survive , we’re looking at you). Now, we’re taking our fandom out of the house and following a host of different sports in destinations across the world, planning holidays that hinge around seeing games, races and other activities in exotic locales, and extending trips on either side to see the sights too.

Why will it matter in 2024? A little event known as the Olympic and Paralympic Games anchors the 2024 sports calendar. It kicks off in Paris in late July and runs until early September , during which time more than a million tourists are expected to check in across the French capital. The games have inspired city-wide projects such as the €1.4-billion clean-up of the Seine, which , all going well, will allow public swimming in the river for the first time in a century. Elsewhere, the Tour de France starts in Italy for the first time in 2024, with competitors speeding off in Florence before heading to Rimini on the Adriatic coast and then north to the Apennines through Emilia-Romagna. New bike routes in the area have been released by tour operators such as Ride International Tours and Ride Holidays for cycling enthusiasts keen to join in the fun. Sarah James

6. Coolcationing

What’s the trend? For the vast majority of folk, summer holidays used to be about following the sun, seeking the heat – watching the mercury climb and hitting the sands. With the intense, record-breaking temperatures of recent years, however, many are considering travelling in the opposite direction: booking "coolcations" in temperate destinations, which also benefit from being less crowded.

Why will it matter in 2024? Rising temperatures caused by the climate crisis have resulted in the hottest recorded summer in the UK – just over 40℃ in July 2022 – while 2023, with a sweltering summer in much of Mediterranean Europe, North America and China – is on track to be the hottest year ever. Little wonder that many travellers are thinking again before booking literal hotspots such as the South of France and Sicily in July or August. A survey for luxe travel network Virtuoso found that 82 per cent of its clients are considering destinations with more moderate weather in 2024. Destinations such as Iceland, Finland and Scotland, according to Intrepid Travel, along with Latvia, which is surging in popularity. “We’re seeing an increase in those holidaying further north,” says Andrea Godfrey of Regent Holidays. “Scandinavia and the Baltics are both getting noticed more: they offer a more pared-back style of holiday but have some lovely beaches, and forests and lakes for both relaxation and adventure activities.” Cooler temperatures are particularly well suited to family travel too. “We’re getting far more enquiries from families for destinations that offer summer sun but also respite from the high temperatures being experienced in beach resorts across the Med,” says Liddy Pleasants, founder of family specialist Stubborn Mule Travel. “Kayaking in Norway, with its midnight sun, for instance, and cycling or hiking in Slovenia, which is also very good value.” Time to ditch the SPF50… Rick Jordan

Gig tripping

7. Gig tripping

What’s the trend? For years, athletes and wellness gurus were the big headliners at retreats. But rock stars are, well, the new rock stars of travel. Call it the Swift Effect. Destination concert business is up more than 50 per cent, led mostly by Taylor Swift, says Janel Carnero, a travel advisor at Embark Beyond. In the USA, tickets for Swift’s Eras Tour cost thousands and were still impossible to score. Music fans are realising they can pay less and have a more memorable experience by seeing their favourite pop icons perform in say, Amsterdam or Milan . Tours from performers such as Pearl Jam, U2, Doja Cat and Madonna will anchor trip itineraries, while music festivals (Glastonbury sold out in less than an hour) will be major catalysts for travel.

Why will it matter in 2024? New music festivals, including Untold in Romania's Cluj-Napoca, are introducing travellers to undiscovered destinations, says Alexandrea Padilha of Fischer Travel. And it’s no longer just about the music, says Carnero. “It’s the social aspect of sharing experiences with friends,” she adds. Hotels and travel companies have taken note and are creating the equivalent of backstage VIP experiences for guests. Global adventure collective Eleven has recently introduced Music with Eleven. The programme’s dedicated team of music-industry insiders (including Chris Funk, guitarist from the Decemberists) custom design itineraries that might include sitting in on a recording session at Flóki Studios, just outside the Arctic Circle at Deplar Farm in Iceland. And Rhythm & Sails hosts musicians on its catamarans. The company’s music director, Anders Beck of the jam band Greensky Bluegrass, curates the line-up of artists who perform sessions onboard and in ports as you island hop around the Caribbean . Jen Murphy

8. Resorts will help you biohack your health span

What’s the trend? Longevity is the latest wellness buzzword thanks to best-selling books such as  Outlive  and the hit Netflix documentary  Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones . Between 2021 and 2022, venture-capital investment in longevity clinics more than doubled from $27 million to $57 million globally, according to analysis from longevity research and media company Longevity.Technology. Now, the science of extending life and optimising health has become the focus at hotels. Blue Zones retreats are the new boot camps and even sybaritic resorts are offering the latest biohacks. Poolside vitamin IV anyone?

Why will it matter in 2024? Since the pandemic, feeling good trumps looking good. “People have become aware of the critical importance of developing a more proactive, preventive approach to health on all levels,” says Karina Stewart, co-founder of Kamalaya, a wellness retreat in Koh Samui, Thailand . This means a new willingness to go beyond diet and exercise and embrace sci-fi-sounding bio-regenerative treatments such as ozone therapy and hyperbaric oxygen chambers, both on offer at Kamalaya's new Longevity House. Luxury hotel brands are embracing the trend too. Six Senses Ibiza recently teamed up with biotech company RoseBar to offer guests full diagnostic testing. Maybourne Hotel Group is collaborating with wellness tech pioneer Virtusan to help guests boost performance. And Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea administers treatments such as stem cells and NAD+ (aka the fountain of youth) through its partnership with Next Health longevity centre. At 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay in Kauai, guests are welcomed with a B12 shot instead of bubbles and the resort’s new wellness-specific rooms come with recovery-boosting mod cons including infrared light mats. If the trend continues, the secret to longevity may be as easy as taking more holidays. Jen Murphy

9. Peak season gets the cold shoulder

What's the trend? There’s been a dramatic recent increase in shoulder season travel to Europe’s most popular destinations (particularly France , Spain , the UK and Italy ), which is set to continue in 2024. Luxury travel specialists Original Travel has launched new shoulder season itineraries to locations traditionally in demand during the summer – including the crystalline seascapes of Sardinia and Corsica – after seeing 14 per cent more bookings for September 2023 than for August 2023. Pegi Amarteifio of Small Luxury Hotels of the World shares similar insights. “Comparing phone reservations in 2023 against 2019, we’ve seen a 33 per cent increase for March to May and a 58 per cent increase for September to November , a pattern reflected across our other booking channels too.”

Why will it matter in 2024? A combination of social, economic and environmental factors is driving this trend into 2024. The cost of living crisis means a heightened focus on value. For 62 per cent of respondents to Booking.com’s 2024 travel trends survey, this is a limiting factor for 2024 travel planning, so much so that 47 per cent of respondents are even willing to take children out of school for cheaper off-peak travel. Shoulder season travel is also becoming more attractive due to rising temperatures, and more feasible due to flexible working. Layered on top of these practical considerations is an emotional motivation too: travellers are craving authenticity more than ever, seeking a tranquil, local feel when abroad, rather than Where’s Wally beach scenes. Toyo Odetunde

10. Private group travel

What’s the trend? The post-pandemic desire to gather friends or family and embark on a shared holiday experience shows no sign of abating – in fact, it’s on the increase in luxury travel, as people appreciate the benefits and savour the moment, from 3G family groups to 50-something empty-nesters keen to rekindle life-long friendships. Just don’t take Succession ’s family outing to Tuscany as a role model.

Why will it matter in 2024? “While some predicted group travel would peak post-pandemic, we’ve seen it have a lasting, positive impact with private group bookings continuing to be a dominant trend,” says Tom Marchant of Black Tomato, for whom group travel now accounts for 30 per cent of bookings. The company has just launched its See You in the Moment series to cater for the demand: it uses a mood board of over 35 experiences themed around key flash points, from The Meal (a backcountry feast served on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, for example) to The Challenge (rafting down the Apurímac in Peru, perhaps), all designed to create lasting memories. For Scott Williams, meanwhile, multi-generational travellers are thinking big: why take one house when you can take a whole estate, such as Meli on Paxos in the Greek Islands, which sleeps 17? Other groups are taking to the water, with Red Savannah reporting an increase in bookings for Turkish gulets, Egyptian dahabiyas and Indonesian phinisis. Scott Dunn have seen an increase in bookings amongst groups of friends, with 30 per cent of respondents in a recent survey saying they were planning trips for 2024 that included ski trips to France, adventure travel in South and Central America, and beach breaks on Antigua and Barbados. Empty-nesters are also a growing force, with groups of couples in their 50s to 70s hiring villas in the shoulder season for cultural weeks away, and all-female groups – mainly aged between 50 and 65 – who are proactive in wanting to renew long-term friendships. “We had one repeat group that included several cancer survivors,” says Sarah-Leigh Shenton at Red Savannah. “A hammam afternoon in Turkey was a deeply bonding experience and they’ve since travelled to Jordan and Sicily together.” Rick Jordan

11. AI aims to be your sidekick

What's the trend? Early last year, after OpenAI’s ChatGPT broke the record as the fastest-ever growing consumer app, travellers started playing around with AI chatbots to get inspiration on where they could go. More recently, major travel booking platforms have started to integrate AI chatbots into the booking experience. But if 2023 was the year of AI chatbots wanting to plan your trips , 2024 will be all about how AI aspires to be your travel sidekick. A wave of new AI-powered features and products aims to support travellers on the ground – all while raising concerns around the potential negative impacts as AI becomes more widely integrated with our travels.

Why will it matter in 2024? AI will start to make more real-time interventions in our travels in 2024. One practical example is live translation , which Samsung plans to launch on its 2024 Galaxy devices. Imagine calling somewhere you want to visit to get information without worrying about whether staff speak the same language as you. Another example is greater AI personalisation in popular apps you already use. Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has recently touted the company's increasing use of personalised AI algorithms , which will learn about your habits and make suggestions based on what you’re doing. For the true early adopters, real-time travel interventions could also mean ditching your screen entirely and clipping a screenless personal translator and travel assistant to your chest. This is the unusual idea behind the new talking and projecting AI Pin from Humane , a start-up backed by investors including OpenAI’s Sam Altman, that promises to function a bit like the universal translator from Star Trek . Will anyone want to actually wear the pin or will it go the way of previously hyped devices such as Google Glass? It certainly raises a host of ethical questions about privacy and data protection. Yet the more that AI products successfully help in addressing on-the-go problems, the more travellers will come to rely on them too. JD Shadel

12. Skip-gen travel

What’s the trend? Skip-gen travel describes when grandparents holiday with grandchildren, in other words, "skipping" a generation. “In the past few months, I've had around twice as many enquiries as usual for grandchild/grandchild bookings,” says Clio Wood, founder of family retreat company &Breathe . “There’s been a rising trend of grandparents taking their grandchildren away,” agrees Ollie Summers, Head of Sales at bespoke operator Scott Dunn . “Often to places that have a sentimental meaning to them.”

Why will it matter in 2024? Several travel agencies have created itineraries to cater specifically for this demand in 2024. “Skip-gen safaris are emerging as a micro-trend from the UK, reflecting a niche traveller group now well established in the US luxury market,” says Liane Goldring of Mahlatini Luxury Travel . “The grandparents are usually in their 70s and still active enough to fully embrace a fully guided safari adventure.” Original Travel, meanwhile, has relaunched its Bonding Holidays Collection , featuring trips focussed on discovering something new together, such as its 14-day Family Ranching itinerary in the American West. Some of this growth can be attributed to big-ticket lockdown promises coming to fruition. Now, amid the UK’s cost of living crisis, parents are also keen to make the most of the time and childcare support of their typically baby boomer, more comfortably retired parents. Plus, the global ratio of living grandparents to grandchildren is higher than ever, thanks to a combined increase in life expectancy and drop in the number of children per person. We’re even said to be living in the "the age of the grandparent". Don’t expect this trend – or your grandparents – to slow down anytime soon. Becky Lucas

Glamorous train travel

13. Train travel gets glam

What’s the trend? Rising climate consciousness has fuelled a rail travel revival, the luxury train niche is reaching new heights of popularity, extravagance and ambition. Travel booking platforms are reporting growing demand for luxury rail trips , where the journey is, yes, the destination. In fact, new design-forward train lines increasingly rival the finest hotels for the culinary experiences and bells and whistles on offer.

Why will it matter in 2024? A new wave of rail lines and itineraries launching in 2024 puts an emphasis on deeper immersion into the culture and landscapes of the destinations, which are more and more off the beaten track. Responding to growing demand for luxury train travel among its user base, specialist platform Railbookers plans to launch arguably the most geographically extensive and expensive luxury train itinerary around. With prices per person starting at $113,599, the 80-day Around the World by Luxury Train voyage will cross four continents and 13 countries. Beginning in August , the slow journey will string together existing luxury rail trips including Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Jasper and India’s Maharajas Express from Delhi to Mumbai. In Asia, the previously paused Eastern & Oriental Express is making a grand comeback starting in February, with carriages getting an upscale revamp and its legendary route being retraced through Malaysia's landscapes. Meanwhile, Japan is a hot destination for its scenic train journeys such as the exclusive Train Suite Shiki-shima , which quickly closed applications for its 2024 trips due to demand. And in Europe, six new train lines will commence or terminate in Rome under Accor's La Dolce Vita umbrella, with suites designed by starchitects Dimorestudio, building on the cultural legacy of the famous Orient Express . JD Shadel

14. Restaurateur-owned hotels

What’s the trend? Restaurants and hotels are the two linchpins of the hospitality industry. And naturally, the two are often intertwined on one premises. Until recently, though, most hotels weren’t started or owned by restaurateurs. Yet as food-focused travel keeps increasing, with people hankering for the next hot reservation and planning entire trips around discovering a culture through its food, it makes sense that restaurateurs are adding hotelier to their CVs – and ensuring their new properties have impressive food offerings. We’d be remiss not to mention Nobu, which began as a restaurant in 1994 and in 2013 launched its global hotel brand, as a harbinger of the trend.

Why will it matter in 2024? Just as design brands (RH, West Elm) have opened hotels in recent years, now restaurateurs are getting in on the action. In the USA, restaurateur and 12-time James Beard award nominee Sam Fox has just launched the Global Ambassador in Phoenix, Arizona, with five restaurants. Santa Barbara’s Good Lion Hospitality is relaunching Petit Soleil , a Californian wine country boutique hotel, with a new bar and restaurant slated for next spring. The Lafayette Hotel & Club was debuted last summer in San Diego by Arsalun Tafazoli, founder of a local hospitality group that operates 16 bars and restaurants. The hotel has five restaurants and bars, with two more opening by the end of the year. In Dallas, Harwood International, which owns a dozen or so restaurants in the area, opened Hôtel Swexan in June. In the St Gallen region of Switzerland two hotels were recently added to beloved restaurants: the revamped Mammertsberg  and  Gasthaus Traube . In Slovenia, AS Hotel is a new place to stay launched Sebastjan Raspopović, son of chef Svetozar Raspopović-Pope of renowned restaurant Gostilna AS in Lublijana. Aside from a restaurant by Raspopović-Pope, the hotel has an eatery by Michelin-lauded chef Ana Roš. Finally,  R48 , and its lauded Chef’s Table, was opened in Tel Aviv last spring by R2M Hospitality Group, which also runs restaurants CoffeeBar and Herzl 16. Devorah Lev-Tov

15. Silent travel

What’s the trend? In an age of overstimulation, silence might be just what we need from our travels in 2024. Offering a chance to restore and reset, silent travel represents a more mindful kind of trip, one that doesn’t leave you needing a holiday to recover from your holiday. Silent meditation retreats are an increasingly popular wellness trend, but silent travel also encompasses secluded nature resorts, sleep retreats , quiet hotels , silent walking tours and even silent disco and concert experiences.

Why will it matter in 2024? Saturated with stress and screen time, many of us are looking for ways to disconnect. The silent walking trend that recently took TikTok by storm reflects a growing impulse to escape the noise of our tech-fuelled lives and embrace the quiet, with promising implications for wellbeing. One 2015 study suggests silence may help to stimulate brain development, while another found that two minutes of silence during or after relaxing music increased the music's calming effects. With the Global Wellness Institute forecasting a 21 per cent increase in wellness tourism in the next two years, what better counter to the chaos of our always-on lives than silence? Silent travel is also part of a move towards more sustainable tourism. Quiet Parks International , for example, offers unique nature experiences in dedicated quiet spaces, reducing noise pollution for the surrounding wildlife. Silent travel opportunities abound in 2024. Kick off the year with a silent retreat in Portugal (with Innate ) or Italy (with Mandali ). More adventurous silent-seekers can trek the peaceful Japanese Kumano Kodo trail, or explore Finland’s Arctic landscape with a Silence & Nature Tour . For a tailor-made silent experience, Black Tomato’s Blink camp offers luxury accommodation in the world’s most remote settings, while its Get Lost programme promises to help you find yourself by getting lost in a far-flung location. Tasha Kleeman

16. Urban gardens

What’s the trend? Never mind the biophilic office and those pot plants you forget to water: whole cities are going green as architects and planners create leafy microclimates amid the grey concrete to help keep us cooler, connect communities and even feed us.

Why will it matter in 2024? Having trees and gardens in our cities is a pretty good idea. King Nebuchadnezzar certainly thought so, which is why his Hanging Gardens of Babylon made it into travel’s first-ever bucket list – the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – back in the 2nd century BC. Nowadays planting trees creates much-needed shade, stores carbon and increases biodiversity, but it also makes our cityscapes so much nicer. While Valencia, an early adopter of urban greening with its 12km-long Turia Garden in 1986, is the 2024 European Green Capital, France is busy planting trees like there’s no tomorrow: go to Paris for the 2024 Olympics and you’ll spot budding new forests growing in Place du Colonel-Fabien, Place de Catalogne and in the Charonne district, while Bordeaux’s Grandeur Nature project includes urban cooling islands, micro-forests and rain gardens. All of which will doubtless be discussed at the ISHS Green Cities 2024 symposium, hosted by RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, England, in September. Meanwhile, on Cyprus – an island that experienced temperatures of 44℃ in 2023 – the new Salina Park opens in time for summer shade in the seaside city of Larnaca. In Brazil, Rio’s Hortas Cariocas is a groundbreaking achievement that will be completed by the end of 2024: the largest urban vegetable garden in the world, connecting 56 community gardens across favelas and schools. And in London, the £1-billion Google building in King’s Cross will show just what can be done with one structure. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the "landscraper" – only 11 storeys high but stretching out longer than the Shard is tall – is hoped to provide a blueprint for future urban projects: running along the rooftop is a multi-level garden, with wildflowers, lawns and decked seating areas, set with more than 55,000 plants and 250 trees. Can you dig it? Rick Jordan

17. Back-of-house tours

What’s the trend? Greener hotels giving us a look behind the scenes to show us – not just tell us – they're sustainable. We don't mean a look-see at solar panels or composting, but heart-lifting experiential tours that help us appreciate why it matters to support socio-economic uplift through tourism. In South America, Blue Apple Beach invites visitors to get up close and personal with the community work it does in Colombia through its impact fund. Founder Portia Hart wanted more than token-gesture carbon offsetting, where locals themselves could decide how money was spent. In Africa, guests of the Bushcamp Company contribute to initiatives through the Luangwa Conservation and Community Fund. A popular excursion in Zambia is visiting the boreholes that are installed with outreach funds. Each pump provides fresh drinking water to hundreds of people a day, and visitors who spend time with those gathered get a very tangible insight into how such provisions funded by hospitality can literally change lives in regions most affected by a warming planet.

Why will it matter in 2024? Transparency is on the up as the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive comes into force and greenwashing is coming close to being officially outlawed. A year of droughts, floods and heatwaves also reminds us we need to make better-informed choices in our travel planning – and all the better if we can also get a crash course in the science and sociology of positive impact. Experiences that go beyond explaining responsible practices, but demonstrate a deep respect for communities on the climate-change frontlines and help make their challenges relatable to visitors are especially helpful. Juliet Kinsman

18. Wild feasting

What’s the trend? Have you ever noticed how food always tastes better outdoors? But in today’s modern world many of us are more used to eating a sandwich while staring at a screen. Wild feasting describes the trend for beautifully curated culinary experiences in natural environments with the incorporation of hyper-local and foraged ingredients. In Sweden, for example, you can tap into a network of do-it-yourself outdoor restaurants where you book a table in a scenic location, search for nettles, birch leaves, lingonberries and trumpet chanterelles, and then cook them on an open fire according to a recipe card provided by a Michelin-grade chef.

Why will it matter in 2024? A greater range of wild feasting opportunities will give urbanites a chance to properly connect over food. Leading the way is Noah Ellis, founder of the UK's Nomadic Dinners. “Since launching in 2018, we experienced compounded year-on-year growth for our feasting and foraging experiences,” he says. In 2024 he will be hosting a new series of fire feasts, including one set among the bluebells. Also tapping into the zeitgeist is TikTok star Alexis Nikole Nelson (aka the Black Forager) who will publish a book about wild food in 2024. And don’t forget, 2024 is the last year you will be able to eat at Copenhagen ’s legendary, foraging-focused restaurant Noma before it turns into a test kitchen and closes to the public. Another innovator is Holmen Lofoten’s Kitchen On The Edge Of The World series in the Norwegian Arctic Circle, where guests can participate in four nights of wild feasts cooked by top chefs. In 2024, these will include Lennox Hastie, José Pizarro and Heidi Bjerkan. Ingunn Rasmussen, owner of Holmen Lofoten, says: “Now, as when we were little kids, gathering around a bonfire in the wilderness, sharing stories, feasting under the stars in these magical, remote surroundings is one of the absolute highlights, both for our guests and for us.” Jenny Southan

19. Plan-free travel

What's the trend? Saying no to endless scrolling to plan every inch of a trip, and saying yes to spontaneity instead. The power of the algorithm-spawned era of Fomo travel is waning, with those once secret spots made Insta-famous becoming tired and cookie-cutter, and the drive to plan a trip around them losing momentum. The rising counter movement is travel with no plans at all.

Why will it matter in 2024? The plan-free appeal is going one step further in 2024. Booking.com recently reported that 50 per cent of UK travellers want to book a surprise trip in 2024, where everything, even the destination, is unknown until arrival. And it’s possible to do it via travel companies such as Black Tomato, whose Get Lost service offers customers the ability to simply select a preferred environment – polar, jungle, desert, mountain or coastal – and leave its team decide everything else. “While we launched Get Lost several years ago, post-pandemic we’ve seen a notable and rising uptick in bookings and enquiries,” says Black Tomato co-founder Tom Marchant. Journee offers a similar surprise element, with travellers only finding out where they’re going at the airport. The service, which includes a full itinerary and access to a team via Whatsapp, is particularly popular with solo female travellers, while overall demand has grown so much that the London -based brand recently launched trips in the USA. Lauren Burvill

20. Frontier tourism

What’s the trend? To go above and beyond. Or below and under. As crossings of the tumultuous Drake Passage to Antarctica rack up millions of TikTok views and traffic jams form on Everest, canny travellers are seeking more individual, less obvious experiences that combine thrill-seeking with more meaningful self-empowerment.

Why will it matter in 2024? One person’s frontier is another’s backyard, of course, so frontiers are entirely subjective here. For some, this could mean being the first to camp under the stars in a remote landscape, or hike an ancient pilgrimage trail that’s been off the map for centuries. It’s still possible to bag a rare place on a Kamba African Rainforest Experience in the Republic of the Congo, being one of just 12 people to explore a game park the size of Belgium. Black Tomato, meanwhile, is designing an intrepid new expedition to the remote Mitre Peninsula in Argentina, along with a trip in Peru navigating the Sacred Valley of the Incas by raft. “This sort of adventure goes beyond bragging rights and is more akin to self-empowerment and the gratification of pushing our own horizons,” says Black Tomato co-founder Tom Marchant. The Ultimate Travel Company is also heading to Peru, a country repositioning itself for luxury travellers, with stays at Puqio, its first tented exploration camp,, in the remote Colca Valley in the Southern Peruvian Andes. Wilderness camping is also pegging out fresh terrain in Kyrgyzstan, with yurt stays on the steppes trending for 2024, according to Wild Frontiers, as is Mongolia ; while Albania, Mongolia, Pakistan and the Empty Quarter of Oman are all on the radar for an increasing number of travellers. And while the space-age pods of White Desert have already sold out for New Year’s Eve 2024 and 2025, latter-day frontiersfolk can take the path less travelled and explore the frozen continent’s southern coast (99 per cent of visitors go from South America to the northwest) with The Ultimate Travel Company’s new Ross Sea cruises, seeing the Ross Ice Shelf and Transantarctic Mountains. Don’t forget to pack your penknife. Rick Jordan

• Goal Setting Statistics
• Leadership Statistics
• Internet Statistics
• Blogging Statistics
• eLearning Statistics
• Online Travel Booking Statistics
• Employee Productivity Statistics
• Small Business Statistics
• Recruiting Statistics
• Branding Statistics
• Startup Statistics
• Work From Home Statistics
• Outsourcing Statistics
• Marketing Automation Statistics
• Digital Marketing Statistics
• SEO Statistics
• Social Media Marketing Statistics
• Email Marketing Statistics
• CRM Statistics
• Influencer Marketing Statistics
• Video Marketing Statistics
• Social Media Statistics
• YouTube Statistics
• Facebook Statistics
• Twitch Statistics
• LinkedIn Statistics
• Snapchat Statistics
• Live Streaming Statistics
• Ecommerce Statistics
• Amazon Statistics
• Shopify Statistics
• Dropshipping Statistics
• Online Retail Statistics
• Inventory Management Statistics

38 Online Travel Booking Statistics & Trends of 2024

Even if the travel and tourism industry is recovering, there have been substantial changes in how people travel.

We’ve seen a significant change, both in terms of how frequently people travel as well as how they plan, book, and manage their trips.

To investigate these recent developments, the best place to do so is online, as that’s where most people book and pay for their travel rather than through pricey travel agencies.

In this article, we've gathered some intriguing online booking statistics that’ll give you a sneak peek into changing tastes and behaviors of travelers for post-pandemic tourism.

Whether you're a travel company looking to take advantage of travel trends or a traveler looking for the most popular destinations, this post is for you.

Key Online Travel Booking Statistics

• The size of the global online travel market is predicted to reach $1.2 trillion in 2027 .
• 50% of travelers spend less than a week doing the research before departing on vacation.
• 87% of visitors desire to travel sustainably.
• The most lucrative online travel market is in Asia-Pacific.
• The average traveler makes 38 website visits before deciding and making a booking.

General Online Travel Booking Statistics

1. 72% of employees are enthusiastic and prepared to take their next business trip this year..

If all relevant safety precautions are followed, at least 45% of travelers worldwide are willing to fly for business to attend a conference or business event.

Online travel booking trends and stats show that 48% of business travelers are willing to provide their health information.

According to a survey by Expedia, the average number of business trips for 38% of the respondents was once every two to three months. 32% make one or more business trips per month .

2. 86% of travel agents favor improving the customer experience to increase online digital travel sales.

According to 74% of the online booking companies polled, purchasing and selling travel arrangements can be simpler. In the coming 12 months, the following factors are anticipated to increase travel intention:

• Mobile applications that provide travel notifications (44%).
• Check-in via self-service (41%).
• Cashless transactions (41%).
• Flexible refunds and guarantees (40%).

3. 63% of travelers believe technology is crucial for limiting health risks in a post-pandemic environment.

(SaleCycle)

Three issues top the list of worries for survey respondents among leisure travelers today:

• Concern about catching COVID-19 (41%).
• Requirements for quarantine or self-isolation in certain places (41%)
• Travel-related last-minute adjustments or cancellations (37%)

4. The preferred payment methods for online travel bookings are UPI and e-Wallets.

Countries all over the world are transitioning to cashless systems. Paying for airlines, hotels, car rentals, and other services have become easier with the help of PayPal, Alipay, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay.

Travel App Statistics & Trends

5. online travel bookings reached their highest level of $755 billion in 2019, then fell 46% to $403 billion in 2020..

Online travel bookings then climbed to $613 billion in 2021. Booking Holdings continued to be the leading digital travel agency business in 2021. The big three achieved over 60% of revenue growth last year.

6. Only 27% of consumers preferred booking trips through apps.

(TripAdvisor)

Those that did, liked some of the distinctive characteristics they provided, such as:

• Notifications of price alerts (79%)
• How quickly reservations could be made (39%)
• The additional functionality (30%)

7. App-enabled digital travel firms observed an increase in mobile bookings.

Following the launch of travel apps, some businesses reported a rise in the percentage of people booking online via mobile. Mobile travel booking statistics also demonstrate that travel app users aren't devoted to their apps and often delete them once they've served their purpose.

In fact, about 50% of users delete their travel app within a month of downloading it. Numerous of these are presumably caused by the fact that the app is no longer needed.

8. The majority of mobile users favor travel apps over mobile websites.

(Travelport)

The decision is primarily influenced by customer experience. Users prefer the travel apps' lightning-fast experiences, as they are typically smoother and easier to use than a mobile web page.

When comparing costs, many people also complain that making a reservation on a mobile web page is difficult. Switching between various websites and options on a mobile phone isn’t like on a desktop computer, which is far much easier.

9. Booking.com is the most downloaded online booking app over the past four years.

(StratosJets)

It recovered from a decline in the previous year in 2021. TripAdvisor, trivago, and Skyscanner have also had trouble reaching 2019 numbers.

Hopper was the most popular online travel app in the US in 2021. Airbnb downloads decreased in 2021 , while Vrbo, its primary rival, surged to 10.5 million.

Online booking stats also show that 17% of Americans purchased a travel app subscription to aid in their travel preparation last year. Furthermore, 83% of US adults want to make travel bookings online.

Mobile vs. Desktop Booking Statistics

10. even though mobile drives the most online traffic, it’s still underutilized as a tool for online bookings..

(Travelport Digital Report)

About 80% of American consumers still like using their desktops or laptop when making a reservation. Worldwide, these figures are consistent; in France, 33% of travelers book on their mobile phones . In Germany, it's 15%, and in the UK, 25%.

The fact that the same consumers who book through the desktop site are content to conduct their research online makes this trend even more unexpected.

11. 72% of mobile bookings happen in the 48 hours that follow last-minute Google searches containing the terms “today” and “tonight.”

Google search statistics also show that 44% of individuals who make online bookings do so on a mobile device and 64% on a desktop.

That represents a change from 2021 when 41% of reservations were made on mobile phones and 59% on desktop computers.

Data from StratosJets also show that the percentage of customers who give up on their travel purchases is 91% for mobile users and 85% for desktop users.

12. Before deciding on their vacation itinerary, 83% of tourists conduct research on their mobile devices.

(Think With Google, AdColony)

Recently, people have been changing how they use their phones to plan trips. 70% of mobile users look for activities to do when traveling, 66% check for appealing locations, and 58% decide on their lodging choices.

Furthermore, 87% of corporate travel managers and business travelers alike want a more straightforward booking procedure, and 42% of respondents, planning a trip is more difficult than going on one.

Booking & Travel Planning Statistics

13. videos and images are the two most vital factors influencing decisions among travelers during the consideration stage of trip preparation..

(Hospitalitynet)

When choosing hotel rooms online, consumers also consider a hotel's ability to display its amenities and guest experience.

The biggest turnoffs for most leisure travellers are boring displays, unattractive food photographs, and unattractive hotel rooms.

14. Approximately 72% of brand-new clients will conduct some kind of research before making a booking.

Only 6% of individuals say they don't believe customer reviews, compared to 15% of customers who don't trust companies without reviews.

According to these figures, hotels and travel agencies have nothing to lose by requesting online reviews. Only 22% of individuals will post a review if they aren't asked to , which rises to 80% when businesses actively urge customers.

Some businesses worry about the fallacy that only dissatisfied customers post reviews, which is not true. According to travel industry statistics, only 5% of reviews will be unfavorable, with an average of 95% being favorable.

Hotels and digital travel companies must use SEO and powerful social media tactics to have a strong online presence and increase online sales.

That’s because many potential clients rely on social media and an online presence when making travel bookings. According to Google, the most well-liked online products have an average rating of 4.2 to 4.7 and about 39 reviews.

15. 29% of those who make reservations prefer direct travel bookings.

Reasons include the ability to:

• Request additional amenities (28%).
• Look for the best deal (21%).
• Searching for loyalty programs (21%).
• Negotiate prices (18%).
• Discover rewards for direct booking (11%)

16. It's projected that by 2023, over 700 million people will purchase a flight online.

Furthermore, 70% of all consumers use a mobile device to research flights

17. Half of all American travelers spend weeks researching before departing on vacation.

However, the second category of customers has their trip planned for months. These consumers look for activities in the twelve weeks preceding their trip rather than making air or hotel bookings.

According to online hotel booking statistics, older travelers (aged 55+) are more inclined to make reservations more than four months in advance , while younger travelers (aged 18 to 34) tend to put off online travel research until the last month or week.

18. 41% of travelers prefer to use online travel agencies (OTAs), while 29% use travel operators or agents.

According to demographic data, those under 35 years are more likely to book hotels using OTAs. 70% of respondents said they would use an OTA to make a reservation if hotel sites and OTAs had equal prices.

Even though using a physical travel agency can save passengers up to $452 and four hours of preparation time per trip , only 24.3% of Americans use them.

Most online sales in the travel industry currently occur on one-stop digital stores that let customers plan their entire trip on one website . By the end of the year, these corporations will control 41% of the online travel sales market.

Research from Hospitalitynet shows that 12% of visitors believe that using booking websites should be significantly faster and easier than making online hotel bookings using hotel websites directly.

Some main factors influencing consumer decisions are security, ease of use, loyalty discounts, and reliable online reviews from the OTAs.

19. Travelers who plan their trip spend 47% less on lodging than their more impulsive counterparts who book while traveling.

They also spend 81% less on transportation. This less impulsive online travel booking segment provides a desirable target market for online companies that sell reservations across various categories.

Many people conduct travel-related searches on online travel sites like TripAdvisor and Expedia. According to TripAdvisor, which recorded 224 million travel bookings in a single month, 80% of travelers will spend about four weeks researching a destination before booking.

20. Hotel websites account for two-thirds of all digital travel booking revenues.

That’s surprising because TripAdvisor and Booking.com receive millions of visitors each month. You might think they are the ones driving up most of the revenue.

Furthermore, 60% of consumers believe digital travel bookings are their most expensive online purchase. Many customers have higher expectations for bookings now that more businesses are paying attention to the customer experience.

90% of all consumers say they expect a personalized experience from their virtual travel assistant when they book their trips online, which isn’t surprising. Customer dissatisfaction may contribute to low conversion and cart abandonment rates since many travel websites are still comparatively outdated.

These figures imply that the market for digital bookings is huge and underserved. Online travel booking services should look at their sales funnel to determine why they are losing so much business.

21. Digital worldwide travel sales are currently rising at a pace of 15.4%, and online hotel bookings are growing at a rate of 10.3%.

(ThinkWithGoogle)

Google reports that Monday is the most common day for conducting travel-related searches and booking, while Saturday is the least popular day. The same survey revealed that most hotel bookings happen between 6 am and 10 am.

Sustainability Travel Booking Statistics

22. sustainable tourism is one of the biggest travel trends for 2022 because of the threat posed by climate change..

2017 was designated as the UN's “International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development,” which encouraged sustainability concerning the industry's sociocultural, economic, and environmental facets.

More and more travelers are becoming more conscientious of their decisions. According to a different poll, 70% of international travelers say they would book a hotel sooner if they knew it was green and sustainable.

23. In 2022, 63% of travelers are prepared to put more effort into making more environmentally friendly travel decisions.

(Booking.com, The Vacationer)

That’s a 10% increase from 2021. 30% of travelers say they'll choose more environmentally friendly options when researching travel online before booking, even if it causes them inconvenience.

52% of respondents intend to choose more environmentally friendly options when booking travel, but only if doing so won't inconvenience them . 57% said they would like to stay in accommodations with sustainability certification.

24. 87% of visitors desire to travel sustainably.

(TravelAgentCentral)

According to a survey of travelers, 81% of respondents said they value sustainable travel.

Of those, 50% claim that news stories about dire climate change events have influenced their choices to make more environmentally friendly travel arrangements. Therefore, 33% would rather go outside of the busiest times to avoid adding to the congestion.

More and more people want to reduce their environmental effects at home and abroad, but they encounter several obstacles. The following are the major global barriers to traveling more sustainably:

• Costs: Expensive alternatives (42%)
• Lack of Knowledge/Certification: unable to make travel more sustainable (32%).
• Time restraints: traveling sustainably would take time (22%).
• Destination: The alternatives are limited (22%)
• Luxury/comfort: Sustainable travel falls short of their expectations for comfort or luxury (20%).

Businesses in the tourism industry must figure out how to inform and encourage sustainable travel. Visitors researching travel online should learn what various hotels are doing to encourage environmentally friendly practices and how they respond to economic and environmental changes.

25. Sustainability and carbon footprint were listed as the top factor by 7% of survey respondents when making vacation plans.

(The Vacationer)

Online hotel booking statistics show that 56% of those surveyed concurred that they don't actively look for eco-friendly lodging options but will book one if it's convenient. With 67% of high-income travelers saying they would rather spend money on a better hotel room and experience.

Many hotels are now concerned that implementing sustainable projects may harm their bottom line. Accommodation quality becomes less important as more tourists prioritize experiences. The following are some motivating elements for eco-conscious travel:

• Being moved by natural sights when traveling themselves (60%)
• Observing the effects of tourism in other places (54%).
• Recognizing the advantages of sustainable tourism (47%).
• 42% of people report the negative effects of unsustainable tourism in their own nation.
• Feeling bad about their environmental impact (32%).

26. 23% of travelers choose to travel locally to reduce their carbon footprint.

Global travelers are paying more attention to the distance traveled and their transportation modes. Online travel booking statistics show that more than one in five use travel websites to look for bike rentals and public transportation options in their intended location.

33% of respondents said they would be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $250 on travel to reduce the journey's carbon footprint. Those who stayed at a sustainable hotel in the previous year did so to:

• Lessen the carbon impact on the environment (41%).
• Discover the culture of the region (33%)
• Better community engagement (31%).

User Behavior in Online Travel Booking

27. booking a trip takes americans 29% longer on average in 2022 than in 2019..

(Tripadvisor)

52% of American tourists place a higher value on the time they spend researching travel online than any other aspect of the booking process. 55% of Britons share this sentiment.

People take 6% longer to arrange a trip in Germany, while this number rises to 16% in Australia. While Australians spend 60% of their time preparing for trips, Singaporeans spend 68% visiting local travel sites and researching travel online before booking.

28. 43% of Americans dislike making travel reservations.

According to travel industry statistics, a third of families find it extremely time-consuming to conduct online hotel bookings and look for the best flights, while 23% don't enjoy planning vacations.

When booking reservations, one in three tourists put flexibility ahead of everything else. Another challenge for travelers is the lack of transparency in making travel reservations. Too many options to compare can sometimes get difficult.

Digital booking statistics show that booking a trip isn’t among the top three simplest online purchasing experiences. Above it is online restaurant bookings, clothing purchases, and online browsing and purchasing physical and digital items.

29. The average traveler makes 38 website visits before deciding and making a booking.

45% of vacationers prefer to arrange their entire trip on a single website that offers choices for flights, lodging, auto rentals, and extras.

According to research, nearly 42% of consumers take more than five years to make vacation reservations . 60% of questioned tourists think there are too many hidden fees and expenses when choosing a trip.

Online Travel Booking Market Share

30. the online travel booking industry is expected to grow by $204.81 billion by 2026..

(ResearchAndMarkets)

The publisher has closely watched the online travel booking platforms market and is anticipated to increase by a CAGR of 4.91% between 2022 and 2026.

A comprehensive analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, challenges, and vendor analysis for about 25 vendors are in this study on the online travel booking platform market.

The research provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of the global market, the newest drivers and trends, and the general market environment.

The market is driven by the widespread use of smartphones, as well as by the growing concentration of online travel companies.

31. The digital travel market is predicted to increase from $800.72 billion in 2021 to over $1.2 trillion in 2027.

Over the past ten years, most sectors have gone digital. Particularly, the travel industry has continued to make enormous efforts to develop its online presence.

Review and travel-related e-commerce websites make up most of the online travel booking industry. It allows customers to conveniently reserve from home and frequently entices them with packages and cost-cutting options.

As a result, many tourists now prefer to plan their trips online rather than through traditional brick-and-mortar travel firms.

The primary worldwide digital travel market is also driven by rising consumer spending power, government initiatives to promote tourism, increasing internet and credit card usage, and new online segments.

It’s no surprise the yearly value of the travel business. It’s expected to be over $1.2 trillion in the coming years.

Most of the increase in online travel will come from the rising popularity of bookings made through websites like Booking.com, TripAdvisor.com, Skyscanner.com, etc., for international hotels and flights.

32. Expedia and Booking.com have acquired rival websites and mobile apps to increase their market share.

(BusinessofApps)

Kayak, Priceline.com, and Agoda are owned by Booking.com, while Expedia Group owns trivago, Orbitz, Vrbo, and Travelocity.

Expedia and Booking.com have expanded their services to include flights, taxis, car rentals, cruises, and excursions to increase their travel portfolio.

The business strategy is the same across the board; the app gets a tiny commission for each booking. Like past travel agents would arrange the airline, ground transportation, hotel, and events in a packaged trip, the goal is to be a one-stop vacation destination.

Airbnb also initiated this augmentation in 2016 with the launch of Experiences. In response to the pandemic preventing short-term travel. It also began to promote long-term stays in 2020. Services for co-working and transportation might be next on their list.

Even though Booking, Expedia, and Airbnb are the three main platforms, there are still several others, including Hopper, Hotels.com, Skyscanner, TripAdvisor, and Trip.com, that either compete in a particular market (flights for Skyscanner; hotels for Hotels.com) or operate a similar one-stop shop for all things travel-related to Booking and Expedia.

33. From 2021 to 2027, the global online travel market will expand at a CAGR of 10.58%.

(Booking.com)

The international online travel market is divided into two types: Online Travel Agencies and Direct Travel Suppliers. OTAs are becoming the world's most popular method of making reservations.

One of the best examples of digital change in business and society over the past 25 years has been the development of online travel agents.

OTAs have developed into digital marketplaces that provide direct access to digital travel options for B2C and B2B clients. OTAs are a cross between an e-commerce platform and a travel agency.

34. It’s anticipated that the travel accommodation sector will continue dominating digital travel services.

Travel accommodations are now the largest contributor to the travel market as a result of enterprises expanding globally due to globalization. Online booking is accessible for various travel accommodations, including hotels, resorts, vacation rentals, and more.

35. The online booking market is divided into mobile/tablet and desktop segments based on the type of device.

Due to its ease, comfort, and all-day accessibility, digital travel booking via a mobile, tablet, and desktop is the preferred method for most young travelers. Consumer habits in digital media are always evolving.

Mobile usage is steadily increasing, while desktop usage is steadily declining. Even said, these patterns are still evolving quickly, so the internet travel sector must adjust.

According to online booking statistics by STRATOS, 82% of all travel bookings worldwide occurred without a human being involved in the process.

Statistics on Online Travel Booking Demographics

36. baby boomers are the ones driving the growth of the online travel industry..

(Statista, TripAdvisor)

The online travel market comprises Millennials, Generation X, and Silver Hairs. However, Baby Boomer travelers with more money, time, and a strong desire to travel dominate the market.

They look for novel traveling experiences and engage in active vacations that include sightseeing and learning about different cultures. OTAs must change to reflect the preferences of younger travelers as they grow more involved and important in the travel industry.

Most Gen Xers and Millennials are wary of conventional advertising and would rather rely on word-of-mouth. In 2022, digital travel businesses that continue to rely on stock images and conventional advertising will observe a gradual decline in their clientele.

37. 60% of Millennial travelers are willing to spend more to get what they expect.

(CondorFerris)

34% are delighted to plan their trip through an agency. The 25–40-year-old Millennial age group includes business travelers and people just starting their professional lives.

Compared to travelers in the higher age category, these travelers are more likely to spend money on the trip, as they place a significantly greater emphasis on traveling for experiences.

They want to see and do unique things in unusual places without dealing with tedious details like hotel reservations. Digital travel booking statistics also show that this age group prefers to use travel companies for all their trip arrangements.

Although they use travel agents to make their hotel reservations, 52% of them will visit the hotel's website to learn more. Agents who present themselves as authorities in a particular field are quite successful with millennials.

Travel sales will increase for an agent who can provide distinctive experiences and intimate knowledge of the top accommodations, restaurants, and locations—especially if they can also maintain a strong social media presence.

38. According to online travel stats, the most lucrative travel market is in Asia-Pacific.

Geographically speaking, Asia-Pacific has the most potential for growth in the online boom, with China and India representing the most attractive markets. The emergence of the middle class, increased disposable money, and wider adoption of Internet services contribute to the growth.

While Ctrip's online travel agency dominates the Chinese travel sector, India's top OTAs are Yatra and Cleartrip. OTAs are increasingly being used to make reservations in the area.

What the Future Looks Like for the Online Travel Booking Industry

Online travel booking is here to stay. That means travel companies should constantly reinvent themselves and adapt to keep up with fast-evolving developments.

With some of the highest cart abandonment rates among all online industries, tourism also struggles to benefit from mobile-friendly websites.

These online travel booking statistics somewhat reflect the inherently competitive nature of hotel bookings, but they also show that all travel agencies need to modernize their marketing and sales strategies. The first thing to get the best live chat software :

• The LiveChat installation process is super easy and comes with a free WordPress plug-in. The chat platform offers personalized customer support with the help of AI and the customer's recent history.
• ChatBot is best for travel startup companies because of the 24/7 support service they can use anytime. The software has powerful analytics tools you can use to
• SendinBlue not only does the tool have advanced live chat capabilities , but it also has premium email marketing functionalities. You can get started for free on Sendinblue – what are you waiting for?
• Tripadvisor
• The Vacationer
• GlobeNewswire
• Travel Weekly
• Booking.com
• Marketsampler
• Hospitalitynet
• Think With Google
• Travelagentcentral

Was This Article Helpful?

Anastasia belyh.

Anastasia has been a professional blogger and researcher since 2014. She loves to perform in-depth software reviews to help software buyers make informed decisions when choosing project management software, CRM tools, website builders, and everything around growing a startup business.

Anastasia worked in management consulting and tech startups, so she has lots of experience in helping professionals choosing the right business software.

• Travel, Tourism & Hospitality ›
• Leisure Travel

Online travel market - statistics & facts

How big is the online travel market, what are the leading online travel agencies (otas), what travel products do consumers book online, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028

Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2019-2029

Most popular travel and tourism websites worldwide 2024

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Online Travel Market

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023

Further recommended statistics

Industry overview.

• Premium Statistic Market size of the tourism sector worldwide 2011-2024
• Premium Statistic Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2020-2029, by segment
• Premium Statistic Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2019-2029
• Premium Statistic Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028
• Premium Statistic Revenue of the travel apps industry worldwide 2017-2027
• Premium Statistic Estimated EV/Revenue ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment
• Premium Statistic Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Market size of the tourism sector worldwide 2011-2024

Market size of the tourism sector worldwide from 2011 to 2023, with a forecast for 2024 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2020-2029, by segment

Revenue of the travel and tourism market worldwide from 2020 to 2029, by segment (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue share of sales channels of the travel and tourism market worldwide from 2019 to 2029

Online travel market size worldwide from 2017 to 2023, with a forecast until 2028 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of the travel apps industry worldwide 2017-2027

Revenue of the travel apps market worldwide from 2017 to 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Estimated EV/Revenue ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Estimated enterprise value to revenue (EV/Revenue) ratio in the online travel market worldwide as of April 2024, by segment

Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Estimated enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio in the online travel market worldwide as of April 2024, by segment

Online bookings

• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in the U.S. 2024
• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in Canada 2024
• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in the UK 2024
• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in China 2024
• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in India 2024
• Premium Statistic Importance to book a trip fully online among travelers worldwide 2023, by generation

Travel product online bookings in the U.S. 2024

Travel product online bookings in the U.S. as of June 2024

Travel product online bookings in Canada 2024

Travel product online bookings in Canada as of June 2024

Travel product online bookings in the UK 2024

Travel product online bookings in the UK as of June 2024

Travel product online bookings in China 2024

Travel product online bookings in China as of June 2024

Travel product online bookings in India 2024

Travel product online bookings in India as of June 2024

Importance to book a trip fully online among travelers worldwide 2023, by generation

Share of travelers who think it is important to be able to book their trip entirely online worldwide as of July 2023, by generation

Market leaders

• Premium Statistic Revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Marketing expenses of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Marketing/revenue ratio of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of employees at leading travel companies worldwide 2023
• Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Most popular travel and tourism websites worldwide 2024

Revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023

Leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide from 2019 to 2023, by revenue (in million U.S. dollars)

Marketing expenses of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023

Marketing expenses of leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide from 2019 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Marketing/revenue ratio of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023

Marketing to revenue ratio of leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide from 2019 to 2023

Number of employees at leading travel companies worldwide 2023

Number of employees at selected leading travel companies worldwide in 2023

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide as of September 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023

Number of aggregated downloads of selected leading online travel agency apps worldwide in 2023 (in millions)

Most visited travel and tourism websites worldwide as of April 2024 (in million visits)

Booking Holdings

• Basic Statistic Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of bookings through Booking Holdings worldwide 2010-2023, by segment
• Premium Statistic Operating income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Net income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of bookings through Booking Holdings worldwide 2010-2023, by segment

Number of bookings through Booking Holdings worldwide from 2010 to 2023, by business segment (in millions)

Operating income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Operating income of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Net income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Net income of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Expedia Group

• Premium Statistic Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2017-2023, by business model
• Premium Statistic Operating income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Net income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2017-2023, by business model

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2017 to 2023, by business model (in million U.S. dollars)

Operating income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Operating income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Net income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Net income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

• Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023
• Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2019-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Airbnb operations income worldwide 2017-2023
• Premium Statistic Airbnb net income worldwide 2017-2023

Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023

Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Airbnb revenue worldwide 2019-2023, by region

Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2019 to 2023, by region (in billion U.S. dollars)

Airbnb operations income worldwide 2017-2023

Income from operations of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Airbnb net income worldwide 2017-2023

Net income of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Trip.com Group

• Premium Statistic Total revenue of Trip.com Group 2013-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Trip.com 2013-2023, by product
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Trip.com 2017-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Net income of Trip.com 2013-2023

Total revenue of Trip.com Group 2013-2023

Total revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. in China from 2013 to 2023 (in billion yuan)

Revenue of Trip.com 2013-2023, by product

Revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. from 2013 to 2023, by product (in million yuan)

Revenue of Trip.com 2017-2023, by region

Revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. from 2017 to 2023, by region (in million yuan)

Net income of Trip.com 2013-2023

Net profit of Trip.com Group Ltd. from 2013 to 2023 (in million yuan)

Tripadvisor

• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2017-2023, by business segment
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2012-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Operating income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023
• Premium Statistic Net income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2017-2023, by business segment

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2017 to 2023, by business segment (in million U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2012-2023, by region

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2012 to 2023, by region (in million U.S. dollars)

Operating income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Operating income of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Net income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Net income of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Further reports

Get the best reports to understand your industry.

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

• English (CA)
• English (UK)
• Deutsch (DE)
• Deutsch (CH)

60+ online travel booking statistics & trends

A look at how the online travel booking industry has fared so far.

• The online travel industry generated revenue worth $667.55 billion in 2023. The travel industry is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.99% between 2023 and 2030—when it’s expected to hit $1569.25 billion.
• China has the highest growth potential in the online travel booking industry. This growth can be attributed to the growth of the middle-class income group, an increase in disposable income, and wider access to the Internet.
• Flight demand in 2023 was roughly 95% of what it was before the coronavirus pandemic.
• In the six surveyed countries, 50% of travelers planned to travel more in March and May 2023, compared to the same period the previous year.
• 31% of those who changed their travel plans in 2023 planned to reduce travel or take shorter trips due to increasing cost-of-living prices, while 27% opted for booking closer-to-home trips.

How people book—researching and buying behaviors

• According to the Trends Global Survey, 80% of global travelers surveyed feel it’s important to be able to book their trips entirely online, with 86% of Millennials and 83% of Gen Zers leading the charge.
• 76% of global travelers said they look for travel apps that reduce the friction and stress of travel.
• Last year, the top five online resources used by most travelers were: OTAs (80%), search engines (61%), social media (58%), airline websites (54%), and meta-travel websites (51%).
• Travelers spent over 5 hours consuming online travel content to seek inspiration and plan their trip in the 45 days before finally booking their journey.
• Social media had the greatest influence on leisure travelers’ travel destinations, with 75% of travelers saying social media posts inspired their trips to a specific destination in 2023. 
• Most American travelers (92%) in 2023 said that they wanted to save on travel by focusing on accommodation prices instead of amenities (39%) and driving instead of flying (35%). 
• Reviews from other travelers (29%) 
• Free WiFi (24%)
• Accommodation facilities (23%)
• Room photos (22%)
• In the consideration stage of planning and booking corporate travel , videos and photos are the two most critical factors that affected global travelers’ decisions in 2022. They also looked at a hotel’s ability to showcase its amenities and guest experience while deciding on a place to stay.
• Three of the most impactful deal breakers for most travelers were bland and unappealing hotel rooms, non-aesthetic food photos, and boring content presentation.
• 17% of people in the United States have bought some form of travel app subscription to help them plan their travels in 2022.
• By June 2023, travel app log-ins were 87% higher than by the end of 2019.

Online booking statistics indicate a renewed outlook of travelers worldwide

• In 2023, a large majority of travelers (72%) said they preferred to book their trips online, compared to only 12% that preferred using a travel agency.
• Of those that book travel online, 53% cited it’s because of the speed at which they can plan their trip (perfect for last-minute trips), 47% said it’s easier to compare prices and 42% said it’s better to find cheaper deals.
• It’s forecasted that 76% of total revenue in the tourism and travel sector will be generated through online sales by 2028.
• Monday was the most popular day for booking travel, and Saturday was the quietest day.
• 63% of travelers believed technology plays a key role in controlling health risks during trips and reduces travel anxiety in a post-pandemic world.
• The percentage of shoppers that abandoned their travel purchase was 85% for desktop users and 91% for those buying on a mobile device.
• In 2023, 48% used their mobile device for destination research, 47% to compare transport and accommodation prices, and 40% to book flights and hotels.
• 97.8% of travel executives stated that AI would have an impact over the next 1-5 years in the industry.
• Over a fifth (22%) of global travelers have used ChatGPT or similar AI chatbots to plan travel.
• Four out of five travelers who booked online visited an OTA "at some point" before booking, "even if travelers booked on another website."

Biggest blockers and frustrations in online travel booking

• 45.1% of travelers said they were concerned about how much data companies hold on them in 2023 and only 23.1% felt in control of their data.
• In a study of 15,000 Tripadvisor reviews, it was found that flight irregularities emerged as the most discussed topic (36%) for travelers, compared to 20% in 2019.
• 43% of Americans didn’t like booking travel, including 23% of GenZ travelers. The experience gap between booking travel and actually traveling is notably high.
• One in three travelers prioritized flexibility over all other factors when making reservations.
• 74% of travel agents surveyed believed buying and selling travel plans could be simplified. 86% of agents were in favor of modernizing the user experience to boost online travel sales.
• One of the biggest factors hampering travel bookings was the lack of transparency. Comparing too many options is challenging and becomes a roadblock.
• A third of families considered the process of searching for the best flights and making online hotel bookings extremely time-consuming—23% of them didn’t enjoy booking trips.
• 43% of business travelers felt frustrated that the search function of travel sites was limited to the budget or the date.
• 60% of surveyed travelers believed travel options were filled with hidden costs and were not upfront enough.
• 45% of travelers preferred booking a trip from start to finish from a single website that presents options for flights, accommodations, car rentals, and extras.
• Millennials booked their travel needs via travel agencies. They’d book their hotel via travel agencies, however, 52% would look at the hotel’s website for more information.
• Users spent, on average, 40% more via desktop than mobile devices when booking online. SaleCycle said that “perhaps users feel more comfortable booking high-ticket holidays on a bigger screen.”

Travel booking is going mobile

• People used mobiles to browse more than purchase since 60% of all online traffic came from mobile, however, desktop accounted for 62.5% of online sales.
• The mobile users’ average online order value has grown by 29% since 2020. 
• The mobile travel booking market is projected to grow at an anticipated value of $612.5 billion by 2031.
• In 2020, the gap between desktop and mobile booking sales was 75% compared to 2022 where the gap was reduced to 40%.
• Almost one-third (32%) of travelers used a website through a mobile device to book travel and 23% used a mobile app directly in 2023.

How is online business travel booking evolving

• 87% of business travelers and corporate travel managers wanted more simplified booking services and processes. 42% of them thought booking a trip was actually more challenging than traveling itself.
• 82% of travel agents reported a need for digital retailing for both leisure and business travel. A better customer experience is a priority for both types of travel.
• Travel booking fell short of the top three easiest buying experiences behind booking a restaurant online, buying clothes online, and browsing and buying electronic/physical goods online.
• For 38% of respondents, the average frequency of business trips was once every 2-3 months. 32% traveled once or twice every month for business purposes.
• Business travelers spent 52 days getting inspired and planning their trip, and 43 days between booking and starting their trip.
• 87% of employees think that in-person meetings and business travel are important to company growth.
• However, despite there being more interest in business travel, companies were worried about their carbon footprint. In fact, four in 10 European companies and a third of American companies said they needed to reduce travel per employee by more than 20% to meet their 2030 sustainability targets.
• In 2024, 63% of companies are investing more in sustainable travel and 80% of business travelers want more sustainable options when booking.
• 88% of corporate travelers want full transparency into what they are buying when buying online.

Role of online travel agents in a post-pandemic world

• 41% of those surveyed preferred booking via online travel agencies (OTAs) while 29% booked via travel agents or operators. Around 20% of them booked via travel agents.
• Demographical data from North America showed that people under 35 years of age were more inclined to use OTAs for booking hotel rooms.
• The average browser abandonment rate for OTAs was approximately 81.54%, indicating how travelers frequently used online travel booking websites to find and compare options.
• In a scenario where prices are identical on hotel websites and OTAs, 70% of respondents said they would book via an OTA.
• Some of the biggest reasons why people preferred OTAs were the security, convenience, loyalty discounts, and credible online reviews that they offered.
• Booking trends indicate that 12% of travelers thought booking websites should provide a much faster and more frictionless experience than booking directly on hotel websites.
• Out of the 141 pages that travelers looked at 45 days before traveling, OTAs were the most viewed (67), followed by airline websites (33).
• OTA’s are used by 80% of travelers before making any purchase.
• 61% of travelers visited an OTA before making a booking on a hotel site.

Modernize the way you book business travel

Travelers take a stand for sustainability.

• 74% of travelers thought people needed to make more sustainable choices to save the planet for future generations.
• 64 % of American travelers said in 2023 that they were looking for accommodation establishments with high sustainability innovation and practices.
• In 2023, 49% of travelers believed more sustainable travel options were too expensive, however, 43% said they were willing to pay extra for travel options with a sustainable certification.
• In 2022, 66% of travelers wanted travel companies to offer more sustainable travel choices. However, in 2023, that number increased to 74%.
• 76% of global travelers wanted to travel more sustainably in 2023.
• More than half (51%) of travelers said there weren’t enough sustainable travel options and 43% could recall seeing at least one product or service on a travel website that had to do with sustainable travel.
• Almost two-thirds of travelers (61%) said they wanted to use more environmentally-friendly modes of transport like trains.
• Almost 80% of travelers said they were willing to spend at least 10% more for eco-tourism and adventure travel in 2023.
• Global travelers were increasingly attentive to how far they traveled and what means they would take to make their journeys. 23% of them chose to minimize their carbon footprint by picking a destination closer to home.

Put sustainability at the core of your business travel policy

Online travel booking is here to stay.

Maximize your travel budget. Save time and money on your next trip.

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

• See our platform in action . Trusted by thousands of companies worldwide, TravelPerk makes business travel simpler to manage with more flexibility, full control of spending with easy reporting, and options to offset your carbon footprint.
• Find hundreds of resources on all things business travel, from tips on traveling more sustainably, to advice on setting up a business travel policy, and managing your expenses. Our latest e-books and blog posts have you covered.
• Never miss another update. Stay in touch with us on social for the latest product releases, upcoming events, and articles fresh off the press.

Accelerating our US expansion with AmTrav acquisition

Business Travel and Wellness Survey Results

• Business Travel Management
• Offset Carbon Footprint
• Flexible travel
• Corporate Travel Resources
• Corporate Travel Glossary
• For Travel Managers
• For Finance Teams
• For Travelers
• Careers Hiring
• User Reviews
• Integrations
• Trust Center
• Help Center
• Privacy Policy
• Cookies Policy
• Modern Slavery Act | Statement
• Supplier Code of Conduct

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Travel’s Theme for 2022? ‘Go Big’

With Omicron cases ebbing, the industry is looking for a significant rebound in spring and summer. Here’s what to expect, in the air, at the rental car counter and beyond.

By The New York Times

As governments across the world loosen coronavirus restrictions and shift their approach to accepting Covid-19 as a manageable part of everyday life, the travel industry is growing hopeful that this will be the year that travel comes roaring back.

Travel agents and operators have reported a significant increase in bookings in recent weeks for the upcoming spring and summer seasons. The World Travel & Tourism Council (W.T.T.C.), which represents the global travel and tourism industry, projects that travel and tourism in the United States will reach prepandemic levels in 2022, contributing nearly $2 trillion to the U.S. economy. The council also anticipates outbound travel from the United States will increase; it projects bookings over the Easter holiday period to be up by 130 percent over last year.

“Our latest forecast shows the recovery significantly picking up this year as infection rates subside and travelers continue benefiting from the protection offered by the vaccine and boosters,” said Julia Simpson, the president and chief executive officer of the W.T.T.C. “As travel restrictions ease and consumer confidence returns, we expect a welcome release of pent-up travel and demand.”

While uncertainty remains over the course of the pandemic and government policies on mask mandates and testing requirements for travel, the industry is seeing a strong desire among travelers to take big bucket list trips this year, particularly to far-flung international destinations and European cities.

“Travel is no longer just about ‘going somewhere,’” said Christie Hudson, a senior public relations manager for Expedia. “Coming out of such a long period of constraints and limitations, 2022 will be the year we wring every bit of richness and meaning out of our experiences.”

Here are some of the trends you can expect to see.

Air Travel: Fewer restrictions, but for now the masks stay on

Flying in 2022 looks poised to be much like flying in 2021: reminiscent of prepandemic normal at times, infuriating at others. A primary difference is that there will be more people on planes and in airports — 150 percent as many passengers are expected to fly this year as did last year, according to The International Air Transport Association , which represents nearly 300 airlines.

In terms of where you can fly, you’ll have more options than last year. Destinations that have long been closed to most travelers, including Australia, the Philippines and Bali, have started reopening. Airlines have been gradually adding back old routes and expanding with new ones. In the spring, American Airlines, for example, plans to add six new routes from Boston. JetBlue will soon fly direct from New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Kansas City and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, among other locations.

You’ll still need to check the latest entry requirements before flying internationally. There are currently more than 100,000 health and travel restrictions in place, according to Meghan Benton , a research director at the Migration Policy Institute, which tracks them. Though that’s around the same number as a year ago, she noted, there has been a move away from quarantines and outright bans of nonessential visitors toward vaccination and testing requirements. Recently, a growing number of destinations, including Britain, have also reconsidered the merits of entry testing.

That flight for a summer getaway could cost less than it did before the pandemic. Fares are down 18 percent from 2019, according to Airlines for America, which represents seven major airlines. In January, the cost of international airfares purchased hit an all-time low since Hopper, a booking app, began tracking them in 2014. Predicting whether, when and where they will rise is harder than it was before the pandemic, however, as new variants, evolving health threats, travel restrictions and pandemic psychology have upended traditional pricing patterns. Fortunately, most airlines are continuing to waive flight change fees on all but basic economy flights, said Brett Snyder, the founder of Cranky Flier , an airline industry site.

When flying in the United States, everyone will need to wear a mask until at least late March. That’s when the federal mask mandate is set to expire. It has been extended before and could be extended again. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s chief medical adviser, is among those who have said that masks on planes should be here to stay. Gary Leff, who writes about air travel for View from the Wing, a site focused on air travel, said he agrees with the betting markets , which predict that the mask mandate will go away by the November midterm elections. Regardless, there will be more alcohol in the air. On Feb. 16, Southwest will serve drinks for the first time in two years. — Heather Murphy

Lodging: Hotels fight back, sometimes with robots

This may be the year travelers return to hotels. In a report for the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Oxford Economics, an economic forecasting company, expects total bookings to nearly equal 2019 stays, though a significant source of revenue — more than roughly $48 billion spent before the pandemic on food and drink, meeting spaces and more — will largely remain missing, given the continued slump in business meetings and group events.

Leisure travelers have kept the industry afloat and in certain areas — especially mountain and coastal destinations — vacation business is booming. With record demand, rates rose at escapist resorts like the Chebeague Island Inn in Maine even in the traditional off-season months.

Now, corporate lodging specialists like Level Hotels & Furnished Suites , which has high-rise apartments in four cities including Seattle, are going after leisure travelers, touting amenities like fitness centers. And why not? During the pandemic, many travelers discovered the privacy offered by rental residences. According to AirDNA , which analyzes the short-term rental market, vacation home bookings were up between 30 and 60 percent in small cities and resort destinations compared to 2019, though big-city rentals are down about 25 percent.

Urban hotels hope to compete for digital nomads by adding stylish extended-stay properties, social attractions and better work spaces. Denver’s Catbird hotel offers ergonomic studios with kitchenettes, plus a rooftop bar and rental gear, including scooters, ukuleles and air fryers. The Hoxton chain’s Working From co-working spaces are attached to its hotels in Chicago and London.

Adapting to lean times, many hotels have outsourced operations beyond laundry and landscaping, into food and recreational services. The new app-based service Breeze works with hotels to provide room service either from on-site restaurants or neighboring ones.

The pandemic has also hastened the adoption of automation in hotels — such as keyless check-in, digital staff communication and room delivery by robots — as a cost-effective response to the labor shortage.

“High tech is the new high touch,” said Chekitan Dev, the Singapore Tourism Distinguished Professor of marketing and management at Cornell University’s hotel school.

Hotel sustainability initiatives look to go further than “towel-washing optional” offers.

Hilton plans to introduce what it says is the country’s first net-zero hotel this year with the solar-powered Hotel Marcel New Haven, Tapestry Collection in New Haven, Conn. SCP Hotels , which operates seven hotels around the country, aims to go zero-waste in 2022.

The industry’s focus on leisure travelers may inspire new diversions. A hotel that can no longer afford to employ 50 servers in its events department might use the space to hold a yoga class or a talk by a local designer, according to Vikram Singh, an independent hotel consultant. “These are the experiences people remember more than whether the pillow was soft,” he said. — Elaine Glusac

Rental Cars: Still pricey, and hard to get

This time last year, Jonathan Weinberg, the founder and chief executive of AutoSlash , an online service that makes and tracks discount car rentals, noticed that rental vehicles were unexpectedly scarce and overpriced for the mid-February Presidents’ Day break, an early indication of the post-vaccine travel rebound.

In 2022, it’s looking worse. A Feb. 1 search in Phoenix for the upcoming holiday weekend showed all the major car rental companies were sold out and just two smaller agencies, Sixt and Nu, had cars, starting at $130 a day, more than twice what they might have been prepandemic.

“Even last year, we didn’t see inventory this tight until a week or so out,” Mr. Weinberg said.

It’s possible that consumers have heeded the advice to book cars early after last year’s shortages. But rental agencies still haven’t been able to expand their fleets — thanks largely to slowdowns in automotive manufacturing — and the anticipated return of travel after Omicron suggests more car trouble ahead.

“It doesn’t look like it’s going to improve at all in the next year,” said Mike Taylor, the senior travel analyst at J.D. Power, a market research company, noting that in addition to higher prices, renters may be getting older cars with high mileage.

According to the travel search engine Kayak , rental car rates last summer peaked in July at a national average of $119 a day. Currently, the national average is about $66, or 27 percent higher than last year at this time, and a 41 percent increase over 2019 for the same period. Searches have more than doubled compared to this time last year.

“Road-tripping is a more predictable way of travel these days, where you can avoid crowds and unexpected delays,” said Matt Clarke, the vice president of North American marketing for Kayak, which recently added search results from companies like Kyte , a car rental company that delivers cars to consumers, and Turo , a car-sharing site.

Such alternatives may have benefited from the rental car crunch. In the first nine months of 2021, revenue at Turo grew more than 200 percent, compared to the same period in 2020, according to a recent filing to go public.

“For many travelers, Turo was the least crazy option from a price standpoint,” said Turo’s chief executive Andre Haddad.

For now, car-sharing sites are better bets for finding electric vehicles, although Hertz announced in the fall that it would have 100,000 E. V.s by the end of this year. At Turo, E.V. listings have grown from about 200 in 2014 to more than 27,000 in 2021.

“We’re already seeing activity for March and April, and that is not normal,” said Ryan Hagler, a Maui resident who uses Turo to rent 10 vehicles, including six Teslas, which start around $80 a day. “I’m assuming it’s going to be pretty busy this year.” — Elaine Glusac

Destinations: Cities are back

This March, Virginia Devlin of Chicago is headed to New York City with her daughter, a musical theater student, to celebrate two years’ worth of missed birthday trips. They’ll see Broadway shows and visit Chinatown for dim sum. Tracy Lippes, of Short Hills, N.J., is ready to go to Paris. “I can’t wait to stay in a beautiful hotel, shop, visit museums and eat at great restaurants,” Ms. Lippes said of her March trip. Greg Siskind, an immigration attorney in Memphis, is thrilled to have an in-person conference in London next month, and plans to arrive a few days early to enjoy the city with his adult daughters.

Yes, city travel is back. After more than two years of avoiding urban centers, travelers are eager to return to their favorite metropolis and swan dive into the sights, bites and sounds of a city that is not their own.

“It was a lift to everyone when the U.K. dumped Covid mandates on Jan. 26,” said Henley Vazquez, a co-founder of FORA, a travel agency in New York City . “Bookings are spiking for classic European destinations, particularly Paris and London. Clients want to reconnect with special hotels and restaurants and simply bask in the culture.”

In the United States, Shawna Owen, the president of Huffman Travel , a Chicago-based agency that specializes in luxury and family travel, is planning long weekend trips to New York City. “New York is buzzing again and clients are excited to dine at hot spots and enjoy the city’s dynamism.”

Underscoring the New York-is-back trend, the travel booking site Skyscanner reports that New York City is its top booked domestic destination so far in 2022 and the online travel agency Expedia has had a 13 percent increase in searches for New York City.

As for Europe, Paris and London are the top searched international destinations on Scott’s Cheap Flights , a service that tracks flight deals. Hotel searches on Expedia jumped 62 percent for London and 51 percent for Paris since Jan. 1, and the mobile app Hopper reports that London and Paris clock in as two of the most searched international destinations for spring 2022.

With restrictions easing, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts reported an 80 percent increase in its bookings in Paris, London and New York from December to Jan. 16.

In London, the luxury travel outfit, Noteworthy , has seen bookings of its private tours to iconic British sites increase 145 percent in February over the same time in 2021. “ The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee has definitely been a tourist draw,” said Nicola Butler, the company’s owner and managing director. — Amy Tara Koch

Resorts: All-inclusives, beyond the beach

A new breed of domestic resort is pioneering an almost all-inclusive model, taking the guesswork out of where to eat and what to do. Why “almost?” These properties don’t include alcoholic beverages in their nightly rate, and, perhaps fittingly, boast enviable wine and spirits collections. A major catalyst for the trend: pandemic-scarred travelers wary of leaving the grounds of a resort once they arrive, according to Erina Pindar, the managing director of SmartFlyer , a luxury travel agency. “The almost all-inclusive is incredibly popular,” she said, “we expect demand to continue to be strong.”

Hotels.com reports that searches for this type of resort have increased significantly compared with the same time frame in 2019. “After the stress of the last few years,” said Mel Dohmen, a Hotels.com spokeswoman, “travelers are looking for stays where they can be doted on.”

“Our clients see these resorts as a hassle-free option,” said Jennifer Doncsecz, president of the travel agency V.I.P. Vacations .

The San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, Calif., long beloved by luminaries like Winston Churchill and Vivien Leigh, pivoted to an almost-all inclusive model in 2020. In addition to folding the cost of meals into the nightly rate, which starts at $2,495, it did away with extraneous charges like resort fees and parking. “We figured, with all the charges we’ve gotten rid of, what are people going to spend money on? Wine,” said Ian Williams, the Ranch’s general manager. “We’ve had no complaints. This past year has been our busiest ever.”

Given the complications caused by the pandemic, Mr. Williams and his team sought to streamline the travel process. “We want guests to check out and spend their trip home talking about what an amazing vacation they had,” he said, “not some miscellaneous charge on their bill.”

Beachside buffets and watered down margaritas might rule at the traditional all-inclusive; not at the Ranch. “Every guest, if they want the Wagyu for dinner, fine,” said Mr. Williams. “Caviar? Great. Maine lobster? No problem.”

When High Hampton , a Cashiers, N.C., resort that dates back to 1933, remodeled in 2020, it folded breakfast and dinner into its nightly rate, which starts at $595, “because it removes that pressure of where to dine next,” said Scott Greene, the resort’s general manager. (The amber-lit, oak-paneled dining room is always the right answer.)

The same logic has long been in place at Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain , two resorts in Walland, Tenn. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the nightly rate — $845 and up at the Farm, $1,395 and up at the Mountain —- along with all the snacks in the minibar. “We’re exceeding prepandemic occupancy,” said Matt Alexander, Blackberry’s president. SmartFlyer saw a 327-percent increase in revenue from bookings at the two properties in 2021 as compared to 2019. — Sheila Yasmin Marikar

Wellness: Sexual healing

Sexual wellness is one of the fastest growing corners of the global wellness industry, with travel increasingly part of the experience. More hotel brands and relationship therapists are offering couples retreats and beachfront sessions with intimacy coaches and guided anatomical explorations to meet the needs of travelers seeking greater couple satisfaction and personal pleasure.

“People still have stigma around couples therapy and coming to therapy, but nobody ever had a problem going on vacation,” said Marissa Nelson, a sex therapist who runs retreats in Barbados, Hawaii, St. Lucia and Washington, D.C., through her company IntimacyMoons (seven days in St. Lucia starts at $7,500). She also offers virtual sessions; even when retreats were shut down in 2020, she noticed couples were traveling — to Airbnbs or on road trips — before logging on to work with her.

Travel is a powerful tool for unlocking intimacy, said Shlomo Slatkin, a rabbi and certified relationship therapist. His company, The Marriage Restoration Project , focuses on married couples. In the past year, in response to a growing demand to combine therapy and travel, he has introduced his first destination retreats — which cost between $4,000 and $5,000 and take place in Costa Rica, Mexico and Miami.

“Going away is really powerful, because changing the relationship requires a paradigm shift,” he said. “The lockdowns brought out a lot of maintenance issues in relationships that need to be addressed.”

Tara Skubella, a tantric guide, works with both couples and single women. Tantra, a spiritual philosophy with roots in medieval India, includes practices like tantric sex, and Ms. Skubella offers services, including chakra work, which focuses on energy points in the body. Her retreats in Costa Rica and Colorado (starting at $499) have been mostly sold out since 2020, she said.

“It seems very aligned to Covid and breaking out of isolation,” she said. “Society is realizing tantra isn’t only about sex, but about inner connection and healing.”

In March, the hotelier St. Regis will launch a retreat with the sex coach Bibi Brzozka on intimacy, conscious sexuality and emotional awareness at the St. Regis Punta Mita Resort in Mexico ($2,680). In April, Six Senses Ibiza will host Pleasure Principles — Journey of Women’s Sexual Wellness , a six-night stay focusing on female sexual empowerment ($4,500). They are the first sexuality-focused retreats for both brands. — Debra Kamin

Family Travel: Going on the edu-vacation

After two years of quarantines and classroom closures, millions of children across the country have fallen behind in class . And parents, eager for lesson plans that can supplement learning, are now seeking experiences with an educational bent when they travel.

“Previously, families didn’t ask in advance about what educational activities are available at the resorts. Now they do,” said Chitra Stern, founder and chief executive of the family-friendly Martinhal resorts in Portugal. Nearly half of her new bookings, Ms. Stern said, now include questions about on-site educational opportunities for children. Last year, the luxury resorts began partnering with the United Lisbon International School to offer a two-week educational summer camp for its younger guests at Martinhal Lisbon. Courses, which are available for children ages 3 to 17, begin at 440 euros (around $500).

After a pandemic dip, enrollments are on the rise for family-learning itineraries with the tour operator Road Scholar , which produces educational travel programs for all ages. Options for children and their caregivers, which start at $699 per adult and $449 per child, include combining history and geography with spotting grizzlies in the Canadian Rockies , or learning French while taking a scavenger hunt through Paris’s Louvre .

And noting an uptick in children road tripping with their parents, the Colorado Tourism Office last summer launched Schoolcations , a series of free itineraries based on Colorado road trips and designed for grades K-5.

There are also more opportunities to learn back at the hotel. Family Coppola Hideaways — a group of retreats owned by the film director Francis Ford Coppola — now offers the Coppola Curriculum at its properties in Belize and Guatemala. Half-day lessons cost $150 per day for children and include courses in science (like counting bird species) and art (like local textile looming). In Florida, Isla Bella Beach Resort and Oceans Edge Resort & Marina now partner with Marine Science Camp for classes with marine scientists, geared to elementary school children (free for hotel guests). In California, attendance at the Artisans in Residence program at Carmel Valley Ranch — taught in the apiary, organic garden and goat creamery, and starting at $85 for adults and $65 for children — has doubled.

For some, a desire for extra credit also means going for an extra splurge. At the luxury travel agency Black Tomato , bucket-list family travel now accounts for 55 percent of bookings, with the majority of requests falling into what the company defines as BFG travel: Big Family Get-Togethers. So the company has rolled out a family-focused education track, Field Trip , which begins at around $5,800 per person; courses include a physics lesson at the CERN laboratory in Switzerland and a social studies-focused hike through Bhutan’s Gangtey Valley to meet a revered monk.

“Thematically, for 2022 family bookings, it’s all about intrepid adventure mixed with cultural immersion, ecological outdoor experiences, intrepid luxury hotels and even pop-up glamping setups — definitely bucket-list and remote,” said Tom Marchant, Black Tomato’s owner and co-founder. — Debra Kamin

Cruises: Smaller boats and luxury destinations

After two years of devastating losses and a tentative restart last June, the cruise industry has faced a challenging start to 2022, as the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus caused cases to surge onboard ships, forcing some cruise lines to cancel voyages and change itineraries.

But demand for future cruises is still high, especially among dedicated cruise fans. A recent survey on cruiser sentiment by the online review site Cruise Critic found that 52 percent of the 6,400 cruisers surveyed were currently looking to book a cruise, with 40 percent hoping to set sail in the next six months.

A 2022 report on the outlook for the industry, published in January by the Cruise Lines International Association, the industry’s trade group, highlighted how major companies are bouncing back from the pandemic despite recent hurdles.

More than 75 percent of CLIA member ships have returned to service, with 100 percent expected to restart operations by August 2022. Additionally, 16 new cruise ships from major lines like Carnival, MSC, Royal Caribbean and Disney will launch in 2022.

One of the biggest cruise trends for 2022 is luxury expedition voyages, appealing to a growing number of travelers throughout the pandemic because they typically sail on smaller ships and steer away from crowded destinations.

“The itineraries vary pretty significantly from those of the larger, more mainstream lines,” said Colleen McDaniel, the editor in chief of Cruise Critic. “Due to their size, luxury ships are able to sail to more remote destinations — so even if you’re sailing in the Caribbean, your ports of call will likely be further removed from the masses, and likely somewhere you might have never been before.”

Smaller river and expedition cruises are also expected to become more popular this year as cruisers seek out big bucket-list destinations and more sustainable ways to travel. Responding to the demand, Hurtigruten, a Norwegian line that specializes in expedition cruises, has added new itineraries to its Galápagos Islands excursions, offering a range of small-ship carbon-neutral expedition sailings that will cover the full span of the remote 19-island archipelago.

“A very positive trend we’ve seen throughout the pandemic is that travelers are increasingly eco-conscious; meaning they do their homework on brands, including cruise ships, to make sure they align with their personal values.” said Daniel Skjeldam, the chief executive of Hurtigruten Group.

The company is also expanding its grand expedition cruise program, offering three unique cruises from the North to South Pole after the success of two similar sold-out sailings scheduled for the fall. The itineraries include destinations like Alaska, Iceland, Greenland, the Northwest Passage sea route, South America and Antarctica.

“After having been isolated for two years, people really want to do something they really can look forward to,” Mr. Skjeldam said. “Something perhaps more active and interesting than their normal prepandemic holiday.” — Ceylan Yeginsu

52 Places for a Changed World

The 2022 list highlights places around the globe where travelers can be part of the solution.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places for a Changed World for 2022.

An earlier version of this article mischaracterized Kyte, a car rental business. Kyte is a car rental company that delivers cars to consumers; it is not a car-sharing website.

How we handle corrections

Come Sail Away

Love them or hate them, cruises can provide a unique perspective on travel..

Solo Cruising: As the travel trend becomes more popular, pricing and cabin types are changing. Deals can be found, especially with advance planning, but it takes a little know-how .

Icon Class Ships: Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas has been a hit among cruise goers. The cruise line is adding to its fleet of megaships ,  but they have drawn criticism from environmental groups.

 Cruise Ship Surprises: Here are five unexpected features on ships , some of which you hopefully won’t discover on your own.

 Icon of the Seas: Our reporter joined thousands of passengers on the inaugural sailing of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas . The most surprising thing she found? Some actual peace and quiet .

Th ree-Year Cruise, Unraveled:  The Life at Sea cruise was supposed to be the ultimate bucket-list experience : 382 port calls over 1,095 days. Here’s why  those who signed up are seeking fraud charges  instead.

TikTok’s Favorite New ‘Reality Show’:  People on social media have turned the unwitting passengers of a nine-month world cruise  into  “cast members”  overnight.

• Main menu News
• Crypto News
• Main menu Statistics
• Business and Workplace Statistics
• Main menu Crypto Statistics
• The Biggest Crypto Scams of All Time – 2024 Update
• Crypto Gambling Market Statistics: A Look At The World Of Crypto Casinos
• Cybersecurity Statistics
• Entertainment Statistics
• Main menu Finance and Marketing Statistics
• Digital Lending Statistics – The Automated Solution Changing Finance
• Hardware and Gadgets Statistics
• Science Statistics
• Main menu Software & Web Statistics
• YouTube Shorts Statistics Shaping Online Media Content in 2024
• Sports Statistics
• Main menu Software
• Main menu Spy Apps
• Main menu Best Spy Apps
• Best Phone Spy Apps
• Best Spy Apps for iPhone
• Best Spy Apps for Android
• Main menu Social Media Spy Apps
• Best Facebook Spy Apps
• Best WhatsApp Spy Apps
• Best Instagram Spy Apps
• Best Tinder Spy Apps
• Best Telegram Spy Apps
• Best TikTok Spy Apps
• Best Snapchat Spy Apps
• Best Text Message Spy Apps
• Main menu Catch Cheater
• Best Cheating Spouse Tracker Apps
• Top Boyfriend Spy Apps
• Best Girlfiend Spy Apps
• Signs Your Girlfriend is Cheating
• Main menu Parent Control
• Best Parental Control Apps
• Best Parental Control Apps in the UK
• Best Parental Control Apps in Australia
• Best Parental Control Apps in Germany
• Facebook Parental Controls
• Best Parental Control Apps for iPhone and iPad
• Best Parental Control Apps for Android Devices
• Main menu Track Location
• Best Geofencing Apps
• Best Secret GPS Trackers
• Best Boyfriend Phone Trackers
• Main menu Keyloggers / Recording
• Best Keylogger Apps
• Best Keylogger Software For Windows PC
• The Best Android Keylogger Apps
• The Best iPhone Keylogger Apps
• Best Secret Screen Recorder Apps
• Main menu Spy App Reviews
• mSpy Review
• Spynger Review
• uMobix Review
• GEOfinder Review
• Phonsee Review
• EyeZy Review
• XNSPY Review
• Spyic Review
• Spyera Review
• Main menu Spy Tips and Tricks
• Is It Illegal to Spy on Someone Without Their Knowledge?
• How to Spy on Devices Connected to Your Wi-Fi
• Main menu VPN
• Main menu VPN Guides
• What is a VPN?
• How to Hide IP Address
• How to Get Into Pornhub – Unblock Without Sign-In
• How Do I Hide My IP Address?
• How to Watch DStv online
• How To Watch NRL 2023 Online
• Main menu VPN Reviews
• NordVPN Review
• ExpressVPN Review
• Surfshark VPN Review
• CyberGhost VPN Review
• Ivacy VPN Review
• PureVPN Review
• VyprVPN Review
• Proton VPN Review
• ExpressVPN Vs NordVPN
• Best VPN Service Overall
• Best Cheap VPNs
• The Best VPN for Streaming
• Best Gaming VPN
• Best VPN for Business
• Main menu Best VPN Apps
• Best VPN for Android
• Best VPN for iPhone
• Best Linux VPN
• Best VPN for Firestick
• Fastest VPN Providers
• Main menu Free VPNs
• Best Free VPN Services
• Best Free VPNs According to Reddit
• Free VPNs for Android
• Free VPNs for iPhone
• Free VPNs for Netflix
• Free VPNs for Torrenting
• Free VPNs Chrome Extensions
• Free VPNs for Firestick
• VPNs with Free Trials
• Best VPNs According to Reddit
• Main menu VoIP Services
• What is VoIP? The Definitive Guide to VoIP
• Main menu Wiki
• VoIP vs Landline – Everything You Need to Know
• What is a VoIP Number & How Does it Work?
• What is a Virtual Phone System & How Does It Work?
• How to Get a VoIP Number
• How to Choose a VoIP Provider
• What is ISDN?
• Call Center Technology 101
• VoIP Security Guide
• VoIP Hacking: How to Protect Your VoIP Phone
• VoIP Statistics and Trends
• Best VoIP Services
• Best VoIP Service for Home
• Cheapest VoIP Phone Service Providers
• Free VoIP Phone Number Solutions
• Best VoIP Mobile Apps
• Main menu VoIP for Business
• Best Virtual Phone Service Providers for Business
• Best VoIP for Small Business
• Best VoIP Business Phone Systems
• Best Hosted VoIP Providers
• Main menu By Country
• Best US Virtual Phone Number Provider
• Best Unlimited VoIP UK
• Best VoIP Providers in Canada
• Best VoIP Australia
• The Best VoIP Apps for Iran
• Main menu Password Managers
• Best Password Managers
• Best Password Managers for Business
• Best Password Manager in the UK
• Best Password Managers in India
• The Best Password Manager for iPhone
• The Best Password Manager Reddit Users Recommend
• The Best Password Manager for Windows
• Keeper Password Manager Review
• Main menu Business Software
• Main menu Accounting Software
• Best Accounting Software
• Best Self-Employment Accounting Software
• Best Cloud-Based Accounting Software
• Best Accounting Software to Integrate with WooCommerce
• Best Mac Accounting Software
• The Best Payroll Software for the UK
• Best Accounting Software Australia
• Main menu Project Management
• The Best Resource Management Software – Top 10 Compared for 2024
• The Best Gantt Chart Software Solutions
• The Best Workflow Management Software
• Best Project Management Software
• The Best Free Project Management Software
• Monday.com Review
• Zoho Projects Review — Best Use Cases & Testing in 2024
• ResourceGuru Review with Tests — Is It a Good Software in 2024?
• Main menu Employee Monitoring
• Best Employee Tracking Software
• Best Employee Monitoring Software For Mac
• Best Employee Time Tracking Software
• Best Employee Time Tracking Software for Windows
• Main menu Hosting
• The Best WordPress Hosting Services
• The Fastest WordPress Hosting You Can Get
• Best Cheap WordPress Hosting Services
• The Best Website Hosting Services
• Main menu CRM
• What is CRM?
• Best CRM Software
• CRM for Small Businesses in the UK
• CRM Marketing Automation Software
• Real Estate CRM Software
• CRM for Startups
• Recruitment CRM Software
• Best Free CRM Software
• Best CRM for Non Profits
• Construction CRM Software
• Automotive CRM Software
• Best CRM Insurance Software
• Best CRMs for E-Commerce Reviewed
• Best Free CRMs for Startups
• Main menu Background Check Services
• Best Background Check Software
• Best Tenant Background Check Sites
• Main menu Hiring Software
• The Best HR Software: Top 10 for 2024 Compared
• Best EOR Services for International Hiring
• Best Applicant Tracking Systems
• The Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses
• The Best Recruitment Software
• Teamtailor Review
• ClearCompany Review
• Zoho Recruit Review
• Monday.com Recruitment Review
• Main menu Employer of Record
• Deel Review
• Multiplier Review
• Main menu Antivirus
• Main menu Antivirus Reviews
• TotalAV Review
• ESET Review
• Trend Micro Review
• Kaspersky Review
• Surfshark Antivirus Review
• Best Antivirus Software Overall
• Best Antivirus for Windows
• Best Antivirus for Mac
• Best Antivirus for Android
• Best Antivirus for Servers
• Best Lightweight Antivirus – Low-End PCs and Light RAM Usage
• How to Remove Spyware
• Best Spyware Detectors
• Main menu Artificial Intelligence
• A Full Jasper.ai Review
• An In-Depth Copy AI Review
• Best AI Writing Tools
• Best AI Copywriting Tools
• The 10 Best Copy.ai Alternatives Reviewed for 2024
• Main menu Crypto
• Main menu Crypto Learning Hub – Guides, Research, & Info Latest Crypto Tech Explained
• Ultimate Crypto Glossary in Simple Words
• Global Cryptocurrency Regulations – From The Wild West to Outright Bans
• CBDC Meaning – Will It Replace Cash and Should You Worry?
• Security Token Offerings – How Do they Work + Examples
• Main menu Best Crypto to Buy Now
• Best Crypto Presales
• Best Meme Coins
• Best Crypto to Buy Now
• Best Altcoins to Buy
• Next Crypto to Explode
• Best Crypto to Hold Long Term
• Main menu New Cryptos
• New Cryptocurrencies to Invest
• Best Crypto ICOs
• New Upcoming Binance Listings
• New Upcoming Coinbase Listings
• Main menu Crypto Robots
• Best Bitcoin Robots
• Bitcode Method Review
• Bitcoin 360 AI Review
• Qumas AI Review
• BitiCodes Review
• Immediate Connect Review
• Immediate Edge Review
• Immediate Fortune Review
• Main menu Streaming
• Main menu Streaming Guides & How to Watch
• Main menu Euro 2024 Schedule & How to Watch Anywhere
• How to Watch Germany vs Scotland in Euro 2024
• How to Watch Serbia vs England in Euro 2024
• Where to Watch Spain vs Italy Euro 2024
• Where to Watch France vs Netherlands Euro 2024
• Main menu How to Watch F1 Live Stream for Free
• How to Watch F1 Spanish Grand Prix 2024
• How to Watch Wimbledon for Free
• How to Watch UFC Anywhere
• How and Where to Watch Boxing Online (Paid and Free Options)
• How to Watch the ICC World Cup in the US & Anywhere
• How to Watch Copa America in the US
• How to Watch USMNT Matches at Copa America
• Main menu Streaming Service Reviews
• Paramount+ Review
• HBO Max Review
• Prime Video Review
• Hulu Review
• Netflix Review
• FuboTV Review
• Sling TV Review
• Main menu Gambling
• Main menu Crypto Gambling
• Best Bitcoin Betting Sites
• Best Bitcoin Gambling Sites
• Best Bitcoin Slot Sites
• Best Ethereum Casino Sites
• Best Solana Casinos
• Main menu Sports Betting
• Best Sportsbooks
• Best Offshore Sportsbooks
• Best AI Sports Betting Prediction Sites
• Best Sports Betting Bots
• Main menu Casino
• Best Offshore Casinos
• Best Anonymous Casinos
• Best Casino Apps for Real Money
• Best Online Blackjack Casinos
• Best Roulette Casinos
• Best Online Slots
• No-KYC Casinos
• VPN Friendly Casinos
• New Casinos
• Safe Online Casinos
• Best No ID Verification Casinos
• Telegram Casinos
• Best $20 Minimum Deposit Casinos
• Top Plinko Gambling Sites
• Inclave Casinos
• Credit Card Casinos
• Best Payout Casinos
• Best Cash App Casinos
• Main menu USA
• Best Anonymous Online Casinos
• Best Casino Apps For Real Money
• Best Blackjack Online Casinos
• Best Live Blackjack Online Casinos
• California Sports Betting
• Florida Online Gambling
• Florida Sports Betting
• Missouri Online Casinos
• North Carolina Sports Betting
• California Online Casinos
• New York Online Casinos
• North Carolina Online Casinos
• Main menu UK
• Betting Sites Not On Gamstop
• Non Gamstop Casinos
• Main menu Canada
• Crypto Casinos
• Main menu Spain
• Tragaperra online con dinero real
• Solana casino
• Casino Bizum
• Apuestas Bitcoin
• Ethereum casino
• Casinos sin licencia en España
• Casinos sin depósito
• Casas de apuestas
• Casinos online
• Telegram Casino
• Main menu Malaysia
• Online Casino Malaysia
• Malaysia Online Gambling Sites
• Malaysia Sports Betting Sites
• Main menu Indonesia
• Indonesia Online Gambling Sites
• Indonesia Sports Betting Sites
• Online Casino Indonesia
• Main menu Singapore
• Singapore Online Gamblling Sites
• Singapore Online Casinos
• Singapore Sports Betting
• Main menu Sweden
• Casino Utan Svensk Licens
• Main menu Philippines
• Online Gambling Sites Philippines
• Philippines Online Casino
• Philippines Sports Betting
• Main menu South Korea
• South Korea Online Gambling Sites
• Online Casino South Korea
• Main menu India
• India Online Gambling Sites
• Online Casino India
• India Sports Betting Sites
• Main menu Australia
• Bitcoin Casinos in Australia
• Main menu Gambling Guides
• Main menu Sports Betting Guides
• How To Gamble Online
• Spread Betting Guide
• How to Arbitrage Bet
• How To Bet on Kentucky Derby
• Parlay Betting Guide
• What Is a Moneyline Bet?
• Main menu Poker Guides
• How To Play Poker
• Poker Strategy
• Poker Cheat Sheet
• Main menu Blackjack Guides
• Blackjack Strategy
• Main menu Roulette Guides
• How To Play Roulette
• Roulette Strategy
• Roulette Odds
• Main menu Baccarat Guides
• How to Play Baccarat
• Baccarat Strategy
• Main menu Craps Guides
• How To Play Craps
• Craps Strategy
• Main menu Gadgets
• Gadget digest
• Main menu Hardware
• Motherboards
• Main menu About
• Editorial Policy
• Why Trust Tech Report
• Meet the Tech Report Team
• Our Writers and Editors

70+ Stunning Online Travel Booking Statistics (2023 Figures)

Tech Report is one of the oldest hardware, news, and tech review sites on the internet. We write helpful technology guides, unbiased product reviews, and report on the latest tech and crypto news. We maintain editorial independence and consider content quality and factual accuracy to be non-negotiable.

Online Travel Booking Major Statistics

General online travel booking statistics 2023, 2023 online travel booking statistics for market and industry, statistics for hotel reservations in 2023, comparing 2023 statistics: online booking vs. travel agency statistics, enlightening online travel booking statistics, must know online travel booking statistics 2023, online travel sustainability statistics.

Traveling provides unique experiences and memories. With numerous travel choices in today’s world, online trip booking has become an overload. And that’s what makes these intriguing online travel booking statistics. As of 2019, 57% of all travel bookings were made online. As per 2022 data, 68% of all travel and tourism sales were online.

• By 2026, online sales will make up 73% of the travel and tourism sector.
• Booking was the top online travel agency in revenue in 2021.
• Online marketplace bookings rose from 3.2% in 2017 to 9.1% in 2018.
• Direct online bookings decreased from 79.2% to 66.7% during the same period.
• 39% prefer app downloads for faster performance, while 30% like mobile app features.
• 80% of hotel customers willingly leave reviews.
• Mobile travel sales increased from 36% in 2016 to nearly 50% in 2021.
• In 2020, about 50% reported more last-minute travel bookings due to the pandemic.

1. Global online travel is up 15.4% .

2. The travel industry is worth $1.2 trillion .

3. 80% book holidays online.

4. Top categories: packages, transport, accommodation.

5. S at. quietest, Mon . busiest for bookings.

6. Travelers check 38 sites on average .

7. Booking.com has 443M active users .

8. Online travel sales hit $755B in 2019 .

9. 30% of holidays cost over £2,500, 70% over £1,500 .

10. Asia-Pacific shows high growth potential.

11. 50% prefer a single website for booking.

12. 60% say it’s their priciest online buy.

13. 2021: online travel sector $800B revenue .

14. Online sales make up 66% of industry revenue .

15. The U.S. online travel market is worth $190.4B/year .

16. The global online market is expected to hit $1 trillion in 2030 and $521B in 2023.

17. By 2026, the online travel market will grow to $690.71B .

18. 148.3 million travel books are made online each year .

19. Only 44% of website visitors make a purchase.

20. Travel booking is the 4th easiest online shopping experience.

21. 2018: Online travel sales are worth $694 billion, with 10.4% YoY growth.

22. The U.S. online travel market is $190.4 billion in annual sales.

23. Over 700 million will book online by 2023.

24. 50% of American travelers spend 6 days on trip research .

25. Some book trips months in advance, others a week to a month .

26. The 50+ age group tends to book four months in advance.

27. The under-35 age group prefers Online Travel Agents.

28. 2 out of 3 online hotel bookings through official websites.

29. Average 2.2% conversion rate on hotel websites.

30. The top 20 hotels have a 5.6% conversion rate, and the bottom 20 have 0.3%.

31. Conversion rate influenced by website design and marketing.

32. 39% of all online bookings are for hotel reservations.

Nearly 70% of Millennials like loyalty programs, but 39% think they’re not great . Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) like Expedia and Priceline help you find travel services easily. They have lots of options.  Online booking means going to the hotel or airline’s website.  Here are some facts:

33. OTAs have 39% of the U.S. online booking market.

34. 33% of this market belongs to Millennials (Gen Y).

35. Over half of Gen Y book travel or hotels using OTAs.

36. 87% of Millennials help friends and family with their journey.

37. Nearly 70% of Millennials like loyalty programs, but 39% think they’re not great .

38. Regarding booking hotels, 60% of global millennials prefer general travel sites, while 22% use hotel-specific sites.

39. When booking flights, 44% of millennials worldwide opt for airline websites, with only 34% using general travel sites. This shows that many global millennials go directly to airline websites for flight bookings.

40. Younger travelers aged 18-34 typically lean towards digital methods for trip planning, while those above 35 tend to stick to traditional approaches.

41. Over 60% of travelers aged 18-34 consider flight prices and airlines when booking, but the price holds more weight.

42. Within this age group, 22% prioritize flight prices over the airline.

43. In contrast, 4% of travelers above 34 focus on the airline, while 10% prioritize the price.

44. More than 24% of people in the U.S. still prefer using physical agencies for vacation bookings.

45. In 2023, over 30% of leisure travelers visiting the United States opt for privately owned accommodations.

46. Among hotel guests, 57% favor booking through the hotel’s website or online travel agencies (OTAs), signaling a shift from phone bookings.

47. Among surveyed people, 41% choose online travel agencies (OTAs) for trip bookings, 29% prefer travel agents or operators, and 20% stick with traditional agents, highlighting the shift to online convenience.

48. Travelers under 35 often use OTAs to book hotel rooms .

49. Approximately 81% of visitors to online travel booking sites leave without completing a booking.

50. Travelers prefer OTAs for security, convenience, loyalty discounts , and reviews.

51. 12% of travelers expect quicker accommodations booking through websites than booking directly through hotels.

52. In 2018, 31% of internet-initiated hotel searches began via search engines, a 23% increase from 2017.

53. 23% of leisure travelers trust mobile devices to find flight and hotel details as much as desktop computers.

54. In July 2019, Booking.com received 697 million website visits , showing its influence.

55. TripAdvisor had 224 million website visits in the same month , solidifying its position as a go-to travel source .

56. Nearly 80% of travelers use their phones for information searches.

57. About 40% of travelers use virtual travel assistants for trip planning.

58. Google reports a 519% increase in travel searches with “tonight” and “today” in the past five years.

59. 70% of travelers use mobile devices to search for things to do, and 66% search for destinations .

60. Over 80% of business and corporate travelers desire a simpler booking process.

61. On average, travelers spend five days researching vacations to match their budgets.

62. Beach vacations are 2.5 times more popular than city breaks.

63. A 10% increase from 2021 shows that 63% of travelers are willing to choose eco-friendly options.

64. While 30% prioritize sustainability even if it’s less convenient, 50% make eco-friendly choices if it’s easy.

65. Over 50% prefer accommodation with sustainability certifications.

66. More than 80% of travelers increasingly adopt sustainable practices.

67. Climate headlines influence 50% of eco-friendly plans .

68. 59% of travelers aim to improve the places they visit.

69. 33% travel during off-peak times to avoid crowds.

70. Beautiful natural places inspire 60% of sustainable travelers .

71. Over 54% choose eco-friendly travel to protect destinations from tourism , while 32% feel guilty about environmental harm.

72. More than 20% use websites for public transportation updates and bike rentals.

73. 33% choose closer destinations to reduce their carbon footprint.

74. 33% are open to spending $50 to $250 for eco-friendly travel.

75. 41% select sustainable accommodations to reduce environmental impact, 33% to experience local culture , and 31% to connect with the community.

76. While 56% of travelers don’t actively seek eco-friendly places , they’ll choose them if they are easy to book and convenient.

The rise of online travel bookings is clear, with over 50% of hotel reservations happening online. It’s all about convenience, a wide range of options, and great prices. These stats show the current trend and hint at a future where more travelers will go digital. They help us make budget-friendly and sustainable choices in our journeys, guiding us toward unforgettable adventures.

Why do travelers face several barriers when making sustainable travel choices?

Travels often encounter several barriers, which include lack of knowledge, potential extra costs, finding sustainable travel destinations, etc.

What is the most popular type of e-booking in the hospitality and tourism industry in 2023?

Hotel reservations contribute the most to e-bookings in the hospitality and tourism industry in 2023. According to Statista data, hotel reservations account for 39% of all e-bookings. This is unsurprising, as hotels are a key component of the hospitality and tourism industry.

What is the most popular platform for online travel bookings in 2023?

According to Statista, Booking.com is the most visited online travel booking platform in 2023, with a 25% market share. As of September, the platform recorded more than 550 million visitors. Also, Hotels.com and Expedia are popular platforms with a 20% and 15% market share, respectively.

What percentage of hotel bookings will be online in 2023?

According to Statista, over 57% of hotel bookings have been made online in 2023. This means that most hotel guests book their stays directly through the hotel’s website or online travel agencies (OTAs).

• Condor Ferries  
• StratosJets
• Jerseyislandholidays
• TravelDailyNews
• TravelTrends
• Social Tables
• Hospitalitynet
• Booking.com
• The Vacationer
• TravelAgentCentral

Our Editorial Process

Question & answers (0), leave a reply cancel reply, write a review.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Susan Laborde Tech Writer

Susan Laborde researches the latest technology trends in an ever-changing tech landscape to provide comparisons, guides, and reviews that are easy to understand for readers. When taking a break from being a tech word wizard, she plays games with her baby.

Most Popular News

Latest news.

Cardano Founder Labels Ethereum as a Dictatorship Under Vitalik Buterin’s Influence

Kosovo Advances Financial Literacy with Workshop on Cryptocurrency Challenges

Kosovo is making substantial efforts to improve financial literacy around cryptocurrencies in Europe. The country’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) is partnering with the Council of Europe to host a specialized,...

Binance Helps Trace $47.6 Million in Funds and Arrest Four Suspects in Indian Gaming Scam

India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has successfully dismantled a $47.6 million gaming scam. The scam, linked to the Fiewin app, lured victims with promises of easy money through online betting.  Binance, the...

Google Launches Enhanced Gemini 1.5 API Models with Improved Performance and Lower Development Costs

Cardano ADA Surges to $0.38 – Will it Break the $0.45 Resistance Level with this Momentum?

$MEMEBET Token Heats Up Crypto Casino Space with Meme Coin Wagers – Launches $10K Giveaway

Crypto Wallet Exodus Supports Election Day Vote Efforts With a $1.3M Donation

REGULATION & HIGH RISK INVESTMENT WARNING: Trading Forex, CFDs and Cryptocurrencies is highly speculative, carries a level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. You may lose some or all of your invested capital, therefore you should not speculate with capital that you cannot afford to lose. The content on this site should not be considered investment advice. Investing is speculative. When investing your capital is at risk. Please note that we do receive advertising fees for directing users to open an account with the brokers/advertisers and/or for driving traffic to the advertiser website.

Crypto promotions on this site do not comply with the UK Financial Promotions Regime and is not intended for UK consumers.

© Copyright 2024 The Tech Report Inc. All Rights Reserved.

• Privacy Policy
• About Us & Our Team
• Why Trust Us

• Skift Research
• Airline Weekly
• Skift Meetings
• Daily Lodging Report

Online Travel Booking Trends During the Pandemic

Executive summary, overall booking trends, online booking site share shifts, u.s. online travel share in airlines and hotels, u.s. traveler planning habits, related reports.

• State of Travel 2024: Travel in 350 Charts August 2024
• A Deep Dive into Google Travel Part III: Hotel Distribution From East to West April 2024
• The Past, Present, and Future of Online Travel March 2024
• Outbound Travel 2024: Asia’s Big Year, Europe’s Slowdown February 2024

Report Overview

This report looks at how online travel booking habits changed during the pandemic and how these behaviors will continue to evolve. Since February 2020, Skift has been regularly surveying 1,000+ Americans about their travel behaviors first on a monthly, and then a bi-monthly basis. The topline results of these surveys are published as our U.S. Travel Tracker . However, we ask more granular travel questions that have not been published previously.

This report teases out specific insights around which channels Americans use to book their hotels and flights. With this data we can see how direct bookings changed during the pandemic and whether it has reverted to pre-crisis trends. We can also look at specific booking site market share shifts and investigate whether the trip planning process shifted.

What You'll Learn From This Report

• How did the pandemic impact direct bookings and are these trends still in place?
• How has online travel agency market share shifted since 2020 in the U.S.?
• Did the pandemic change Americans’ trip planning process?

Using new data from our survey of American travelers we find that online travel booking trends are in flux. The early pandemic drove a wave of direct bookings, likely spurred by safety fears, customer service concerns around cancellations, and a lack of trust that third-parties could provide up-to-the minute in-destination information. 

However, we see mounting evidence that these first-party gains may not be durable. As financial concerns loom larger over trust and safety, our surveys show more shoppers reverting to third-party bookings, likely as they seek out discounts and comparison shopping to find the best value. 

Our survey data also hints at changes in the U.S. online travel agency landscape. Expedia Group’s multi-brand strategy makes it the largest family of booking sites in the U.S. by a wide margin. But their dominance is being challenged by aggressive investment from Booking.com and new challenger brands like Hopper.com and HotelTonight. 

Despite the many shifts happening in online travel bookings, we see little evidence that the online travel planning toolset changed much. Online search and word of mouth recommendations remain the most important sources of travel planning (but not inspiration!) by far. This has been the case for the last three years since 2020 and throughout the pandemic.

Let’s start with the big picture. Skift Research asked U.S. travelers which channels they used to book their hotels and flights. We tagged all channels as either direct or third-party and then aggregated activity across both hotel and flight bookings. 

This gives us our broadest look into how travel direct booking has been trending. We find it is on the decline after a peak early on in the pandemic, although more than half of all transactions still come direct. 

According to our survey results, 64% of U.S. flight and hotel bookings came direct in 2020.. This fell to 61% in 2021 and to 57% in 2022. 

We can rechart this to examine how the trend evolved over time. We exclude 2020 data here as it was too volatile at the monthly level with such limited travel activity taking place. What we see in the time series is that direct bookings peaked in early 2021 and quickly fell off into summer and fall 2021. 

We suspect that it is no coincidence that this quick fall-off in direct bookings coincides with the rapid return of mass travel in the U.S. as vaccines became widely available and international locations began to re-open. 

Let’s split this aggregate data into its two component travel products: Airlines and Hotels. Individually the broad direction of the trend is the same and since the summer of 2022, both hotels and airlines have been operating at parity in terms of direct booking share. However, Airlines fell farther, coming from a high of 70%+ direct bookings down to 57%, today.

Our best guess for this divergence is flight vouchers issued in the wake of mass cancellations in 2020. Online booking sites struggled to handle these future flight credits and we suspect most consumers rebooked directly. This would explain why Airline direct bookings remained elevated throughout all of 2021 even as Hotels fell. It would also neatly fit with the rapid decline of airline direct bookings in Summer 2022 as that is around the same time we began anecdotally hearing that consumers had used up many of their outstanding travel credits. 

After a mostly stable 2022, in both hotels and airlines, we see a small dip in the most recent reading from December 2022. It is still too early to tell if this is the start of another, larger, leg down or just a blip. But overall, what we see is a strong decline in direct bookings as we get further out from the heart of the pandemic.

This is consistent with our ongoing thesis around online travel built on the core that the pandemic was a crisis of trust and not of finances. We believe that consumers have higher confidence in both the travel product and the customer experience they will receive when they book direct. This is even more so in the case of booking branded travel experiences. But staying within a brand ecosystem limits the consumers’ ability to shop around for deals. Comparison shopping is the strong suit of the online booking platforms while their ability to control the end product experience and to resolve customer service issues is limited by their nature as third parties.

Skift Research believes that online travel booking sites stumbled in the early phases of the recovery because consumers didn’t trust that these brands could deliver on the very specific and safety-conscious experiences they were seeking. Consumers were also skeptical of third parties’ ability to provide real-time updates as to what amenities and activities were available in both properties and destinations. Plus, consumers were flush with savings from the pandemic and held branded travel vouchers. 

All of this drove a strong direct booking push that benefited travel supplier brands. To wit, in 2020, just 9% of American travelers told Skift that they had booked a trip because of discounts being offered. Trust and safety far outweighed financial concerns. That share of travelers remained mostly unchanged in 2021, rising to 11% of travelers incentivized by discounts. 

However, our last two surveys, conducted in October and December of 2022, mark a potentially significant shift in this trend. Most recently, 18% of respondents told us that discounts proved effective in driving their travel booking decision in December 2022, a six point share shift versus December 2021. 

When paired with the broad lifting of COVID restrictions, rising prices due to inflation, and growing recessionary fears, we think the stage is set for a change in sentiment among the U.S. traveling public. We may be moving from a regime where trust and safety are the top priority to one where price is king. If not yet broad based, we suspect this change is rapidly taking place in certain demographics, especially in the more midscale and economy chain scales. 

Let’s focus in on inflation which we think is rapidly supplanting COVID-19 as the top concern impacting travel for the American public. The below chart shows how lodging and airfare prices have increased relative to 2019. While this is not the traditional way an economist would display inflation, we think that benchmarking the numbers against 2019 helps visualize the gut reactions that many consumers feel when looking to book travel today and comparing it in their minds eye against their last pre-COVID trip.

As of January 2023, lodging prices were up 15% relative to the same period in 2019. Air fares were 6% higher, though note the summer spike when tickets were briefly 27% pricier than the same time in 2019. Broad U.S. inflation along the same methodology was actually 16% above 2019 levels. This means that in inflation adjusted terms, both hotels and airlines are still cheaper relative to 2019. But consumers struggle to think in real (inflation adjusted) price terms and instead see nominal price changes. Plus, broad inflation hurts the wallet just as well. When groceries and fuel prices go up, consumers have less to spend on travel, even if they can recognize that hotel price increases have lagged broader price changes. 

Our travel tracker survey says that inflation is already impacting traveler decisions. A majority of respondents told us that they had altered their travel plans due to rising prices. The most common decisions made were to take an alternative form of transport rather than flying and to pick a less expensive destination. We also saw nearly a third of respondents indicated that they had shopped around to pick a less expensive flight or hotel. 

This ties directly into our thesis on brand value growing in importance relative to brand trust. We see evidence that discounts are becoming more effective and we suspect hotels and airlines alike will increasingly need to compete on price. This would undermine the current situation where brands have held the line on pricing power and much revenue growth is being driven by rising yields. It would also play straight into the hands of the online travel agencies which excel at comparison shopping and are strongly associated with value pricing. 

Even if an individual brand is not discounting, online travel agencies help consumers find properties within a market that are offering below market rates or else help them discover well-reviewed ‘trade-downs’ into lower price scales in the same market.

This narrative is consistent with the direct booking data that we are receiving from our travel tracking survey. If correct, it suggests that the high direct booking rates may have been a pandemic-only event and that we are on track to return to a more competitive mix of channel booking shares. Ultimately, we see this as a positive tailwind for online travel agencies. 

With the trend shifting in favor of third-party bookings, let’s examine what specific booking sites American travelers told Skift they used. 

We asked travelers to tell us if they booked either their flights or hotels via one of 16 specific online travel sites. Of these, three brands were owned by Booking Holdings (Booking.com, Priceline, and Agoda) while six were owned by Expedia Group (Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Orbitz, Hotwire, Travelocity, and Cheaptickets.com). Alternative accommodations were not included in these survey questions and so Airbnb and Vrbo.com are excluded from our data. Bear in mind that, as sample sizes in our survey get smaller at this granular level, these results likely don’t represent true market shares. But we believe this is still useful data to help us understand the order of magnitude of differences across brands and how trends in their relative positions are changing.

What we find is that Expedia Group is overwhelmingly the most popular family of booking sites used in the United States. In 2022, our survey suggested that 49% of airline or hotel bookings made on OTAs were done via one of the Expedia Groups’ brands. That is nearly double the share of its rival competitor, Booking Holdings. 

But it is not all smooth sailing for Expedia Group. Although it remains the largest family of brands in the U.S., our data suggests a worrying trend that these sites are ceding market share. In our data, Expedia Group websites saw a ten point share decline, falling from 59% of OTA bookings in 2020 to 49% in 2022. 

Looking at individual websites and brands rather than at the parent company level gives us a bit more insight into the puts and takes of what is happening here. However, we again caution that as sample sizes get thin here, this data can be helpful in drawing an informed thesis about what is happening in the market, but it is not a conclusive market share.

We asked respondents to tell us what site they used when booking a flight or hotel. This data was then aggregated by year, and each site was ranked. This lets us come to a more nuanced conclusion about how consumer usage of OTA brands is evolving.  

Right off the bat, the most shocking result is that, in our survey data, Booking.com surpassed Expedia.com as the most used booking site in the U.S. in 2022. Expedia.com had been number one in 2020 and 2021 with Booking.com in second place. 

We should note here that this finding does not tie out with web traffic data from SimilarWeb that ranks Expedia.com above Booking.com. But then again, SimilarWeb only measures web traffic and not actual bookings. It is possible that Booking.com has a better conversion rate of lookers to bookers as compared to  Expedia.com.

Nonetheless, we think it is unlikely that Booking.com truly overtook Expedia.com in 2022 in the U.S. But we do think that this data captures a very real surge in momentum that Booking.com experienced in North America because of its increased strategic focus on this region. Also, it seems that Booking.com’s U.S. push cannibalized bookings from Priceline. Priceline fell from a fourth place ranking in 2021 to sixth in 2022. This explains why market share at the parent company level for Booking Holdings didn’t budge last year.

It also emphasizes the importance of Expedia Groups multi-brand strategy. Expedia.com goes toe-to-toe with booking.com and both have similar usage amongst our survey respondents. But Booking Holdings has a weaker bench, and traction for Priceline and Agoda is slim. Expedia Group, on the other hand, owned four out of the five top brands in the U.S. in our survey. This is how the parent company has such greater U.S. share in aggregate than its European rival. 

This also explains why Expedia Group has been so reluctant to abandon its multi-brand strategy . It has good reason to fear that it could lose market share  by shutting down its smaller brands. But despite these valid concerns, a multi-brand strategy may face challenges in a future where Google continues to grow at the expense of other metasearch sites and where travel supplier brands consolidate and push direct loyalty. 

If Booking Holdings kept its overall share the same, then who stole Expedia Group’s market share since 2020? Our survey suggests a number of emerging competitors that are growing in the U.S. Each is small individually but add up to a notable market share shift in aggregate. Independent Lastminute.com and Airbnb-owned HotelTonight both have climbed our rankings since 2020. But the most dramatic was Hopper.com.

Hopper has rapidly risen as a new and formidable competitor in the online travel space. We only began including Hopper.com as a specific booking site in May 2022 (before that respondents would’ve included it in the “other” category) but it immediately shot up our ranking to become the seventh most popular OTA in our survey. 

Hopper proves that it is still possible to grow as a challenger brand in the U.S. online travel market, which many have long assumed to be fully saturated. Hopper has employed unique tactics like the development use of new fintech products and a heavy dose of user gamification a la Chinese social media apps. 

We can slice the booking site data for our survey by product type. The decline in Expedia Group market share and the rise of new OTA competitors is most pronounced in the market for hotels. In the market for flights, Expedia Groups’ share has remained consistently higher, unsurprising since booking.com sells few flights. 

Skift Research asked respondents to tell us what tools and sources they used when planning a trip. We provided 13 different options. The most popular choices were online search, recommendations from friends and family, and travel review websites like Tripadvisor. 

We wanted to test a theory that the pandemic pushed Americans to do more of their travel planning online. To do this, we categorized each of our options into either an online or offline source and aggregated them. 

Did these travel planning patterns change much because of the pandemic? Short answer: no. 

Note that percentages add to greater than 100% as most respondents use multiple travel planning sources. Online travel planning source usage has remained mostly consistent since 2020 and the same is true for offline sources. 

In fact, when we dig into the numbers, we saw few major changes in travel planning source usage. There were some small changes. The sources that saw higher usage in 2022 over 2020 were online travel publications, online metasearch sites, travel books, and traditional travel. This was offset by a moderate decline in recommendations from friends and families and online search.

Note however, that because respondents can select multiple answers here, the percentages don’t add up to 100% and the percent shifts don’t net out to zero. With the gains in sources outweighing declines, it seems that Americans simply added more research sources into their travel planning process rather than swap out one source for another. This makes sense in the context of a more complicated travel landscape during and after the pandemic. 

Let’s wrap up this report by returning to our three original core questions and try to answer them. 

How did the pandemic impact direct bookings and are these trends still in place? The pandemic drove a large bump in direct bookings traffic to hotel and airline suppliers. The pandemic created a trust, safety, and customer service crisis that online booking third-parties struggled to overcome. As we increasingly put the pandemic in the rearview mirror and instead financial concerns take center stage, third-party bookings are returning. However, more than half of all bookings in our survey still come direct to suppliers. 

How has online booking site market share shifted since 2020 in the U.S.? Expedia Group was, and remains the largest family of online booking sites in the United States. But it seems to have lost some market share during the pandemic. Booking.com grew as it heavily invested in a U.S. presence but our data suggests that Priceline declined for an overall neutral impact on Booking Holdings corporate. Instead most of the market shares during the pandemic flowed to OTA challenger brands, most notably Hopper, but also HotelTonight and Lastminute.com.

Did the pandemic change Americans’ trip planning process? Not really. Our survey data suggests that travel planning habits remained mostly static during the pandemic. Americans are turning to more information sources than in the past, but these new sources are incremental and not replacing previous modes of planning. There was little shift in preference for online vs. offline travel planning sources.

— Skift Senior Research Analyst Varsha Arora contributed to this report.

7 Top Travel Industry Trends (2024 & 2025)

You may also like:

• Transportation Industry Trends
• Growing Travel Startups
• New Technology Trends

This is our list of the top 7 travel trends happening right now (in 2024).

Along with expert predictions about trends that are likely to blow up in 2025.

1. Travelers go it alone

A survey by American Express found that 69% of travelers are planning a solo trip this year .

The same survey discovered that 76% of Gen Z and Millennials were open to solo travel.

There are other signs that this trend is on the rise.

Google searches for "solo travel" have increased by 223% over the last 10 years . 

Solo travelers are big on social media too. We're seeing a large increase in videos and images posted on social media that feature solo adventures.

The big question is: why are more people planning trips alone?

• Self-care: AMEX's recent Global Travel Trends Report found that 66% travelers planning to go solo did so to focus on treating themselves.
• Less hassle:  No need to coordinate agendas or competing interests. Solo travelers can book the exact trip they desire without compromise.
• Quick refresh:  Most solo trips are for smaller getaways. Which makes them ideal for a weekend or single-week trip. Travelers still prefer a partner for longer journeys.
• Meeting new people: Traveling alone makes it more likely to make new connections with locals or with other travelers.

2. Travelers crave local experiences

The "experience economy" is huge in the travel industry.

However, fewer travelers are seeking traditional sightseeing expeditions. 

Instead, “consumers [will] pursue authentic experiences , distancing themselves from mainstream tourism providers and venturing into pastimes that feel more meaningful”.

Data insights company AirSage marks this as an emerging trend because “people no longer want boring and conventional travel experiences as much as they used to. Instead, they would rather pay for vacations that are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities”.

Airbnb is betting on this trend.

Their Experiences feature makes it easy for people to have unique experiences on their trip "hosted by locals".

Airbnb currently offers around 50,000 experiences . 

The company also recently launched " Icons ", which is essentially a VIP version of Experiences.

For example, travelers can book a night to hang out with comedian Kevin Hart.

Other companies are banking their entire business model on this trend.

Withlocals offers “personalized traveling” — the opportunity for travelers to book private tours and activities with locals around the world.

Camping (and glamping) trips have also become a popular way for people to travel while experiencing the local culture.

Companies riding this trend include:

Outdoorsy has been called the “Airbnb of RV rentals”.

Under Canvas runs seven glamping camps in wilderness locations across the United States aimed at exploring the local landscape and inspiring human connections.

3. Travel tech adoption accelerates

Technology is presenting the travel industry with seemingly endless opportunities.

The pandemic served to increase the speed of tech adoption in the travel industry.

A McKinsey survey showed that “companies have accelerated the digitization of their customer and supply-chain interactions and of their internal operations by three to four years".

One example: room service robots.

Two Chinese hotel giants invested in ExcelLand, a manufacturer that already had 3,000 robots in operation.

BTG Homeinnes is looking at these robots as a way to control costs and safeguard guests.

Hotels, airlines, booking sites, and others are using chatbots like never before.

Travelers can chat with providers during every stage of their journey.

And, they won’t (always) feel like they’re talking to a robot. Advances in generative AI have made this type of communication hassle-free.

United Airlines has launched an “ Agent on Demand ” service that allows travelers at the airport to video chat with a customer service representative simply by scanning a QR code.

More and more airlines and airports are deploying facial recognition technology.

Corporations and government entities tout this technology as a boon for travel safety.

But many privacy advocates have put a halt to this emerging trend. They warn that this type of surveillance could easily turn dystopian.

With all of this new tech, companies are also continuing to capitalize on an older piece of technology — the smartphone.

Stats show that travelers who book tours and activities on their phone spend 50% more than those who book elsewhere.

4. Consumers blend business and leisure travel

The latest statistics say there are nearly 17 million digital nomads in America.

The concept of being location-independent, traveling and working remotely, has become even more popular since the start of the pandemic.

The hospitality industry is starting to cater specifically to digital nomads.

Aruba is opening its beaches up to travelers who’d like to work remotely, calling the marketing campaign “ One Happy Workation ”.

Visitors can stay for up to 90 days. And do not need any governmental documentation.

Barbados and the Cayman Islands will also let you work remotely from paradise for an extended period of time.

Booking.com reports that the "workation" trend is going strong.

More than 50% of travelers say they would extend their business trip to enjoy personal time at their destination.

Hotels are beginning to even cater to locals who needed a quiet place to work.

The Hamilton Hotel in Washington, DC, is just one example. It’s WFH-Work From Hamilton program offers rooms on a 6:00 am to 7:00 pm schedule.

5. The travel industry gets serious about sustainability

Recent data shows that more than half of US travelers believe there aren’t enough options when it comes to sustainable travel.

A poll conducted on behalf of Exodus Travels went even deeper into consumers’ attitudes .

• 91% of travelers see the importance of taking ethical trips
• 56% believe in buying souvenirs from local merchants
• 44% want to support local businesses at their destination

Sustainable travel involves minimizing impact on the local cultural environment.

And also taking an eco-friendly approach to the physical environment.

Nearly 70% of travelers say they are more likely to book accommodations if they know the property is planet-friendly.

Many in the travel industry have recently made commitments to preserving the environment.

For example, India-based ITC Hotels Group has LEED certified each of its hotels.

As of 2023, hotels in the state of California will no longer be allowed to provide single-use toiletries in plastic bottles to their guests.

Marriott International has made a pledge to remove these types of plastics from all their hotels, too. But the pandemic has put a temporary stop to that plan.

A recent report from Skift made this summary statement regarding sustainable travel in the future:

“[It’s a] less flashy way of viewing and traveling the world . . . with an emphasis on safety, sustainability, and profound experiences while getting from point A to B without wrecking the climate and local quality of life in the process”.

Sustainability isn't just about helping the environment. 

Offering sustainable travel options has the potential to increase revenue as well.

A survey by Simon Kucher found that high net worth consumers are willing to pay up to 40% more for a travel option focused on sustainability. 

Booking.com surveyed travelers and found that they'd be happy to pay a premium for accommodations that were certified sustainable. 

The exact figure of how much consumers are willing to pay for sustainability varies from study to study.

But overall, we see that most travelers are happy to pay around 10-20% extra for vacations that have sustainability in mind. 

6. Younger Travelers Seek Exotic Destinations

McKinsey recently discovered a generational divide among travel preferences.

Specifically, they found that Gen Z and Millenials were just as likely to book an international trip than a domestic one.

Members of Boomers and Generation X were 2x more likely to travel domestically. 

Notably, older generations have different goals when it comes to travel.

Younger generations are primarily looking for fun, novel experiences.

While older folks are aiming to spend quality time with family.

In fact, older travelers specifically cite that  having fun with loved ones is a bigger priority than seeing a new place .

Here are a few other reasons that younger generations are seeking destinations abroad more often:

• Lower barrier to entry (literally):  More and more countries are offering visa on arrival or other programs to encourage international visitors. Older generations likely remember the hassle of needing to arrange visa and other travel arrangements well before booking a trip. 
• Staying in touch: Smart phones and communication apps makes it easy for travelers to keep in touch with friends and family at home.
• Easy navigation:  Travelers can use apps like Google Translate and Apple Maps to get around their destinations without hassle. 
• Bragging rights: Showing off a video or picture from an exotic place is likely to get more engagement on social media compared to posts featuring local destinations.

7. AI Adoption Increases

Generative AI platforms (ChatGPT, Perplexity etc.) could see real world impacts on the travel industry in the very near future.

In fact, Skift recently asked 17 executives from the travel industry about their outlook on AI.

These executives largely saw tremendous promise in adopting AI and machine learning technology to their businesses.

Specifically, these executives saw a few areas that AI could be used to improve operations in the travel space:

• Personalization: Generative AI tools can be used to help plan personalized itineraries for guests. For example, a travel agent could prompt ChatGPT with: "My client is a 40 year old single mother with a 10-year old son. They want to travel somewhere abroad that has plenty of gluten free eating options". And the AI could provide a list of suggestions for that specific traveler. 
• Advanced segmentation:  AI has the potential to offer hyper specific targeting options. Some even think that AI could even generate campaigns for a specific customer. 
• Customer service: Incorporating AI tools into workflows can help improve the customer experience for both the traveler and staff members. For example, AI can automatically answer common questions that come in. Which empowers workers to spend more time on challenging situations or edge cases.

Other uses cases for AI in travel include:

• Predictions: AI can analyze large amounts of data to help predict future demand at specific destinations.
• Booking agents: The process of booking a trip may change from manually buying airline tickets and hotel rooms online. Instead, AI agents may take care of all of the details on the traveler's behalf.
• Real-time translation: LLMs like ChatGPT-4o are capable of essentially real-time translation via audio.

That’s it for the top seven trends driving the travel and tourism industry forward into 2024 and beyond.

Through these trends, we can see a dynamic relationship between the travel industry and consumers.

It’s a push-and-pull that’s sure to continue in 2025 and companies that can adapt quickly to the changing wants and needs of travelers are the best suited for future success.

Find Thousands of Trending Topics With Our Platform

Destination Insights with

Skip to Content

Keep up with the latest travel trends

Smart business decisions rely on good insights. Keep your finger on the pulse of ever-changing global travel demand trends with actionable data, updated daily. Check out some top insights for your country below, or use the filters to find the data most relevant to you.

1}" > Fastest growing destination globally

1}" > country with the most inbound interest, top insights for your selected country.

• Inbound destination demand
• Outbound destination demand
• Global trends

1}" > Top 3 sources of inbound demand

1}" > top city in demand internationally, 1}" > top city in demand domestically, 1}" > inbound demand growth, 1}" > top 3 destinations for outbound demand, 1}" > demand growth for top international city, 1}" > demand growth for outbound travel, 1}" > top 3 countries for worldwide demand, 1}" > top 3 cities for worldwide demand, 1}" > country with fastest growing inbound demand, 1}" > city with fastest growing inbound demand, click into the details of travel demand.

Switch between understanding country-specific demand trends, and comparing flight and accommodation demand across countries. Use the filters to refine your search.

Country-specific travel demand

Use the tabs below to discover inbound and outbound demand trends for your selected origin and destination countries., trends in country demand, city and regional demand, growth of demand, sources of demand.

View the demand trend for travel from a selected origin to a selected destination.

• Tap on the chart for more details
• The chart is horizontally scrollable

Understand the relative popularity of cities in your selected destination country. For a broader view of popular destinations for travelers in your origin country, set your destination filter to ‘Worldwide’.

Top demand by destination area

• {{$index+1}} {{item.code}} {{item.queries}}

Top demand by destination country

• {{$index+1}} {{item.country.name}} {{item.queries}}

Top demand by destination location

Top demand by destination city

Understand how demand has shifted over time for your destination country, the area it belongs to, and the cities within it.

Top growth by destination area

• {{$index+1}} {{item.code}} {{item.growthScale}}

Top growth by destination country

• {{$index+1}} {{item.country.name}} {{item.growthScale}}

Top growth by destination location

Top growth by destination city

• -10% to 10%
• -10% to -25%
• -25% to -50%
• -50% to -75%

Find out where inbound demand for your selected destination is coming from.

TOP DEMAND BY ORIGIN LOCATION

TOP DEMAND BY ORIGIN COUNTRY

• {{$index+1}} {{item.location}} {{item.queries}}

Visit Google Trends to learn more.

Comparative flight and accommodation demand data

See at a glance how different countries rank for accommodation and airline demand, with relation to inbound demand to and outbound demand from your primary country. use the filters above to select a primary country and up to ten other countries to compare..

INBOUND INTEREST FROM SELECTED COUNTRIES TO PRIMARY COUNTRY

OUTBOUND INTEREST FROM PRIMARY COUNTRY TO SELECTED COUNTRIES

Explore these resources for additional insights

• Google Trends

Gauge consumer search behavior over time on any topic.

• Grow with Google

Explore free training, tools and resources to grow your skills.

• Discovery Platform
• Innovation Scouting
• Startup Scouting
• Technology Scouting
• Tech Supplier Scouting
• Venture Clienting
• Startup Program
• Trend Intelligence
• Business Intelligence
• All Industries
• Industry 4.0
• Manufacturing
• Case Studies
• Research & Development
• Corporate Strategy
• Corporate Innovation
• Open Innovation
• New Business Development
• Product Development
• Venture Capital
• Investment Promotion Agencies

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Top 9 Travel Trends & Innovations in 2025

How are the latest trends in the travel industry reshaping trip planning and enhancing tourist experiences in 2025? Explore our in-depth industry research on the top 9 travel trends based on our analysis of 3500+ companies worldwide. These trends include AI, immersive tourism, IoT, contactless travel & more!

Technological advancements in the travel industry meet the growing demand for personalized experiences, safety, and sustainability. Post the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging travel trends mark a shift towards contactless travel through digital payments, self-check-ins, and more. Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain are automating various hospitality and travel-related operations.

For instance, smart hotels make use of internet-connected devices to remotely control rooms. Further, businesses offer virtual tours by adopting extended reality (XR) technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Travel companies also leverage data analytics to personalize marketing. At the same time, traveler assisting solutions like chatbots and voice technology aid them in booking accommodation and optimizing journeys. These travel trends improve the overall profitability of the tourism industry and enable it to make operations more sustainable and safe.

This article was last updated in July 2024.

Innovation Map outlines the Top 9 Travel Trends & 18 Promising Startups

For this in-depth research on the Top 9 Trends & Startups, we analyzed a sample of 18 global startups and scaleups. The result of this research is data-driven innovation intelligence that improves strategic decision-making by giving you an overview of emerging technologies & startups in the travel industry. These insights are derived by working with our Big Data & Artificial Intelligence-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform , covering 4.7M+ startups & scaleups globally. As the world’s largest resource for data on emerging companies, the SaaS platform enables you to identify relevant startups, emerging technologies & future industry trends quickly & exhaustively.

In the Innovation Map below, you get an overview of the Top 9 Travel Trends & Innovations that impact travel & tourism companies worldwide. Moreover, the Travel Innovation Map reveals 3 500+ hand-picked startups, all working on emerging technologies that advance their field.

Top 9 Travel Trends

• Artificial Intelligence
• Immersive Tourism
• Internet of Things
• Contactless Travel
• Big Data & Analytics
• Post-Pandemic Tourism
• Tour Premiumization

Tree Map reveals the Impact of the Top 9 Travel Trends

Based on the Travel Innovation Map, the Tree Map below illustrates the impact of the Top 9 Travel Industry Trends in 2025. Startups and scaleups are enabling contactless travel using technologies like biometrics, radio-frequency identification (RFID), and near-field communication (NFC). This is due to increasing health and hygiene concerns post the pandemic. The use of AI in tourism ensures hassle-free trip planning while AR and VR allow tourists to virtually visit various locations and excursions. IoT increases visibility into tourism industry operations and allows passengers to track their luggage more efficiently. Further, the demand for personalized and luxurious travel is rising. Several startups enable recreational space travel as well as offer sustainable travel options to passengers.

Global Startup Heat Map covers 3 635 Travel Startups & Scaleups

The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the global distribution of the 3 635 exemplary startups & scaleups that we analyzed for this research. Created through the StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, the Heat Map reveals that the US, Europe, and India see the most activity.

Below, you get to meet 18 out of these 3 635 promising startups & scaleups as well as the solutions they develop. These 18 startups are hand-picked based on criteria such as founding year, location, funding raised, and more. Depending on your specific needs, your top picks might look entirely different.

Click to download

Top 9 Travel Trends in 2025

1. artificial intelligence.

Hotels employ intelligent chatbots, powered by AI, to provide quick and personalized responses to traveler inquiries. These chatbots simplify the booking process and gather customer reviews, aiding potential travelers in making informed decisions. Moreover, AI-based robots enhance the customer experience by automating hotel disinfection and delivering room service.

At airports, these robots guide travelers and assist with luggage handling. Facial recognition technology, driven by AI, expedites identity verification at airports, enhancing security and offering a swift alternative to traditional methods. Startups are developing AI-powered trip planning solutions, optimizing journeys, and personalizing travel experiences.

Travel Professor develops a Travel Chatbot

UK-based startup Travel Professor offers an AI-enabled chatbot for travelers. The startup’s chat widget software monitors multiple flight deals and notifies users when their preferences match. It also provides travel destination recommendations and flight price alerts. This allows travelers to book economical flights and have a budget-friendly tourism experience.

SkyLink develops AI-based Corporate Travel Agent

US startup SkyLink offers a platform that streamlines travel booking and management directly through messaging applications. Its two main products include Email Automation and SkyLink Chat . Email Automation acts as a co-pilot for booking and non-booking workflows, while SkyLink Chat serves as a digital agent within native enterprise chat channels. The platform personalizes the travel experience based on loyalty and preferences, optimizing choices for cost-effectiveness.

2. Immersive Tourism

Immersive tourism caters to the growing demand for meaningful experiences among travelers, leveraging AR, VR, and mixed reality (MR). VR simulates original locations through a computer-generated environment, allowing tourists to virtually explore destinations. It provides travelers with a comprehensive 360-degree tour of points of interest.

AR enhances the travel experience with interactive elements such as navigation maps and ads. Travel companies employ AR and VR-based gamification to heighten tourist attractions. Moreover, these technologies enable hotels and resorts to present amenities and rooms in an engaging, interactive manner.

VR Travel Expo offers VR-based Travel Plans

US startup VR Travel Expo develops a VR travel application to transform the way people research and book travel. The application enables users to plan their vacations more efficiently. It provides an engaging platform for users to explore and expand their knowledge of the world. Moreover, it employs 3D geospatial technology that creates real-time digital twins of the world. This further enhances the travel planning experience.

AR Tour makes AR Glasses

Italian startup AR Tour offers AR-powered tours. The startup’s AR glasses superimpose reconstructed images of archaeological ruins to show how the site originally was. Its tour informs the tourists about the site’s history and significance via an audio-visual package. Moreover, the startup designs lightweight AR glasses to prevent motion sickness among tourists, improving convenience.

3. Internet of Things

IoT generates ample data that tourism companies leverage to personalize services in their subsequent visits. Hotels use IoT sensors to enable smart rooms that automate room lighting, temperature, and ambiance control, enhancing guest comfort. These sensors adjust appliances in vacant rooms, conserving energy and reducing the building’s carbon footprint.

Startups harness IoT to deliver location-specific information to customers, including real-time luggage tracking via IoT tags, minimizing lost items. Airlines also incorporate IoT-based solutions into seats, monitoring passenger temperature and heart rate for proactive health management.

Altitude enables Smart Hotels

New Zealand-based startup Altitude creates an IoT-based hotel software and hardware to develop smart hotels. The startup makes self-service kiosks to automate reservations, room up-gradation, payments, as well as check-in and check-out. Its hotel management platform further enables contactless engagement with guests. Additionally, Altitude’s mobile keys allow guests to open doors using mobile phones, providing convenience and saving time for travelers.

Smart Tour provides Smart Itineraries

Brazilian startup Smart Tour offers smart itineraries using IoT and quick response (QR) codes. The startup recommends travel routes and destinations based on the user’s preference in real-time. This facilitates a seamless experience for travelers. Besides, the user-generated data enables tourism managers to better understand consumer behavior and indulge in proximity marketing. The startup also offers a contact tracing solution to monitor COVID-19 infected travelers and ensure public safety.

4. Contactless Travel

Travelers benefit from contactless recognition technologies like retina scanning, which replace traditional travel documents, speeding up passenger identification and reducing airport queues. QR codes offered by travel companies allow tourists to access relevant information on their mobile devices, enhancing engagement.

Hotels have introduced contactless self-check-ins, enabling visitors to arrange services before arrival. Additionally, contactless payment modes are available in hotels and restaurants for swift and secure transactions. Moreover, wearable devices are transforming the travel experience by providing real-time notifications and touch-free access to services and information.

Loxe designs Smart Hotel Keys

US-based startup Loxe makes smart mobile keys for hotels. The startup’s smartphone app replaces key cards with contactless mobile keys that allow users to unlock doors using smartphones. It also reduces operational costs incurred in the manufacturing of conventional keys or plastic cards. Moreover, the startup designs a Bluetooth retrofit module that converts normal door locks into mobile-ready door locks. This allows hotel owners to easily convert their existing locks into smart ones without additional expenses while improving guest safety and convenience.

Avendi provides Contactless Payment

Singaporean startup Avendi offers contactless and cashless payments for travelers. The startup allows tourists to accumulate expenses throughout their trip and pay at the end of the journey. Avendi’s app utilizes QR codes to add all the billed expenses and shown through its dashboard. The user settles the tab amount in the preferred currency, preventing the inconvenience of cash withdrawal or credit card payments.

5. Big Data & Analytics

Big data empowers travel companies with customer trends for strategic marketing. Analyzing traveler behavior, they offer tailored recommendations for hotel bookings, cab hires, flight reservations, and ticket purchases.

Predicting future demand is another advantage of big data and analytics, helping hotels and airlines identify peak periods to optimize revenue. Advanced analysis of transactional data aids in detecting cyber fraud, and safeguarding sensitive customer information such as credit card details and biometric data.

CheckandPack creates a Travel Platform

Dutch startup CheckandPack offers a big data travel platform. It runs marketing campaigns to gather traveler data and understand tourism trends. Based on these insights, the platform enables businesses to approach travelers with a customized appeal. It also provides travelers with holiday planning.

3Victors provides Travel Data Analytics

US-based startup 3Victors offers travel data analytics. The startup’s product, PriceEye Suite , proactively monitors the prices of numerous airlines to provide insights into competitor prices. It creates a dashboard to display travelers’ location of interest, allowing travel airlines to better manage their revenue and pricing strategy.

Learn How 10 Emerging Technologies Shape Your Industry!

6. Post-Pandemic Tourism

Post-pandemic tourism focuses on safe, sustainable, and flexible travel options, responding to evolving traveler preferences and health guidelines. Enhanced health and safety protocols, including regular sanitization and contactless services, become standard in airlines and hotels, ensuring traveler confidence.

Destinations and operators emphasize outdoor and less crowded experiences, catering to a heightened demand for nature-based and wellness travel. Flexible booking policies and trip insurance gain prominence, offering peace of mind amid uncertainties. Sustainable travel gains traction, with tourists and businesses prioritizing environmental impact and community well-being.

GOPASS Global enables Pre-travel Risk Management

Singaporean startup GOPASS Global provides a travel risk analytics platform against COVID-19. It analyzes the biosecurity risk elements involved in a trip, such as border restrictions, quarantine requirements, airport type, and airline transit points or seating in real-time. This allows travelers to assess risk factors and plan their trips accordingly.

Moreover, the startup creates world maps displaying information regarding COVID-prone areas, testing areas, and vaccine coverage. This provides travelers with a preview of the current situation, allowing them to ensure safety during business and leisure travel.

Workcations enables Work from Anywhere

Indian startup Workcations provides properties at tourist destinations for remote-working individuals. It offers amenities like internet connectivity, food, and a quiet ambiance, allowing tourists to work in a peaceful environment without hindrance. This increases employee productivity, motivation, and retention.

7. Tour Premiumization

Hyper-personalization in travel experiences is on the rise, with tourists eager to immerse themselves in diverse cultures. Luxury travelers enjoy tailored experiences and intuitive services through tour premiumization. Health and wellness packages offered by travel startups help tourists unwind.

These retreats enhance health and offer detoxifying food options. Space tourism is another exciting development, offering leisure or research trips to space. Lastly, travel startups are fostering customer loyalty and building strong relationships through membership or subscription models.

STOKE provides Space Tour

US-based startup STOKE facilitates space travel using everyday-operable rockets. The startup’s rockets are reusable and deliver satellites to any desired orbit. This enables on-demand access to space, paving way for space tours for exploration, recreation, and research. The startup also emphasizes the economical and rapid development of its hardware for feasible spacecraft launches, advancing space tourism.

Origin offers Travel Personalization

Dutch startup Origin provides premium travel personalization to tourists. The startup utilizes machine learning and travel curators to plan creative vacations. It also arranges flights and accommodation for travelers. Further, the startup measures the carbon output of itineraries and offers sustainable tourism options.

8. Ecotourism

Traveling responsibly minimizes tourism’s environmental impact and supports local communities’ well-being. Ecotourists strive to reduce their carbon footprint during their journeys. Startups contribute by developing sustainable transport, ecolodges, and solar-powered resorts.

Airline passengers have the option to offset carbon emissions during flight bookings. Local tourism stimulates small businesses economically and creates job opportunities. It also emphasizes minimum littering, which lowers pollution and the time spent on cleanups.

Jet-Set Offset simplifies Flight Carbon Offset

US-based startup Jet-Set Offset creates a carbon-offsetting platform for air travel. The startup partners with non-profit organizations working against climate change and connects them with travelers. Each time travelers book flight tickets via the startup’s platform, Jet-Set Offset contributes a certain amount per mile for their journey to environmental organizations. This way, the passenger’s journey promotes mileage-based donations to offset carbon emissions.

The Green Stamp facilitates Ethical Wildlife Tour

Dutch startup The Green Stamp provides a platform to book ethical wildlife tours. It curates tours based on the tourists’ inclinations toward certain locations or wildlife. Exploration of these projects allows travelers to indirectly contribute to their cause as these wildlife projects donate to the welfare of local communities and the environment.

9. Blockchain

Blockchain provides the travel industry with operational transparency and security. Traceable payments, particularly for international travel, are a key application, that fosters trust among parties involved in transactions.

Automation and enforcement of agreements in travel insurance and supplier contracts are achieved through smart contracts. This strengthens reliability and cuts administrative costs. Travel firms establish customer loyalty programs where points are exchanged for cryptocurrency. Lastly, blockchain increases data storage security, reducing the risk of information leaks.

Upswing facilitates Guest Profiling

Indian startup Upswing creates AURA , a blockchain-powered platform for guest profiling. It provides a holistic view of guests, their preferences, and purchase patterns. The platform associates a score with each guest and suggests improvements in their service. This facilitates hotels to provide a personalized experience to their guests and, in turn, increase sales.

UIQ Travel develops a Solo Traveling App

US-based startup UIQ Travel develops a blockchain-based app to connect solo travelers. It discovers people with shared interests and suggests tours or attractions. Such hyper-personalized recommendations assist in experience discovery and also increase traveler engagement.

Discover all Travel Trends, Technologies & Startups

Tourism, although severely impacted by the pandemic, now continues to rapidly grow across the globe. Post-pandemic trends indicate an increasing emphasis on hygiene and safety during travel. The industry is witnessing the widespread adoption of disruptive technologies like AI, XR, IoT, and blockchain. The travel industry utilizes big data to understand traveler trends for targeted marketing. The transition to ecotourism is accelerating as businesses integrate zero-emission transit and carbon offset programs to reduce their carbon footprint.

The Travel Trends & Startups outlined in this report only scratch the surface of trends that we identified during our data-driven innovation and startup scouting process. Among others, personalization, decarbonization, and travel safety will transform the sector as we know it today. Identifying new opportunities and emerging technologies to implement into your business goes a long way in gaining a competitive advantage. Get in touch to easily and exhaustively scout startups, technologies & trends that matter to you!

Your Name Business Email Company

Get our  free newsletter  on technology and startups.

Protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Discover our Free Travel Report 21 pages

Get free updates on Global Startups, Technologies & Trends!

Join 25k subscribers.

Business Email

Travel 21 pages report

Mobility 22 pages report, railway 22 pages report, cleantech 20 pages report.

Leverage our unparalleled data advantage to quickly and easily find hidden gems among 4.7M+ startups, scaleups. Access the world's most comprehensive innovation intelligence and stay ahead with AI-powered precision.

Get in touch

Your Name Business Email Company How can we support you?   (optional)

Protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google  Privacy Policy  and  Terms of Service  apply.

Discover the Impact of Emerging Technologies on Your Industry

Uncover how over 1000 use cases across 40+ industries are transforming business landscapes. Download our comprehensive technology matrix to fast-track your innovation agenda and drive growth!

• Brand Resources
• Economic Impact
• WTTC Research Hub
• Insights & Publications
• Knowledge Partners
• Data Enquiries
• Sustainability Hub
• Hotel Sustainability Basics
• Nature Positive Travel & Tourism
• Social Impact
• Community Conscious Travel
• Security & Travel Facilitation
• Women Empowerment
• Destination Spotlight - SLO CAL
• SafeTravels: Global Protocols & Stamp
• SafeTravels Stamp Application
• Governments
• Global Summit
• Upcoming Events
• Event Photography
• Hosting a Summit
• Event Enquiries
• Our Members
• Our Associates Community
• Membership Benefits
• Enquire About Membership
• Sponsors & Partners
• Press Releases
• Press Enquiries
• Consumer Travel Blog
• ONEin330Million Campaign
• Reunite Campaign

Consumer Trends

A world in motion: shifting consumer travel trends in 2022 and beyond.

• The leading consumer trends report analysing the changing nature of travellers' behaviour and preferences
• Helps businesses understand how consumer travel trends are shifting.
• Supported by Trip.com Group and Deloitte
• Available in English, Chinese, Korean, Japanese

Previous Reports

Trending in Travel: Emerging Consumer Trends

Trending in travel.

Longer Stay, Longer Play

Secondary Destinations

Virus Prevention

Latest Blogs

A longer ‘flexcation’ or off the beaten path - which 2022 travel trends will inspire your next adventure?

Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar with the mission "to pursue the perfect trip for a better world".

Deloitte’s transportation, hospitality & services practice provides market insights to help you grow in a technology-driven and rapidly evolving ecosystem. our insights can help you navigate changing consumer behavior and key market trends such as the future of work, digital supply chain, and sustainability..

Now boarding: Faces, places, and trends shaping tourism in 2024

After falling by 75 percent in 2020, travel is on its way to a full recovery by the end of 2024. Domestic travel is expected to grow 3 percent annually and reach 19 billion lodging nights per year by 2030. 1 Unless otherwise noted, the source for all data and projections is Oxford Economics. Over the same time frame, international travel should likewise ramp up to its historical average of nine billion nights. Spending on travel is expected to follow a similar trajectory, with an estimated $8.6 trillion in traveler outlays in 2024, representing roughly 9 percent of this year’s global GDP.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Caroline Tufft , Margaux Constantin , Matteo Pacca , and Ryan Mann , with Ivan Gladstone and Jasperina de Vries, representing views from McKinsey’s Travel, Logistics & Infrastructure Practice.

There’s no doubt people still love to travel and will continue to seek new experiences in new places. But where will travelers come from, and where will they go? We developed a snapshot of current traveler flows, along with estimates for growth through 2030. For the purposes of this report, we have divided the world into four regions—the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa.

Our analysis identifies three major themes for industry stakeholders to consider:

• The bulk of travel spending is close to home. Stakeholders should ensure they capture the full potential of domestic travel before shifting their focus to international travelers. And they should start with international travelers who visit nearby countries—as intraregional trips represent the largest travel segment after domestic trips.
• Source markets are shifting. Although established source markets continue to anchor global travel, Eastern Europe, India, and Southeast Asia are all becoming fast-growing sources of outbound tourism.
• The destinations of the future may not be the ones you imagine. Alongside enduring favorites, places that weren’t on many tourists’ maps are finding clever ways to lure international travelers and establish themselves as desirable destinations.

The bulk of travel spending is close to home

International travel might feel more glamorous, but tourism players should not forget that domestic travel still represents the bulk of the market, accounting for 75 percent of global travel spending (Exhibit 1). Domestic travel recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic faster than international travel, as is typical coming out of downturns. And although there has been a recent boom in “revenge travel,” with travelers prioritizing international trips that were delayed by the pandemic, a return to prepandemic norms, in which domestic travel represents 70 percent of spending, is expected by 2030.

The United States is the world’s largest domestic travel market at $1 trillion in annual spending. Sixty-eight percent of all trips that start in the United States remain within its borders. Domestic demand has softened slightly, as American travelers return abroad. 2 Dawit Habtemariam, “Domestic U.S. tourism growth levels off as Americans head overseas,” Skift, August 18, 2023. But tourism players with the right offerings are still thriving: five national parks broke attendance records in 2023 (including Joshua Tree National Park, which capitalized on growing interest from stargazers indulging in “dark sky” tourism 3 Scott McConkey, “5 national parks set attendance records in 2023, and the reasons may surprise you,” Wealth of Geeks, April 16, 2024. ).

China’s $744 billion domestic travel market is currently the world’s second largest. Chinese travelers spent the pandemic learning to appreciate the diversity of experiences on offer within their own country. Even as borders open back up, Chinese travelers are staying close to home. And domestic destinations are benefiting: for example, Changchun (home to the Changchun Ice and Snow Festival) realized 160 percent year-on-year growth in visitors in 2023. 4 Shi Xiaoji, “Why don’t Chinese people like to travel abroad anymore? The global tourism industry has lost 900 billion yuan. What is the situation?,” NetEase, February 12, 2024. In 2024, domestic travel during Lunar New Year exceeded prepandemic levels by 19 percent.

China’s domestic travel market is expected to grow 12 percent annually and overtake the United States’ to become the world’s largest by 2030. Hotel construction reflects this expectation: 30 percent of the global hotel construction pipeline is currently concentrated in China. The pipeline is heavily skewed toward luxury properties, with more than twice as many luxury hotels under construction in China as in the United States.

India, currently the world’s sixth-largest domestic travel market by spending, is another thriving area for domestic travel. With the subcontinent’s growing middle class powering travel spending growth of roughly 9 percent per year, India’s domestic market could overtake Japan’s and Mexico’s to become the world’s fourth largest by 2030. Domestic air passenger traffic in India is projected to double by 2030, 5 Murali Krishnan, “Can India’s airports cope with rapid passenger growth?,” Deutsche Welle, February 7, 2024. boosted in part by a state-subsidized initiative that aims to connect underserved domestic airports. 6 “India is seeing a massive aviation boom,” Economist , November 23, 2023.

When travelers do go abroad, they often stay close to home (Exhibit 2).

Europe and Asia, in particular, demonstrate strong and growing intraregional travel markets.

Recognizing this general trend, stakeholders have been funneling investment toward regional tourism destinations. An Emirati wealth fund, for instance, has announced its intent to invest roughly $35 billion into established hospitality properties and development opportunities in Egypt. 7 Michael Gunn and Mirette Magdy, “UAE’s $35 billion Egypt deal marks Gulf powers’ buying spree,” Bloomberg, April 27, 2024.

Europe has long played host to a high share of intraregional travel. Seventy percent of its travelers’ international trips stay within the region. Europe’s most popular destinations for intraregional travelers are perennial warm-weather favorites—Spain (18 percent), Italy (10 percent), and France (8 percent)—with limited change to these preferences expected between now and 2030.

Despite longer travel distances between Asian countries, Asia’s intraregional travel market is beginning to resemble Europe’s. Intraregional travel currently accounts for about 60 percent of international trips in Asia—a share expected to climb to 64 percent by 2030. As in Europe in past decades, Asian intraregional travel is benefiting from diminishing visa barriers and the development of a low-cost, regional flight network.

Thailand is projected to enjoy continued, growing popularity with Asian travelers. Thailand waived visa requirements for Chinese tourists in 2023 and plans to do the same for Indian tourists starting in 2024. It has aggressively targeted the fast-growing Indian traveler segment, launching more than 50 marketing campaigns directed at Indians over the past decade. The investment may be paying off: Bangkok recently overtook Dubai as the most popular city destination for Indian tourists. 8 “Bangkok overtakes Dubai as top destination for Indians post visa relaxation, reveals Agoda,” PR Newswire, January 18, 2024.

A McKinsey ConsumerWise survey on consumer sentiment, conducted in February 2024, suggests that Chinese travelers are also exhibiting high interest in international travel, with 36 percent of survey respondents indicating that they intend to spend more on international travel in the next three months. 9 Daniel Zipser, “ China brief: Consumers are spending again (outside of China) ,” McKinsey, April 8, 2024. Much of this interest is directed toward regional destinations such as Southeast Asia and Japan, with interest in travel to Europe down from previous years. 10 Guang Chen, Zi Chen, Steve Saxon, and Jackey Yu, “ Outlook for China tourism 2023: Light at the end of the tunnel ,” McKinsey, May 9, 2023.

Given travelers’ preference for proximity, how can tourism stakeholders further capitalize on domestic and intraregional travel demand? Here are a few strategies:

• Craft offerings that encourage domestic tourists to rediscover local gems. Destinations, hotels, and transportation providers can encourage domestic tourists to integrate lesser-known cultural landmarks into their trips to visit friends and relatives. In France, the upscale hotel chain Relais & Châteaux markets historic properties that lie far from classic tourist sights—such as Château Saint-Jean in rural Auvergne—as a welcome escape from the bustle of Paris. In Mexico, the Pueblos Mágicos program has successfully boosted domestic tourist visits to a set of “magical towns” that showcase Mexican heritage.
• Fold one-off domestic destinations into fuller itineraries. Route 66 in the United States is a classic road trip pathway, which spurs visits to attractions all along the highway’s length. Tourism stakeholders can collaborate to create similar types of domestic itineraries around the world. For instance, Mexico has expanded on its Pueblos Mágicos concept by branding coordinated visits to multiple villages as “magical routes.” In France, local tourism boards and vineyards have collaborated to promote bucket list “wine routes” around the country.
• Make crossing borders into neighboring countries seamless. Removing logistical barriers to travel can nudge tourists to upgrade a one-off trip to a single attraction into a bucket list journey across multiple, less-trodden destinations. In Africa, for example, Ethiopian Airlines is facilitating cross-border travel to major regional tourist sites through improved air connectivity. In Asia, Thailand has announced its intent to create a joint visa easing travel among Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Source markets are shifting

The United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, and France remain the world’s five largest sources of travelers, in that order. These countries collectively accounted for 38 percent of international travel spending in 2023 and are expected to remain the top five source markets through 2030. But interest in travel is blossoming in other parts of the world—causing a shift in the balance of outbound travel flows (Exhibit 3).

North Americans’ travel spending is projected to hold steady at roughly 3 percent annual growth. US consumers voice growing concerns about inflation, and the most cost-constrained traveler segments are reducing travel, which is affecting ultra-low-cost airlines and budget hotels. Most travelers, however, plan to continue traveling: McKinsey research suggests that American consumers rank international and domestic travel as their highest-priority areas for discretionary spending. Instead of canceling their trips, these consumers are adapting their behavior by traveling during off-peak periods or booking travel further in advance. Travel spending by Europeans paints a slightly rosier picture, with roughly 5 percent projected annual growth. Meanwhile, the projected 12 percent annual growth in Chinese travelers’ spending should anchor substantial increases in travel spending across Northeast Asia.

Alongside these enduring traveler segments, new groups of travelers are emerging. Eastern Europe, India, and Southeast Asia are still comparatively small source markets, but they are developing fast-growing pools of first-time tourists (Exhibit 4).

India’s breakneck GDP growth of 6 percent year over year is bolstering a new generation of travelers, 11 Benjamin Laker, “India will grow to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027,” Forbes , February 23, 2024. resulting in a projected annual growth in travel spending of 9 percent between now and 2030. Indian air carriers and lodging companies are making substantial investments to meet projected demand. Budget airline IndiGo placed the largest aircraft order in commercial aviation history in 2023, when it pledged to buy 500 Airbus A320 planes 12 Anna Cooban, “Biggest plane deal in history: Airbus clinches massive order from India’s IndiGo,” CNN, June 19, 2023. ; that same week, Air India nearly equaled IndiGo’s order size with purchase agreements for 250 Airbus and 220 Boeing jets. IndiGo later added an order for 30 additional Airbus A350 planes, well suited to serving both domestic and international routes. 13 “Airbus confirms IndiGo's A350 aircraft order,” Economic Times , May 6, 2024. The Indian Hotels Company Limited is ramping up its hotel pipeline, aiming to open two new hotels per month in the near future. International players are not sitting on the sidelines: seven hotel chains are launching new brands in India in 2024, 14 Peden Doma Bhutia, “Indian Hotels expansion plans: 2 new brands launching, 2 hotels opening every month,” Skift, February 2, 2024. including Marriott’s first Moxy- and Tribute-branded hotels in India and entrants from Hilton’s Curio and Tapestry brands. 15 Forum Gandhi, “Check-in frenzy: International hotel giants unleash fresh brands in India’s booming hospitality landscape,” Hindu Businessline , February 13, 2024. Development focus has shifted away from major metropolises such as Mumbai and Delhi and toward fast-developing, smaller cities such as Chandigarh and Hyderabad.

Southeast Asian travel spending is projected to grow at roughly 7 percent per year. Pockets of particularly high growth exist in Cambodia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. To capitalize on this blossoming source market, neighboring countries are rolling out attractive visa arrangements: for example, China has agreed to reciprocal visa waivers for short-term travelers from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. 16 Julienna Law, “China launches ‘visa-free era’ with Southeast Asia. Will travel retail boom?,” Jing Daily , January 30, 2024.

Travel spending by Eastern Europeans is expected to grow at 7 percent per year until 2030—two percentage points higher than spending by Western Europeans. Areas of especially high growth include the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland, where middle-class travelers are increasingly venturing farther afield. Major tourism players, including the TUI Group, have tapped into these new source markets by offering charter flights to warm-weather destinations such as Egypt. 17 Hildbrandt von Klaus, “TUI develops Czech Republic as a new source market,” FVW, December 22, 2023.

Although the number of travelers from these new source markets is growing, their purchasing power remains relatively limited. Compared with Western European travelers (who average $159 per night in total travel spending), South Asians spend 20 percent less, Eastern Europeans spend 40 percent less, and Southeast Asians spend 55 percent less. Only 3 percent of the current Asian hotel construction pipeline caters to economy travelers, suggesting a potential supply gap of rooms that could appeal to budget-constrained tourists.

While acknowledging that historical source markets will continue to constitute the bulk of travel spending, tourism players can consider actions such as these to capitalize on growing travel demand from newer markets:

• Reduce obstacles to travel. Countries can look for ways to strategically invest in simplifying travel for visitors from growing source markets. In 2017, for example, Azerbaijan introduced express processing of electronic visas for Indian visitors; annual arrivals from India increased fivefold in two years. Requirements regarding passport photocopies or in-person check-ins can similarly be assessed with an eye toward reducing red tape for travelers.
• Use culturally relevant marketing channels to reach new demographics. Unique, thoughtful marketing strategies can help destinations place themselves on first-time travelers’ bucket lists. For example, after the release of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara , a popular Bollywood movie shot in Spain with support from the Spanish Ministry of Tourism, Indian tourism to Spain increased by 65 percent. 18 “ Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara part of syllabus in Spain colleges,” India Today , June 6, 2004.
• Give new travelers the tech they expect. Travelers from newer source markets often have access to tech-forward travel offerings. For example, Indian travelers can travel anywhere within their country without physical identification, thanks to the Digi Yatra app. The Southeast Asian rideshare app Grab has several helpful travel features that competitors lack, such as automated menu translation and currency conversion. Tourism stakeholders should consider how to adapt to the tech expectations of newer travelers, integrating relevant offerings that ease journeys.
• Create vibrant experiences tailored to different price points. Crafting lower-budget offerings for more cost-constrained travelers doesn’t need to result in giving them a subpar experience. Capsule hotels, in which guests sleep in small cubbies, began as a response to the high cost of accommodations in Japan, but they have become an attraction in their own right—appearing on many must-do lists. 19 Philip Tang, “24 of the best experiences in Japan,” Lonely Planet, March 23, 2024.

The places you’ll go: The destinations of the future may not be the ones you imagine

The world’s top ten destination countries (the United States, Spain, China, France, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Italy, Thailand, Japan, and India, in that order) currently receive 45 percent of all travel spending, including for domestic travel. But some new locales are gaining traction (Exhibit 5).

A significant number of travelers are expanding their horizons, booking journeys to less visited countries that are near to old standbys. For instance, Laos and Malaysia, which both border Thailand—an established destination that is home to Bangkok, the world’s most visited city 20 Katherine LaGrave, “This is the world’s most visited city,” AFAR , January 31, 2024. —are up a respective 20 percent and 17 percent, respectively, in year-over-year international travel spending.

The world’s top ten destination countries currently receive 45 percent of all travel spending, including domestic-travel spending. But some new locales are gaining traction.

Several other countries that have crafted thoughtful tourism demand generation strategies—such as Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda, and Vietnam—are also expected to reap benefits in the coming years. Vietnam logged a remarkable 40 percent increase in tourism spending in the five years before the pandemic. Postpandemic, it has rebounded in part by waiving visa requirements for European travelers (while indicating intent to offer similar exemptions in the future for Chinese and Indian travelers). 21 Ashvita Singh, “Vietnam looks to offer visa-free entry to Indians: India report,” Skift, November 20, 2023. The Philippines has made a concerted effort to shift its sun-and-beach branding toward a more well-rounded image, replacing its long-standing “It’s more fun in the Philippines” tourism slogan with “Love the Philippines.” Peru is highlighting less visited archeological sites while also marketing itself as a top-notch culinary destination through the promotion of Peruvian restaurants abroad. Rwanda is investing in infrastructure to become a major African transit hub, facilitated by Qatar Airways’ purchase of a 60 percent stake in the country’s major airport. 22 Dylan Cresswell, “Rwanda plots ambitious tourism recovery,” African Business , July 28, 2022. Rwanda has also successfully capitalized on sustainable tourism: by charging $1,500 per gorilla trekking permit, for instance, it has maximized revenue while reducing environmental impact.

Tourism players might consider taking some of these actions to lure tourists to less familiar destinations:

• Collaborate across the tourism ecosystem. Promotion is not solely the domain of destination marketing organizations. Accommodation, transportation, and experience providers can also play important roles. In Singapore, for instance, the luxury resort Marina Bay Sands partners extensively with Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Tourism Board to offer compelling tourism offerings. Past collaborations have included flight and stay packages built around culinary festivals. 23 “Singapore Tourism Board, Marina Bay Sands & UOB partner to enliven Marina Bay precinct,” Singapore Tourism Board news release, January 25, 2024.
• Use infrastructure linkage to promote new destinations. By extending route options, transportation providers can encourage visitors to create itineraries that combine familiar destinations with new attractions. In Asia, Thailand’s tourism authority has attempted to nudge visitors away from the most heavily trafficked parts of the country, such as Bangkok and Phuket, and toward less popular destinations.
• Deploy social media to reach different demographics. Innovative social media campaigns can help put a destination on the map. Australia launched its “Ruby the kangaroo” campaign in China to coincide with the return of postpandemic air capacity between the two places. A video adapted for Chinese context (with appropriate gestures and a hashtag in Mandarin) garnered more than 20 million views in a single day on one of China’s largest social media platforms. 24 Nicole Gong, “Can Ruby the kangaroo bring Chinese tourists hopping back to Australia?,” SBS, June 5, 2023.
• Embrace unknown status. “Off the beaten path” messaging can appeal to widely traveled tourists seeking fresh experiences. Saudi Arabia’s “#WhereInTheWorld” campaign promoted the country’s tourist spots by acknowledging that they are less familiar to travelers, using a series of images that compared these spots with better-known destinations.

As tourism stakeholders look to the future, they can take steps to ensure that they continue to delight existing travelers while also embracing new ones. Domestic and intraregional tourism remain major opportunities—catering to local tourists’ preferences while building infrastructure that makes travel more seamless within a region could help capture them. Creative collaboration among tourism stakeholders can help put lesser-known destinations on the map. Travel tides are shifting. Expertly navigating these currents could yield rich rewards.

Caroline Tufft is a senior partner in McKinsey’s London office, Margaux Constantin is a partner in the Dubai office, Matteo Pacca is a senior partner in the Paris office, Ryan Mann is a partner in the Chicago office, Ivan Gladstone is an associate partner in the Riyadh office, and Jasperina de Vries is an associate partner in the Amsterdam office.

The authors wish to thank Abdulhadi Alghamdi, Alessandra Powell, Alex Dichter, Cedric Tsai, Diane Vu, Elisa Wallwitz, Lily Miller, Maggie Coffey, Nadya Snezhkova, Nick Meronyk, Paulina Baum, Peimin Suo, Rebecca Stone, Sarah Fellay, Sarah Sahel, Steffen Fuchs, Steffen Köpke, Steve Saxon, Sophia Wang, and Urs Binggeli for their contributions to this article.

This article was edited by Seth Stevenson, a senior editor in the New York office.

Explore a career with us

Related articles.

The future of tourism: Bridging the labor gap, enhancing customer experience

The promise of travel in the age of AI

From India to the world: Unleashing the potential of India’s tourists

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

These Are the Top Travel Trends of 2024, According to American Express Travel

What are people really traveling for in 2024?

Grant Faint/Getty Images

Demand for premium travel continues at a torrid pace in 2024. Not only is that being reflected in the first few months of the year, but also in the newly released trend report by  American Express (Amex) Travel . The study explored travel behaviors and trip planning from participants living in seven countries: Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The majority of respondents are planning major milestone-like trips, even if there isn’t necessarily an occasion to celebrate. And 84 percent of people surveyed plan to spend more or the same amount of money on travel in 2024 compared to last year. That includes destinations like  Antarctica  and the  Galapagos Islands . (Travel agents and advisors are making a resurgence as well, with over 50 percent of people looking to leverage a travel agent or trusted advisor to book, like  T+L’s A-List .)

“The report shows that demand for travel is continuing, and that people are building itineraries to create memories—being intentional about the places they are going, and the things they are doing when they get there,” Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel, told Travel + Leisure .

Meanwhile, if 2023 was the year of “gig-tripping” (and the Taylor Swift effect), then 2024 is the year of long-distance travel for sporting events. Amex’s survey showed that 67 percent of millennial and Gen Z respondents are interested in traveling for sports in 2024. Paris, Miami, and New York City are the top three cities for sports travel, according to Amex. (Paris is hosting the  Olympic Games this year, Miami is hosting Formula 1, and New York City has the U.S. Open Tennis.)

In addition, solo travel will be a prominent theme in 2024, with 76 percent of millennials and Gen Z (compared to 69 percent of all respondents) saying they plan to take a solo trip this year, with a majority centered around self-love and treating themselves. “It is really interesting to see how many people are embracing solo travel,” said Hendley. “We’re seeing changes with younger travelers in particular."

Finally, Amex says that 2024 will be a notable year for spontaneous trips or what they’re calling “on-a-whim travel.” Nearly 80 percent of travelers say they plan to take a spur-of-the-moment trip, while 44 percent of respondents even expressed a preference for a spontaneous trip instead of having all the details planned. In fact, there are entire companies (like  Pack Up & Go  and  Competitours ) that offer complete itineraries where none of the details are provided in advance.

For something a bit less extreme, Henley recommended leaving unplanned time on existing trips to experience local culture and activities. “I just took an incredible trip to Thailand and relied on local experts and tour guides to show me the ‘real’ sites. I would have missed out on these local experiences – and so much incredible food – if I hadn’t left room in my itinerary to be impulsive and truly explore,” she said.

To learn more visit go.amex .

Related Articles

2024 travel trends: what the experts predict

A look at the travel trends and destinations set to drive the tourism industry

• Newsletter sign up Newsletter

The year of 'surprise travel'?

• Lonely Planet's Best in Travel

Set-jetting continues to take off

Music tourism 'accelerates', palate-led holidays and uk getaways, cultural exploration and quaint cities, journeys with 'a sense of purpose'.

• Michelin Guide 'keys'

Fodor's 2024 'No List'

Sign up to The Week's Travel newsletter for destination guides and the latest trends.

'More and more surprise trip companies have popped up' 

"Surprise travel" may become the big trend of 2024, said David Farley on the  BBC . A survey of 27,000 travellers in 33 countries by  Booking.com  found that 52% are "keen" to book a surprise trip where "everything down to the destination is unknown until arrival". In the last decade, "more and more surprise trip companies have popped up", Farley added, and the "element of mystery" is "tempting travellers to seek a new way to see the world".

Mongolia and Nairobi included in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel

Mongolia is tipped as one of the top countries to visit 

In its "Best in Travel" report for 2024, Lonely Planet has predicted the world's top 50 countries, regions, cities, best value and most sustainable destinations. Looking at the top places to "unwind, connect, eat, learn and journey", there's "plenty to pack in" over the next year. Destinations highlighted in the report include Mongolia (country), Western Balkans' Trans Dinarica Cycling Route (region), Nairobi in Kenya (city), Spain (sustainable) and The Midwest, USA (best value).

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

The new season of 'Emily in Paris' will inspire travel to the French capital

Travellers turning to their TV sets and movie screens for inspiration "shows no signs of stopping in 2024", said Expedia Group . In its "Unpack '24: The Trends in Travel" survey, more than half of travellers have researched or booked a trip to a destination "after seeing it on a TV show or movie", and one in four admit that TV shows and films "are even more influential on their travel plans than they were before". In fact, travellers say TV shows influence their travel decisions more than Instagram, TikTok and podcasts. 

In its "set-jetting forecast", the group predicts the "entertainment-inspired destinations" tourists will be heading to in 2024. The top picks include Thailand, inspired by "The White Lotus" season three; Romania, inspired by "Wednesday" season two; Malta, inspired by the new "Gladiator 2" film; and Paris, inspired by "Emily in Paris" season four. 

Taylor Swift performs at Lumen Field, Seattle, on the Eras Tour

Travel technology company Amadeus has released its fourth travel trends report. Using the latest data and industry-leading insight, travel in 2024 will be dominated by five trends: music tourism, business class fares unbundled, influencers becoming agents, artificial intelligence matures, and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft prepare for take-off. 

Music tourism is a trend that's expected to "accelerate" in 2024, Amadeus said. After the social isolation of the pandemic, when bands and musical artists were "grounded for months", a "boom" in concerts and festivals in 2023 tapped into "a desire for connection". When Taylor Swift announced her Asia Pacific tour dates for 2024, Amadeus research suggested that Swift's concert dates in Australia, Singapore and Japan had a "significant impact on travel searches and booking volumes to the countries".  

Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa in Wiltshire is part of the PoB Hotels collection  

PoB Hotels ' "Cultivating Luxury" market trends report found that palate-led holidays and increased domestic getaways in the UK were among the key findings for 2024. Food and drink "undeniably take centre stage" in "capturing the attention" of domestic travellers, commanding an impressive 82% of their interests. A significant 54% of affluent high net worth individuals (HNWIs) plan to enjoy "three or more" leisure holidays within the UK in the upcoming year, reflecting a "notable increase on the previous 12 months". And a considerable 27% of affluent/HNW travellers anticipate taking UK trips "lasting three or more nights" in the coming year. 

Bydgoszcz in Poland is one of the 'quaint cities' attracting interest  

"Cultural exploration" will "more than ever" be a priority for travellers, Skyscanner said in its 2024 travel trends report. Expect "gig trippers" to jet off to see their favourite artists and "budget bougie foodies" to seek out the very best food experiences. When it comes to the destinations that are whetting would-be tourists' appetites, the metasearch engine and travel agency has seen an increase in searches for "quaint cities" such as Vigo in Spain (+1,235%) and Bydgoszcz in Poland (+313%). Meanwhile, the cost-of-living crisis remains "top of mind" with Skyscanner's "Everywhere" search tool being the "top search destination for travellers globally". 

'Off-grid' Peru is on Black Tomato's 2024 destination hotlist 

The founders of luxury travel company Black Tomato predict that travellers will be looking to journey with "a sense of purpose" in 2024. With ever increasing demands on time, and the desire to make travel truly count, travellers want to create "positive and lasting change" – not only in the destinations they visit, but in their own lives. 

"What we've uncovered," said Black Tomato, is that the feeling a trip ultimately evokes "greatly informs the destination booked". For groups "craving togetherness", journeys which "strengthen bonds and connection" are "prioritised". Black Tomato has picked out "off-grid" Peru, Morocco's Tangiers, the Mitre Peninsula in remotest Argentine Patagonia, and New Zealand's waterways on its 2024 destination hotlist.

The new Michelin Guide 'keys'

Which hotels will get a Michelin key? 

The Michelin Guide will award hotels with "keys" as part of a "new rating system" launching in 2024, said the Visit California PR Pulse Report. The system will be aimed at recognising hotels based on factors including "location, design, service, uniqueness and value". As it does for restaurants, the guide said it intends to independently recommend hotels that "constitute true destinations" and will propose a new selection of more than "5,000 remarkable hotels in 120 countries".

Venice is one of the destinations that has been impacted by overtourism

Most travel experts recommend places to go in their annual reports, but Fodor's has a "No List" of nine regions to "reconsider" in 2024. The travel guide company said it's not a "round-up of spots we revile", it's a "declaration of places we revere". However, the "frenzied admiration", and "incessant need to experience them", are "not sustainable". 

The 2024 No List focuses on three main areas of tourist impact: overtourism, rubbish production, and water quality and sufficiency. For overtourism, Venice in Italy, Athens in Greece, and Mount Fuji in Japan are highlighted. Rubbish production no-gos include San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in California, Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, and the Atacama Desert in Chile. While water quality and sufficiency has impacted Lake Superior in North America, the Ganges River in India, and Koh Samui in Thailand.

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox

A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com

The Week Recommends Where to drink now in Phoenix, New York City and many a point in between

By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published 25 September 24

In the Spotlight Farage says party should take learnings from the Lib Dems in drumming up local support

By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published 25 September 24

Talking Points They've been the 'backbone' of their congregations. What changed?

By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published 25 September 24

Talking Point Are they a measure of sensitivity or just unnecessary posturing?

By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published 17 September 24

The Week Recommends As summer turns to fall, check out these new albums from Fleetwood Mac, Katy Perry, Kim Deal and more

By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published 17 September 24

The Week Recommends Elizabeth Catlett, Tamara de Lempicka and Marina Abramovic are in the spotlight

By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published 13 September 24

The Explainer Balancing your identity and respectability politics sometimes means taking on a different tone or behavior to fit in

By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published 11 September 24

In the Spotlight Loss of nearly a third of cast and crew on Channel 4 show shows how beleaguered TV industry needs to 'reinvent' itself

By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published 10 September 24

The Week Recommends Traveling in September means more room to explore

By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published 4 September 24

The Week Recommends This onetime imperial city is a cultural and spiritual center

By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published 27 August 24

In the Spotlight Both the works and rampant popularity of the 'It Ends With Us' author are regularly questioned

By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published 26 August 24

• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Advertise With Us

The Week is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Latest News

Alain St.Ange to deliver an address at University of Oxford Meeting on 2nd October 2024

Coury Hospitality takes over management of award-winning HALL Arts Hotel

ACI World and the world’s busiest airport unite to elevate customer and employee experience in aviation

Review of the game “Aztec Legend” at Playfina Casino

Oceania Cruises unveils 2025 Specialty Cruises featuring exclusive hosted voyages

HSMAI Century Campaign update: One year into building a bridge to a brighter future

Recently reopened Nittany Lion Inn appoints new Executive Chef

destinations UNLIMITED: New DMC partnership with Connect DMC Mexico

Living Hotels invests in digitalisation to improve guest satisfaction

eviivo launches advanced Custom Report Writer for property managers

New report from Lemongrass reveals the top trends in global travel for 2025

Global Travel Trends For 2025: A Year of transformation and sustainability in tourism, according to Lemongrass.

As we look ahead to 2025, the global travel and tourism industry is witnessing significant shifts in traveller behaviour and industry practices. The newly released  Annual Travel Trend Report 2025  from Lemongrass , a B Corp-certified PR and content agency for travel brands reveals a profound evolution in how people are exploring the world. The report features commentary from a host of travel media experts and insight from leading industry changemakers.

From the backlash against over-tourism, to the rise of Frontier Travel and the ‘Tofu Tourism’ movement, the travel trends identified by Lemongrass not only reflect current societal shifts but also a glimpse into the future of travel.

The report concludes with certainty that travel is always changing, and it is inherently intertwined in societal-level issues and movements.

Tara Schwenk, Head of Content Marketing and Search at Lemongrass said: “ Our 2025 Travel Trends report paints a picture of an industry in transition, where sustainability, ethical considerations, and a desire for authentic experiences are at the forefront of traveller’s minds. 

As the global tourism landscape continues to evolve, it’s clear that these trends are not just fleeting fads but indicative of a broader shift towards more responsible and intentional travel.

Positively, the travel industry is increasingly responding with action, which is crucial in shaping the future of global tourism, ensuring that it remains a force for good in the years to come.”

Here are the travel trends that will shape 2025…

• Go Home, Tourists! Destinations Respond to the Fallout of Poorly Planned Tourism
• Going Where No One Has Gone Before
• Epic Overland Train Expeditions
• Transformational Holidays, But Make Them Ethical
• The Ongoing Luxury + Sustainability Struggle
• Cool-Cationing’s Ripple Effects Redefine Seasonality
• Fan Fares Ignite Event Tourism
• Grounding Getaways: The Movement That Earths People
• Sustainability: The Ultimate Risk Manager
• Data and Divination: Bridging Tech Medicine and Traditional Healing
• Agritourism Grows Up as Travellers Go Back – and Give Back – To the Land
• Travel Choices Reflect Lifestyle Realities – Micro and Macro Travel
• Destination Dupes
• Tofu Tourism
• Repurposing City Design
• Neurodiverse Travel

Theodore Koumelis

Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.

Related posts

Lemongrass welcomes seven travel clients to its portfolio 

Abi Best is new Managing Director at Lemongrass

Lemongrass appointed by Egnazia Ospitalità Italiana to handle PR and Communications

Lemongrass launches Springboard

Previous post, tourism awareness week 2024 to focus on tourism and peace: out of many, one love, africa tourism leadership forum & awards concludes the three year tenure in botswana.

Ajman Tourism Development Department signs sponsorship agreement with Etihad Water and Electricity

Moxy Hotels marks a decade of hospitality, reaching 100 hotels in Europe by the end of 2025

Over 200 hoteliers to lobby Congress for hotel and consumer friendly policies

Carnival Cruise Line reveals extensive dining and beverage offerings at Celebration Key

Terranea Resort appoints Vice President of Finance

YOTEL to open new hotel in Belfast city center

Spotlight falls on Belize ahead of inaugural World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards

National Geographic Family Journeys launch in Ecuador, Mexico and Spain 

Oman Government partners with Sabre for groundbreaking training to drive digital transformation in the travel sector

NTA tour operators say business is up despite challenges

ACI World launches expanded guidance to enhance accessible travel

Travelport’s renewed distribution agreement with Delta Air Lines confirms NDC integration

World Committee on Tourism Ethics statement on World Tourism Day 2024

Aviation-Event visits Perpignan: Celebrating the fusion of aviation, culture, heritage and tourism

Influence of crypto ATMs on backpacker and budget travel communities

Carmen Rapucci joins Pleasant Holidays and Journese National Sales team

Jamaica earns US$3 billion from tourism since January 2024  

Captiva Island’s South Seas welcomes Wendy Nicodemus as Director of Commercial Strategy

American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association partners with NTA to amplify indigenous destinations in the U.S.

The top casino destinations around the world

Trailborn unveils next hotel opening near Grand Canyon in Fall 2024

BirchStreet Systems selected as Exclusive Procure-to-Pay Partner for Red Sea Global in Saudi Arabia

Nassau & Paradise Island Promotion Board launches new brand campaign

Enchanted Sicily: A trip through millennia-old customs and dreamy beaches

Embraer to invest in new MRO facilities for commercial jets in Texas

Radisson Salt Lake City Downtown leverages GuestCast streaming solution by Hotel Internet Services

Azamara Cruises hosted agents onboard during CLIA Destination Showcase 2024 in Gibraltar

G20 tourism ministers’ meeting: UAE reinforces commitment to supporting global efforts to ensure the sector’s sustainable development

oneworld names new VP of Membership and streamlines leadership structure

SilverDoor corporate clients say collaboration across sustainability reporting, data and technology adoption is key

CCRA launches TRUE Advantage Mentorship Program and strategic partnership with The Travel Institute

Kuwait’s summer travel spending revealed by Wego

Low-Cost carriers reach ancillary revenue records while traditional airlines stumble

August 2024 Hawai’i Hotel Performance Report: Hotel room revenues totaled $461.0m.

Al Habtoor Palace joins Preferred Hotels & Resorts Legend Collection

Robinson and TUI Magic Life develop pioneering project for resource savings with digital opt-out service

Falic Group accelerates global expansion

HBX Group announces the launch of Marketing Suite

California Lodging Investment Conference [CLIC] announces 8th Annual Gathering

Emirates deepens presence in South Africa and adds fourth daily flight to Johannesburg

IATA releases enhanced Policy and Finance Net Zero Roadmaps

Airlines baggage fees: Overreliance could be a risk but experts suggest ways to diversify

TUI Group expects profit surge amid strong bookings for 2024

Sanovnik Destang elected new President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA)

CitizenPlane launches new operating system to shape the future of airline growth

Hotel Ambassador, Split, appoints Storrington Collective to handle its UK PR

Sabre and Google team up for pilot program with goal of reducing environmental impact of business travel

The best iPad cases for travelers: Keeping your device safe on the go

The role of an asbestos exposure lawyer in navigating worker’s compensation claims

Las Vegas: The ultimate getaway for friends looking for fun in 2024

Understanding immigration consultants: Your guide to a smoother immigration journey

Where to visit in Vietnam for the first time?

ELLE Residences Miami celebrates grand launch with stylish soiree

Landmark ICAO Symposium highlights the importance of enhanced cooperation on aviation non-CO₂ emissions

The Hospitality Show wins Trade Show Executive Gold 100 Grand Award for best new launch

Rental Escapes enhances portfolio with addition of new luxury villa rentals

KM Malta Airlines implements CellPoint Digital’s Payment Orchestration solution

Hill Robinson opens new office in Antibes dedicated to Crew Services

The Walter E. Washington Convention Center awarded prestigious LEED Platinum Green Building Certification

m1nd-set: Galvanizing gift shopping in global travel retail after post-pandemic decline

Hilton invites guests to stay like Paris Hilton with debut of “Stay Like an Infinite Icon” themed suites

InterContinental Dubai Festival City debuts newly enhanced “The Event Centre”

TravelPerk and SilverRail partner to enable Amtrak rail in the US

SAS has signed a codeshare agreement with Delta

Peachtree Group launches fifth Delaware Statutory Trust

Airbus reports share buyback transactions 16-20 September 2024

Africa’s tourism finest to be recognised at Diamonds Leisure Beach & Golf Resort VIP reception

Colin Francis CBE appointed CEO of The Victory Services Club

H&H Development expands ‘Eden House’ brand with its first residential community launch in Dubai Hills

Hyatt grows luxury and lifestyle brand footprint across the Americas region

UN Tourism calls on G20 to lead the transformation of the sector

Wego enhances travel options through new partnership with Malaysia Airlines

PriceTravel Holding announces 50% passengers growth in the Brazilian market at the ABAV Tourism Tradeshow

Hilton expands UAE portfolio with Embassy Suites by Hilton brand debut and Hilton Garden Inn opening in Dubai

The travel wealth gap widens, Arival research reveals

Air France and Madagascar Airlines sign a commercial cooperation agreement

Greek National Tourism Organisation takes centre stage at WTM London 2024

Jet2.com achieves international certification for environmental management

Embraer regains investment grade status from Fitch

Four benefits of using a VPN while traveling

Why visit Ecuador? A guide to must-see destinations

How to start managing a holiday rental apartment

Home2 Suites by Hilton celebrates its 700th hotel

Israel Canada Hotels acquires Brown Hotels Collection

Radisson RED debuts in Germany with its opening in Berlin

Emirates unveils its new lounge in London Stansted Airport

Cepsa, Iberia, Iberia Express, Vueling, and BIOCIRC promote SAF as a national project to lead sustainable air transport

WTTC reveals pandemic’s heavy toll on woman and youth in Travel & Tourism jobs

voco hotels debuts in Tucson, Arizona, with the opening of voco The Tuxon

Alaska Airlines completes acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines

IHG Hotels & Resorts lands quadruple Spanish signing

Sofitel announces expansion into Africa with new luxury flagship in Benin

Delta’s record 2025 trans-Atlantic expansion in Italy and beyond

Wego unveils top destinations and trends for Saudi National Day Holiday

Abu Dhabi Airports and Etihad Airways join the global network of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower

Aviation-Event showcases at IFTM in Paris, connecting with industry leaders

Emirates’ retrofitted Boeing 777s with Premium Economy rolling out to six US cities

Ethiopian celebrates six decades of uninterrupted services to Rome

ibis launches new global brand campaign, “go get it”

Winter 2024-2025: Air France to serve nearly 170 destinations in 73 countries

ITA Airways meets its Travel Partners in Athens

Sabre Hospitality partners with Sensible Weather to offer weather guarantees for hotel guests

BWH Hotels partners with Mercury Financial to launch co-branded Visa signature credit cards

Ecuador President appoints Mateo Julián Estrella Durán as new Minister of Tourism 

airBaltic extends codeshare partnership with British Airways

Turkish Airlines takes off to Santiago, Chile, its 26th destination in the Americas

UN Tourism joins G20 Presidency to discuss the future of tourism policies and governance

LionGrove appoints new Vice Presidents of Marketing and Talent & Culture

ASL Aviation Holdings DAC to join Fokker Next Gen’s Airline Advisory Group

Corinthia London to unveil Francesco Mazzei Italian dining concept in 2025

Embraer receives award from International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences

TripAdmit raises 1m. euros to advance digital tipping solution for global tour guides

The Ritz-Carlton, Portland awarded prestigious Michelin key

HSMAI announces the passing of President and CEO Bob Gilbert

Aethos Hotels appoints Christophe Thomas as Chief Operating Officer

Illinois Office of Tourism releases Annual Fall Colors Trip Planner and Fall Color Reports

Philip Pavel appointed as Managing Director at The Georgian, Santa Monica

Crescent Hotels & Resorts welcomes Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn Express in Austin, Texas

Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) appoints Aliyyah Shakeer as Director of Research

Manhattan’s iconic The St. Regis New York celebrates 120th year milestone with renovation

Aer Lingus and Datalex welcome enhanced NDC connection

Travelsphere and Just You launch agent-led Expert Team to help shape future tours

Canada hotels record highest occupancy since 2018

Phocuswright: Growth in top travel markets expected to grow 6-10% per year through 2026

Long-haul trips boost German travel plans for Autumn 2024

AHLA supports the introduction the HOTEL Act

The role of probiotics in digestive health

Journey Mentor signs five-year technology contract with Orthodoxou Travel

Why investing in a car is a smart financial and practical decision

Austin’s Heywood Hotel earns one Michelin Key in inaugural award class

Mike Goulian becomes official Integral R brand ambassador in the US

Peachtree Group acquires AC Hotel by Marriott in Utah

VisitScotland appoints Director of Strategy and Competitive Intelligence

Global travel and tourism sector deal activity fell by 12.6% YoY during January-August 2024, finds GlobalData

ACI World projects 10% growth for passenger traffic in 2024 to reach 9.5 billion

Eastside Rooms celebrates 37.5% growth and major wins in association sector

JetBlue plans to introduce airport lounges

Lighthouse launches Smart Compset, enhancing competitive intelligence for hoteliers

Global business travel and events costs moderating in 2024, with continued modest increases in 2025

Air Serbia to fly to Nice twice a week as of today 

Mira Coral Bay in Ras AI Khaimah reimagined by Mira Developments and Marjan

easyJet continues its transition to electric maintenance vehicles across key UK and European bases

International tourist arrivals hit 96% of pre-pandemic levels through July 2024

Casona Roma Norte, Boutique Hotel and Cultural Oasis, opens in Mexico City

Qatar Airways becomes the Official Airline Partner of the UEFA Champions League

Jannah Hotels & Resorts set to launch Jannah Executive Hotel Apartments in Abu Dhabi by Q4 2024

PLAY Airlines expands global reach with new Sabre distribution agreement

Blue Diamond Resorts joins Interval exchange network with six world-class all-inclusive properties

Four Seasons Resort Cabo San Lucas at Cabo Del Sol debuts Tierra Mar Spa

How to plan the perfect romantic escapade in Ras Al Khaimah

Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs appoints Louis Martin as Director of Food & Beverage

Seven tips on how to settle into a new country successfully

Africa Tourism Leadership Forum & Awards concludes the three year tenure in Botswana

FEDHASA welcomes South Africa Home Affairs Minister’s plans for tourism and economic growth

easyJet announces brand new route to Georgia with direct flights to Tbilisi

Dubai Economy and Tourism and Emaar Hospitality Group sign MoU to further elevate tourism experience in Dubai

Oceania Cruises names first two members to its Culinary Advisory Board

FLYR unveils Offer & Order Management System to revolutionize airline retailing

North American Airports are overcrowded and overpriced, yet enjoyable J.D. Power study finds

Understanding Indiana’s personal injury laws: A guide for injured parties

PriceTravel Holding leads Latin American expansion with double-digit growth driven by international travelers

Haute retreats highlights top Caribbean villa rentals for the holidays

Westminster Venue Collection welcomes event professionals to RSA House for annual showcase 

Zimbabwe unveils its untamed beauty to Indian travel agents

Adele’s residency drove substantial gains in Munich hotel performance

Europalco powers the first 100% AI-dedicated conference in Lisbon: AIVØLUT1ØN event

Airlink chooses Accelya’s FLX Select for Modern Retailing Transformation

Mondee finalizes long-term extensions of term loan and preferred equity

Emerging Travel Group strengthens corporate travel with key appointment

SITA 2024 Passenger IT Insights: Technology is the key to unlocking the passenger experience of the future

SAS is building a global hub in Scandinavia

Marston’s chooses Mews to manage their portfolio of 90+ hotels and inns 

SiteMinder partners with IDeaS to make dynamic revenue management accessible to all hotels

Hyatt expands portfolio in the Golden State and into a new market with Hyatt Centric Delfina Santa Monica

The Barnett and Maison Métier hire three new employees

Lodgify recaps Summer 2024 for short-term rentals in America

WTTC announces final line-ip for its 24th Global Summit in Perth, Western Australia

Los Angeles World Airports celebrate local, minority-owned business participation milestone at LAX Terminal 3 

• Where to Travel Next

Travel Trends

Top stories.

More from Travel Trends

Shoppers will spend a record $241 billion online this holiday season

More than half of online sales will be driven by electronics, apparel, furniture and home goods, according to Adobe Analytics

Consumers plan to open their wallets this holiday season, snapping up discounts on electronics, apparel and sporting goods, breaking online sales records in the process.

Americans are projected to spend $240.8 billion online from Nov. 1 through the end of the year, 8.4 percent over last year, according to a report released Wednesday by Adobe Analytics. And more than half will do their shopping on their phones.

The record-breaking figures signal consumers will power through the most significant shopping season of the year. Savvy spending, along with wage growth and a still-strong job market are giving shoppers the “confidence and ability to increase their spending,” said John Mercer, head of global research at Coresight Research.

Both Coresight and Moody’s project total retail sales, in person and online, will grow around 3 percent during the last three months of the year, roughly on par with last year.

The projections come as consumers continue to be choosy about how they spend in discretionary categories. Retail sales have remained fairly steady, with August numbers increasing by 0.1 percent from July and by 2 percent over last year, while dipping for electronics and appliances, as well as furniture and apparel.

Many of those categories should see some uptick during the holidays, according to Adobe, which sees more than half of online sales driven by electronics, apparel, furniture and home goods. And while the past four years have seen consumers trading down in some of these categories, steep discounts this year will persuade value-focused shoppers to flip the switch and trade up, said Taylor Schreiner, a senior director at Adobe Digital Insights.

The share of the most expensive purchases, which include electronics, appliances and sporting goods, will be up by 19 percent compared to preseason trends, according to Adobe, with sporting goods alone possibly seeing a 76 percent surge.

“You’ll get a big shift of people looking for higher-end TVs, higher-end appliances, moisturizers, makeup — they’re looking for the better items, but … on discount,” he said. “This increased responsiveness from consumers to discounts is about $2 [billion] or $3 billion of the growth that we’re seeing in online shopping this year.”

It’s consistent with a trend analysts have been tracking outside the holiday season: Consumers are postponing big purchases until they can score a deal or have saved up enough to afford it, said Mickey Chadha, a retail analyst and vice president at Moody’s. Retailers are preparing their response, deciding what kind of discount they’ll offer to entice consumers.

Adobe’s projections reflect that calculation, with “huge discounts on par with last year,” Schreiner said, adding there could be record markdowns on sporting goods and TVs. And while holiday sales will once again emerge early this year — kicking off in earnest with Amazon Prime Day in October — the best deals will still be the week of Thanksgiving, with discounts averaging 30 percent off, according to Adobe. Sales will still stretch through the end of the year. (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.)

Still, not all consumers will have the flexibility to spend this holiday season, said Chedly Louis, a retail analyst and vice president at Moody’s, calling it “a mixed picture” amid still-high food and housing prices.

Meanwhile, credit card delinquency rates and household debt continue to tick up. Adobe projects more consumers will rely on Buy Now, Pay Later services to finance their spending, Schreiner said, with the layaway service accounting for $18.4 billion in spending this year, up 11.4 percent from last year.

For consumers who are unable to pay back their credit card debt, Buy Now, Pay Later gives them a new avenue to finance their holiday shopping, Louis said: “It’s really a reflection of the consumer being stretched.”

• English (US)
• Español (AR)
• Português do Brasil

Tren industri hospitalitas AS 2024 versi Statista membawa berita gembira bagi properti

Penulis Click. Magazine

Barometer Akomodasi AS adalah rangkaian survei dan laporan yang dilakukan oleh Statista bekerja sama dengan Booking.com. Laporan ini dirancang untuk mengumpulkan pendapat dan perasaan pemilik bisnis akomodasi AS tentang berbagai topik, termasuk perkembangan ekonomi bisnis mereka, serta peluang dan tantangan utama yang dihadapi industri secara keseluruhan.

Hasil barometer perdana ini sudah tersedia, dan tren industri hospitalitas AS 2024 ini menawarkan insight berharga bagi penyedia akomodasi.

Temukan dampak dari membuat listing di platform digital dan strategi yang dapat membantu Anda mendapatkan hasil maksimal dari kemitraan dengan agen perjalanan online (OTA) seperti Booking.com.

Manfaatkan keyakinan yang kuat dalam industri perjalanan AS

Pengeluaran pariwisata global tumbuh tujuh kali lebih cepat daripada pertumbuhan PDB pada tahun 2023. Hal ini belum pernah terjadi sebelumnya dan tidak mengejutkan, mengingat betapa besarnya upaya industri perjalanan untuk pulih akibat pandemi COVID-19. Saat pemulihan hampir berakhir, industri perjalanan kini mengalami pertumbuhan yang terus melampaui ekonomi yang lebih luas.

Dua pertiga (66%) bisnis yang disurvei melaporkan perkembangan yang baik atau sangat baik selama enam bulan terakhir. Terdapat pula pertumbuhan yang solid dalam okupansi dan harga kamar. Tiga dari lima responden melaporkan bahwa harga harian rata-rata (ADR) dan okupansinya meningkat. Prospek masa depan khususnya menggembirakan, dengan rasio optimisme dan pesimisme yang luar biasa sebesar 20:1. 

Data ini menunjukkan bahwa mungkin ada baiknya Anda menjajaki peluang untuk berinvestasi pada properti Anda, meningkatkan upaya pemasaran, atau merencanakan strategi jangka panjang, selama Anda memiliki sarana untuk melakukannya.

Chain memainkan peran yang makin meningkat di AS dan menunjukkan lebih banyak optimisme di beberapa area yang diukur oleh barometer ini. Namun, perlu dicatat bahwa hotel independen dan bisnis akomodasi yang lebih kecil terus bersaing, terutama dengan menggunakan platform digital.

Tingkatkan pemesanan Anda dengan membuat listing di OTA 

Bisnis akomodasi AS dari semua ukuran mendapat keuntungan dari kemitraan dengan agen perjalanan online (OTA). 77% properti yang disurvei setuju bahwa membuat listing di OTA membantu meningkatkan pemesanan mereka. Platform ini membantu properti meningkatkan okupansinya dengan mencocokkan penyedia layanan dengan tamu secara lebih baik. 

Platform perjalanan online dipandang sebagai salah satu channel pemasaran utama, di samping situs web akomodasi (72%), alat pemasaran terkait pencarian (62%) dan optimasi mesin pencari (SEO) (58%). 

Menurut tren industri hospitalitas AS 2024, alasan utama bermitra dengan OTA adalah untuk mendapatkan lebih banyak pemesanan (76%). Selain itu, mereka ingin mempermudah proses pemesanan (74%) dan menawarkan customer service dalam berbagai bahasa (69%). 

Tips terbaik:  Tampil menonjol dan optimalkan listing dengan mengelola konten akomodasi Anda menggunakan gambar berkualitas tinggi dan informasi yang lengkap dan akurat. Belum menjadi tuan rumah di Booking.com?  Daftarkan properti Anda hanya dalam beberapa langkah mudah.

Optimalkan kemitraan Anda bersama kami

Meskipun membuat listing bersama kami memberi Anda akses ke audiens yang lebih luas, ada sejumlah solusi lain yang juga dapat Anda gunakan untuk membantu menyederhanakan proses dan menghemat waktu. 

62% responden survei menggunakan OTA untuk menarik pengunjung luar negara bagian, dan 61% untuk menarik pengunjung dalam negara bagian. Harga Negara Bagian AS kami membantu Anda menargetkan demand domestik di salah satu dari 50 negara bagian. Dan jika Anda ingin meningkatkan pemesanan dari audiens global lebih banyak (seperti 57% dari mereka yang disurvei), Anda dapat menggunakan Harga per Negara kami untuk menarik traveler dari negara dan kawasan tertentu.

Untuk mengamankan lebih banyak pemesanan ke akomodasi Anda di awal, atau mengisi inventaris pada menit terakhir untuk mengurangi kamar yang tidak terjual, Anda dapat memanfaatkan Promo Early Booker dan Last Minute kami. Keduanya adalah penawaran fleksibel yang memberi Anda opsi untuk menetapkan diskon, tanggal menginap tamu, dan periode pemesanan berdasarkan kebutuhan khusus Anda.

Jika, seperti 52% bisnis akomodasi yang disurvei, Anda ingin mengikuti tren peningkatan masa inap lebih lama, Anda dapat memanfaatkan skema harga long stay kami. Dengan ini Anda dapat menetapkan harga mingguan dan bulanan untuk menarik minat makin banyak traveler yang rutin mencari akomodasi lebih dari 7 hari.

Ambil langkah menuju pendekatan perjalanan yang lebih berkelanjutan dengan pelatihan online gratis

Meskipun terdapat perbedaan pendapat mengenai dampak kebijakan, bisnis akomodasi AS memiliki harapan tinggi terhadap tindakan pemerintah yang tepat sasaran untuk meningkatkan lingkungan operasional mereka. Dari berbagai isu yang ingin mereka prioritaskan, peningkatan akses terhadap modal menempati peringkat tertinggi, dengan 3 dari 4 responden menginginkan pemerintah berbuat lebih banyak.

Isu-isu mendesak lainnya mencakup perbaikan transportasi umum, akses yang lebih mudah ke pasar tenaga kerja bagi karyawan terampil asing, dan program dukungan investasi untuk menerapkan praktik berkelanjutan. Masalah ini merupakan yang paling penting bagi bisnis akomodasi di New York.

Tips terbaik: Untuk penyedia akomodasi yang ingin mengambil langkah menuju pendekatan perjalanan yang lebih berkelanjutan, kami telah bermitra dengan Organisasi Pariwisata Dunia untuk membuat pelatihan online gratis .

Lihat masa depan dengan penuh keyakinan 

Sebagian besar indikator dari tren industri hospitalitas AS 2024 ini menunjukkan adanya keyakinan yang tinggi, pertumbuhan yang kuat, dan kinerja yang kokoh. Minat untuk bepergian tetap tinggi, dan ada banyak peluang bagi Anda untuk meningkatkan pemesanan dan mendongkrak kinerja bisnis Anda, khususnya dengan memanfaatkan kemitraan Anda dengan OTA seperti kami dan menggunakan alat online kami.

* Survei Barometer Akomodasi AS dilakukan oleh Statista dan berlangsung dari 11 Maret hingga 26 April 2024 melalui wawancara telepon. 800 eksekutif dan manajer dari sektor perhotelan AS berpartisipasi dalam survei tersebut. 100 responden diwawancarai dari setiap enam negara bagian yang dipilih: California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New York, dan Texas. Wilayah AS lainnya diwakili oleh 200 responden tambahan.

Dapatkan kiat tentang cara membuat akomodasi Anda lebih menarik bagi tamu dan meningkatkan pemesanan Anda.

Bagaimana pendapat Anda tentang halaman ini?

Gareth Cook

• 66% bisnis akomodasi di AS melaporkan perkembangan positif selama 6 bulan terakhir dan rasio optimisme 20:1 di masa mendatang, menunjukkan bahwa mungkin ada baiknya untuk mengeksplorasi peluang untuk berinvestasi di properti Anda
• 77% setuju bahwa bermitra dengan OTA membantu meningkatkan jumlah total pemesanan. Pastikan Anda mengoptimalkan listing agar tampil menonjol
• 62% menggunakan OTA untuk menarik pengunjung dari luar negara bagian dan 61% untuk menarik pengunjung dari dalam negara bagian. Harga Negara Bagian AS kami membantu Anda menargetkan demand domestik di salah satu dari 50 negara bagian
• Anda dapat memanfaatkan lebih banyak tren industri hospitalitas AS tahun 2024 dengan menyiapkan Promo Early Booker dan Last Minute , Harga per Negara , dan skema harga long stay
• Ambil langkah menuju pendekatan perjalanan yang lebih berkelanjutan dengan mengikuti pelatihan online gratis Booking.com, yang dikembangkan bersama Organisasi Pariwisata Dunia

Konten terkait

Tingkatkan bisnis Anda dengan insight dari tren industri hospitalitas Eropa 2024 dari Statista

Pasar Amerika Serikat pada 2023 – tren industri dan traveler

Tren pasar: AS kembali menyambut traveler internasional

The Biggest Travel Trends to Expect in 2024

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

If 2022 travel trends were all about a return to travel, then 2023 was the year we went further than ever before . Travelers took to the skies, rails, roads, and seas to cross off goals on their bucket lists with Arctic adventures, luxury yacht cruises , and even the first tourist trip into space.

In 2024, travelers will be putting what’s important to them front and center of their plans, valuing deeper experiences that leave a positive impact, time spent with loved ones, and wellness moments that last well after checkout. We’ll be choosing destinations carefully, slowing it down to enjoy the silence and the stars, indulging in our love of food in new and interesting places, and immersing ourselves in wellness practices that help us live longer.

These are the 20 travel trends likely to guide how we see the world in 2024.

A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller UK .

1. Astro tourism

What’s the trend? Astronomy, of course, is a field of study that has been around since the dawn of civilization, and the act of gazing up at the stars has long been a source of soul-soothing wonder. Today, the more society falls deeper into an ever-expanding virtual world, the more we feel a need to broaden our horizons in the real universe. Astro tourism is the act of traveling with the aim of catching sight of astronomical phenomena—disappearing to lands devoid of any pollution, crowds, and traffic, where we can focus solely on the skies above and while away hours gazing at the stars, planets, and constellations overhead.

Why will it matter in 2024? Increasingly, wellness-centric hotels and spas are creating the space for guests to gaze upwards, watching for comets, spying constellations, and identifying patterns in the glittering expanse. In the UK, Port Lympne has opened the Lookout Bubble, a glass dome allowing guests to sprawl out on king-sized beds and study the stars. Further east on the Arabian Gulf, Zulal Wellness Resort is surrounded by the expanse of the Qatari desert—the ultimate destination for pollution-free astromancy, with dedicated workshops and stargazing sessions for families and children looking to learn more about the cosmos.

Safari company Desert & Delta organizes trips for travelers looking to soak up the stars across Botswana and Namibia, where guests can sleep in tents at remote locations such as the Makgadikgadi Pans, one of the world’s largest salt flats, and spend nights with uninterrupted star vistas. Similarly, Tswalu is a South African safari camp with star beds set on a sleep-out deck in the Korannaberg mountains. And 2024 happens to be a big year for the skies, from mind-boggling eclipses to spectacular meteor showers.

Plus, scientists are predicting the best displays of the Northern Lights in 20 years, according to the Guardian , as we approach the next solar maximum (the sun’s peak of its 11-year activity cycle). — Olivia Morelli

2. Eco diving

What’s the trend? A rise in divers choosing their travel destinations based on the sustainability of the scuba centers , and having a more positive and regenerative impact on the ocean once there.

Why will it matter in 2024? In 2022, UK marine ecology charity The Reef-World Foundation found that 95% of divers wanted to book with sustainable operators, but struggled to do so. In response to this, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (a.k.a. Padi) launched its Eco Center accreditation on World Earth Day in 2023, with the United Nations Environment Program and Reef-World itself. The steps required to earn this green status are so rigorous, including sharing evidence of conservation activities and a real reduction in environmental footprint, that Padi advised operators to allow at least 12 months to hit the criteria—taking us to Earth Day 2024.

After an initial figure of just 11 worldwide, there are now 100 accredited operators, and Padi has set a goal to reach 660 by 2030—a tenth of its membership. “South East Asia currently has the highest density (more than 20), along with the Caribbean ,” says Julie Andersen of Padi. So what does this mean for divers and their trips? “The type of conservation work done and reported on depends on the Eco Center,” Andersen explains. “Those in the Caribbean offer coral replanting programs, key for regenerating coastlines. In Baja, Mexico , they’ve developed citizen science courses, collecting data for whale conservation.”

There are also a number of new Padi courses being launched for any diver to take anywhere, including the Global Shark and Ray Census in August 2024, as well as the relaunch of the Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course before December. — Becky Lucas

3. Home swapping

What’s the trend? Increasingly, discerning travelers are looking to stay away for longer stretches, while the rise of remote jobs means that working and living abroad has never been more appealing. The catch? Forking out on hefty accommodation fees while you’re at it. Enter home swapping: the perfect solution to guarantee yourself a (free) home abroad while you offer up your own in exchange for weeks or even months at a time.

Why will it matter in 2024? As the cost of traveling continues to climb, home swapping is an affordable alternative to splashing out on expensive hotels or Airbnbs. And while the concepts of couch surfing and house exchanges have existed for decades, several slick new platforms are redefining what home swapping looks like today.

Twin City , which operates in cities like as Lisbon and Los Angeles , has curated a community of over 1,100 carefully vetted users in just eight months. For an annual subscription fee of about $189, members can find Twins to connect with through the platform, and are encouraged to exchange local recommendations for their city as well as their homes, enabling members to feel as if they’re swapping with a trusted friend rather than a stranger.

Meanwhile, Kindred , a home-swapping platform where members rack ​​up credits for each night that they exchange homes, raised $15 million in funding this year to expand operations across the US and Europe, and currently has more then 10,000 homes in over 50 cities. Members simply pay a cleaning and service fee for each stay, while the cost of the stay itself is free.

Travelers can skip out on membership fees entirely and head straight to TikTok, where Gen Z appears to be spearheading the home-swapping movement on social media. Inspired by the film The Holiday , trending tags #houseswap and #homeswap have garnered more than 23 and 20 million views respectively, with users utilizing the platform as a means to advertise their homes, discover like-minded peers to swap with, and document their adventures along the way. — Gina Jackson

4. Train stations are the new food destinations

What’s the trend? Train stations around the world are usually passed through as quickly as possible, having not been designed for commuters to stay and hang out. Nowadays, as travel delays increase and visitors want more local experiences, it pays for train stations to welcome travelers with shops, restaurants, and bars for them to explore. In an effort to create a more dynamic visitor experience, historic train stations are being revamped, with bespoke food and drink offerings as an integral part of the redesign.

Why will it matter in 2024? As train stations are renovated to accommodate more travelers and update old infrastructure, local restaurants and bars are being added to attract more customers. In 2023, the new Moynihan Train Hall in New York City became home to The Irish Exit, a bar from the team behind the acclaimed Dead Rabbit, and Yono Sushi by trendy BondST, plus outposts of beloved NYC restaurants Pastrami Queen and Jacob’s Pickles, with Mexican hotspot La Esquina coming soon. As part of its renovation, Toronto’s Union Station launched Union Market in May 2023 with favorite local food retailers Manotas Organics, Chocolatta Brigadeiro’s, Patties Express, and Kibo.

In the UK, Platform 1 , a new bar and restaurant, opened in November underneath Glasgow Central Station . The cave-like space, with its historic brick arches, serves street-food-style dishes and craft brews made in the on-site microbrewery, plus there’s an outdoor beer garden. Meanwhile, in Somerset, Castle Cary station is in the process of a revamp, with nearby hotel The Newt creating a creamery, cafe, and co-working space, which is set to open in 2024.

Also on tap for the next few years is the completed renovation of 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, with plans for a 20% increase in concession space that will focus on local purveyors. — Devorah Lev-Tov

5. Sports tourism

What’s the trend? Sports tourism has evolved in the past few years with a new generation of sports fan emerging, thanks to glossy TV documentaries ( Formula 1: Drive to Survive , we’re looking at you). Now, we’re taking our fandom out of the house and following a host of different sports in destinations across the world, planning trips that hinge around seeing games, races, and other activities in exotic locales, and extending trips on either side to see the sights too.

Why will it matter in 2024? A little event known as the Olympic and Paralympic Games anchors the 2024 sports calendar. It kicks off in Paris in late July and runs until early September , during which time more than a million tourists are expected to check in across the French capital. The games have inspired city-wide projects such as the €1.4-billion clean-up of the Seine, which, should all go well, will allow public swimming in the river for the first time in a century.

Elsewhere, the Tour de France starts in Italy for the first time, with competitors speeding off in Florence before heading to Rimini on the Adriatic coast and then north to the Apennines through Emilia-Romagna. New bike routes in the area have been released by tour operators such as Ride International Tours and Ride Holidays for cycling enthusiasts keen to join in the fun. — Sarah James

6. Coolcationing

What’s the trend? For the vast majority of folks, summer holidays used to be about following the sun, seeking the heat—watching the mercury climb and hitting the sands. With the intense, record-breaking temperatures of recent years, however, many are considering traveling in the opposite direction: booking "coolcations" in temperate destinations, which also benefit from being less crowded.

Why will it matter in 2024? It's official: 2023 is the hottest year on record . Little wonder that many travelers are thinking twice before booking literal hotspots like the South of France and Sicily, prone to heatwaves , in July or August. A survey for luxe travel network Virtuoso found that 82% of its clients are considering destinations with more moderate weather in 2024: destinations such as Iceland , Finland , and Scotland , according to Intrepid Travel , along with Latvia, which is surging in popularity. “We’re seeing an increase in those holidaying further north,” says Andrea Godfrey of Regent Holidays . “Scandinavia and the Baltics are both getting noticed more: They offer a more pared-back style of holiday but have some lovely beaches, forests, and lakes for both relaxation and adventure activities.”

Cooler temperatures are particularly well suited to family travel too. “We’re getting far more inquiries from families for destinations that offer summer sun, but also respite from the high temperatures being experienced in beach resorts across the Med,” says Liddy Pleasants, founder of family specialist Stubborn Mule Travel . “Kayaking in Norway, with its midnight sun, for instance, and cycling or hiking in Slovenia, which is also very good value.” — Rick Jordan

7. Gig tripping

What’s the trend? For years, athletes and wellness gurus were the big headliners at retreats. But rock stars are, well, the new rock stars of travel. Call it the Taylor Swift Effect. Destination concert business is up more than 50%, led mostly by Taylor Swift, says Janel Carnero, a travel advisor at Embark Beyond . In the US, tickets for Swift’s Eras Tour cost thousands and were still impossible to score. Music fans are realizing they can pay less and have a more memorable experience by seeing their favorite pop icons perform in say, Amsterdam or Milan . (Remember when everyone went to see Beyoncé early in Stockholm ?) Tours from performers such as Pearl Jam, U2, Doja Cat, and Madonna will anchor trip itineraries, while music festivals—Glastonbury sold out in less than an hour—will be major catalysts for travel.

Why will it matter in 2024? New music festivals, including Untold in Romania's Cluj-Napoca, are introducing travelers to less-popular destinations, says Alexandrea Padilha of Fischer Travel . And it’s no longer just about the music, says Carnero. “It’s the social aspect of sharing experiences with friends,” she adds.

Hotels and travel companies have taken note and are creating the equivalent of backstage VIP experiences for guests. Global adventure collective Eleven has recently introduced Music with Eleven. The program’s dedicated team of music-industry insiders (including Chris Funk, guitarist from the Decemberists) design custom itineraries that might include sitting in on a recording session at Flóki Studios, just outside the Arctic Circle at Deplar Farm in Iceland. And Rhythm & Sails  hosts musicians on its catamarans. The company’s music director, Anders Beck of the jam band Greensky Bluegrass, curates the line-up of artists who perform sessions onboard and in ports as you island hop around the Caribbean . — Jen Murphy

8. Resorts will help you biohack your health span

What’s the trend? Longevity is the latest wellness buzzword thanks to best-selling books such as  Outlive  and the hit Netflix documentary  Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones . Between 2021 and 2022, venture-capital investment in longevity clinics more than doubled from $27 million to $57 million globally, according to analysis from longevity research and media company Longevity.Technology. Now, the science of extending life and optimizing health has become the focus at hotels. Blue Zones retreats are the new boot camps, and even sybaritic resorts are offering the latest biohacks. Poolside vitamin IV, anyone?

Why will it matter in 2024? Since the pandemic, feeling good trumps looking good. “People have become aware of the critical importance of developing a more proactive, preventive approach to health on all levels,” says Karina Stewart, co-founder of Kamalaya , a wellness retreat in Koh Samui, Thailand . This means a new willingness to go beyond diet and exercise and embrace sci-fi-sounding bio-regenerative treatments such as ozone therapy and hyperbaric oxygen chambers, both on offer at Kamalaya's new Longevity House.

Luxury hotel brands are embracing the trend too. Six Senses Ibiza recently teamed up with biotech company RoseBar to offer guests full diagnostic testing. Maybourne Hotel Group is collaborating with wellness tech pioneer Virtusan to help guests boost performance. And Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea administers treatments such as stem cells and NAD+ (a.k.a. the fountain of youth) through its partnership with Next Health . At 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay in Kauai, guests are welcomed with a B12 shot and the resort’s new wellness-specific rooms come with recovery-boosting mod cons including infrared light mats. If the trend continues, the secret to longevity may be as easy as taking more holidays. — Jen Murphy

9. Peak season gets the cold shoulder

What's the trend? There’s been a dramatic recent increase in shoulder season travel to Europe’s most popular destinations (particularly France , Spain , the UK , and Italy ), which is set to continue in 2024. Luxury travel specialists Original Travel has launched new shoulder season itineraries to locations traditionally in demand during the summer—including the crystalline seascapes of Sardinia and Corsica—after seeing 14% more bookings for September 2023 than for August 2023. Pegi Amarteifio of Small Luxury Hotels of the World shares similar insights: “Comparing phone reservations in 2023 against 2019, we’ve seen a 33% increase for March to May and a 58% increase for September to November, a pattern reflected across our other booking channels too.”

Why will it matter in 2024? A combination of social, economic, and environmental factors is driving this trend into 2024. The cost of living crisis means a heightened focus on value. For 62% of respondents to Booking.com’s 2024 travel trends survey, this is a limiting factor for 2024 travel planning, so much so that 47% of respondents are even willing to take children out of school for cheaper off-peak travel. Shoulder season travel is also becoming more attractive due to rising temperatures, and more feasible due to flexible working. Layered on top of these practical considerations is an emotional motivation too: Travelers are craving authenticity more than ever, seeking a tranquil and local feel when abroad, rather than beaches that resemble a Where's Waldo? scene. — Toyo Odetunde

10. Private group travel

What’s the trend? The post-pandemic desire to gather friends or family and embark on a shared holiday experience shows no sign of abating. In fact, it’s on the increase in luxury travel, as people appreciate the benefits and savor the moment, from three-generation family groups to 50-something empty-nesters keen to rekindle life-long friendships. Just don’t take Succession ’s family outing to Tuscany as a role model.

Why will it matter in 2024? “While some predicted group travel would peak post-pandemic, we’ve seen it have a lasting, positive impact with private group bookings continuing to be a dominant trend,” says Tom Marchant of Black Tomato , for whom group travel now accounts for 30% of bookings. The company has just launched its See You in the Moment series to cater for the demand. It uses a mood board of over 35 experiences themed around key flash points, from The Meal (a backcountry feast served on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon , for example) to The Challenge (rafting down the Apurímac in Peru , perhaps), all designed to create lasting memories. For Scott Williams , meanwhile, multi-generational travelers are thinking big: Why take one house when you can take a whole estate, such as Meli on Paxos in the Greek Islands, which sleeps 17?

Other groups are taking to the water, with Red Savannah reporting an increase in bookings for Turkish gulets, Egyptian dahabiyas, and Indonesian phinisis. Scott Dunn have seen an increase in bookings amongst groups of friends, with 30% of respondents in a recent survey saying they were planning trips for 2024 that included ski trips to France, adventure travel in South and Central America, and beach breaks on Antigua and Barbados.

Empty-nesters are also a growing force, with groups of couples in their 50s to 70s hiring villas in the shoulder season for cultural weeks away, and all-female groups—mainly aged between 50 and 65—who are proactive in wanting to renew long-term friendships. “We had one repeat group that included several cancer survivors,” says Sarah-Leigh Shenton at Red Savannah. “A hammam afternoon in Turkey was a deeply bonding experience and they’ve since traveled to Jordan and Sicily together.” — Rick Jordan

11. AI aims to be your sidekick

What's the trend? Early last year, after OpenAI’s ChatGPT broke the record as the fastest-ever growing consumer app, travelers started playing around with AI chatbots to get inspiration on where they could go. More recently, major travel booking platforms have started to integrate AI chatbots into the booking experience. But if 2023 was the year of AI chatbots wanting to plan your trips , 2024 will be all about how AI aspires to be your travel sidekick. A wave of new AI-powered features and products aims to support travelers on the ground, all while raising concerns around the potential negative impacts as AI becomes more widely integrated with our travels.

Why will it matter in 2024? AI will start to make more real-time interventions in our travels in 2024. One practical example is live translation , which Samsung plans to launch on its 2024 Galaxy devices. Imagine calling somewhere you want to visit to get information without worrying about whether staff speak the same language as you. Another example is greater AI personalization in popular apps you already use. Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has recently touted the company's increasing use of personalized AI algorithms , which will learn about your habits and make suggestions based on what you’re doing.

For the true early adopters, real-time travel interventions could also mean ditching your screen entirely and clipping a screenless personal translator and travel assistant to your chest. This is the unusual idea behind the new talking and projecting AI Pin from Humane , a start-up backed by investors including OpenAI’s Sam Altman, that promises to function a bit like the universal translator from Star Trek . Will anyone want to actually wear the pin or will it go the way of previously hyped devices such as Google Glass? It certainly raises a host of ethical questions about privacy and data protection. Yet the more that AI products successfully help in addressing on-the-go problems, the more travelers will come to rely on them too. — JD Shadel

12. Skip-gen travel

What’s the trend? Skip-gen travel describes when grandparents holiday with grandchildren, in other words, “skipping” a generation. “In the past few months, I've had around twice as many enquiries as usual for grandchild/grandchild bookings,” says Clio Wood, founder of family retreat company &Breathe . “There’s been a rising trend of grandparents taking their grandchildren away,” agrees Ollie Summers, head of sales at luxury travel operator Scott Dunn . “Often to places that have a sentimental meaning to them.”

Why will it matter in 2024? Several travel agencies have created itineraries to cater specifically for this demand in 2024. “Skip-gen safaris are emerging as a micro-trend from the UK, reflecting a niche traveler group now well established in the US luxury market,” says Liane Goldring of Mahlatini Luxury Travel . “The grandparents are usually in their 70s and still active enough to fully embrace a fully guided safari adventure.” Original Travel, meanwhile, has relaunched its Bonding Holidays Collection , featuring trips focused on discovering something new together, such as its 14-day Family Ranching itinerary in the American West. Some of this growth can be attributed to big-ticket lockdown promises coming to fruition. Now, parents are also keen to make the most of the time and childcare support of their typically retired parents. Plus, the global ratio of living grandparents to grandchildren is higher than ever, thanks to a combined increase in life expectancy and drop in the number of children per person. We’re even said to be living in the “the age of the grandparent.” Don’t expect this trend—or your grandparents—to slow down anytime soon. — Becky Lucas

13. Train travel gets glam

What’s the trend? Rising climate consciousness has fueled a rail travel revival, and so the luxury train niche is reaching new heights of popularity, extravagance, and ambition. Travel booking platforms are reporting growing demand for luxury rail trips , where the journey is, yes, the destination. In fact, new design-forward train lines increasingly rival the finest hotels for the culinary experiences and bells and whistles on offer.

Why will it matter in 2024? A new wave of rail lines and itineraries launching in 2024 puts an emphasis on deeper immersion into the culture and landscapes of the destinations, which are more and more off the beaten track. Responding to growing demand for luxury train travel among its user base, specialist platform Railbookers plans to launch arguably the most geographically extensive and expensive luxury train itinerary around. With prices per person starting at $113,599, the 80-day Around the World by Luxury Train voyage will cross four continents and 13 countries. Beginning in August, the slow journey will string together existing luxury rail trips including Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Jasper, and India’s Maharajas Express from Delhi to Mumbai.

In Asia, the previously paused Eastern & Oriental Express is making a grand comeback starting in February, with carriages getting an upscale revamp and its legendary route being retraced through Malaysia's landscapes. Meanwhile, Japan is a hot destination for its scenic train journeys such as the exclusive Train Suite Shiki-shima, which quickly closed applications for its 2024 trips due to demand.

And in Europe, six new train lines will commence or terminate in Rome under Accor's La Dolce Vita umbrella, with suites designed by starchitects Dimorestudio, building on the cultural legacy of the famous Orient Express . — JD Shadel

14. Restaurateur-owned hotels

What’s the trend? Restaurants and hotels are the two keystones of the hospitality industry. And naturally, the two are often intertwined on one premises. Until recently, though, most hotels weren’t started or owned by restaurateurs. Yet as food-focused travel keeps increasing, with people hankering for the next hot reservation and planning entire trips around engaging with a culture through its food, it makes sense that restaurateurs are adding hotelier to their personal bios—and ensuring their new properties have impressive food offerings. We’d be remiss not to mention Nobu, which began as a restaurant in 1994 and in 2013 launched its global hotel brand , as a harbinger of the trend.

Why will it matter in 2024? Just as design brands (RH, West Elm) have opened hotels in recent years, now restaurateurs are getting in on the action. In the US, restaurateur and 12-time James Beard award nominee Sam Fox has just launched the Global Ambassador in Phoenix, Arizona, with five restaurants. Santa Barbara’s Good Lion Hospitality is relaunching Petit Soleil , a Californian wine country boutique hotel, with a new bar and restaurant slated for next spring. The Lafayette Hotel & Club was debuted last summer in San Diego by Arsalun Tafazoli, founder of a local hospitality group that operates 16 bars and restaurants. The hotel has five restaurants and bars, with two more opening by the end of the year. In Dallas, Harwood International, which owns a dozen or so restaurants in the area, opened Hôtel Swexan in June.

In the St. Gallen region of Switzerland, two hotels were recently added to beloved restaurants: the revamped Mammertsberg  and  Gasthaus Traube . In Slovenia, AS Hotel is a new place to stay launched by Sebastijan Raspopović, son of chef Svetozar Raspopović-Pope of renowned restaurant Gostilna AS in Lublijana. Aside from a restaurant by Raspopović-Pope, the hotel also has an eatery by Michelin-lauded chef Ana Roš. Finally,  R48 , and its lauded Chef’s Table, was opened in Tel Aviv last spring by R2M Hospitality Group, which also runs restaurants CoffeeBar and Herzl 16. — Devorah Lev-Tov

15. Silent travel

What’s the trend? In an age of overstimulation, silence might be just what we need from our travels in 2024. Offering a chance to restore and reset, silent travel represents a more mindful kind of trip, one that doesn’t leave you needing a holiday to recover from your holiday. Silent meditation retreats are an increasingly popular wellness trend, but silent travel also encompasses secluded nature resorts, sleep retreats , quiet hotels , silent walking tours and even silent disco and concert experiences.

Why will it matter in 2024? Saturated with stress and screen time, many of us are looking for ways to disconnect. The silent walking trend that recently took TikTok by storm reflects a growing impulse to escape the noise of our tech-fueled lives and embrace the quiet, with promising implications for wellbeing. One 2015 study suggests silence may help to stimulate brain development, while another found that two minutes of silence during or after relaxing music increased the music's calming effects. With the Global Wellness Institute forecasting a 21% increase in wellness tourism in the next two years, what better counter to the chaos of our always-on lives than silence? Silent travel is also part of a move towards more sustainable tourism. Quiet Parks International , for example, offers unique nature experiences in dedicated quiet spaces, reducing noise pollution for the surrounding wildlife.

Silent travel opportunities abound in 2024. Kick off the year with a silent retreat in Portugal (with Innate ) or Italy (with Mandali ). More adventurous silent-seekers can trek the peaceful Japanese Kumano Kodo trail, or explore Finland’s Arctic landscape with a Silence & Nature Tour . For a tailor-made silent experience, Black Tomato’s Blink camp offers luxury accommodation in the world’s most remote settings, while its Get Lost program promises to help you find yourself by getting lost in a far-flung location. — Tasha Kleeman

16. Urban gardens

What’s the trend? Never mind the biophilic office and those pot plants you forget to water: Whole cities are going green as architects and planners create leafy microclimates amid the grey concrete to help keep us cooler, connect communities and even feed us.

Why will it matter in 2024? Having trees and gardens in our cities is a pretty good idea. King Nebuchadnezzar certainly thought so, which is why his Hanging Gardens of Babylon made it into travel’s first-ever bucket list—the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—back in the 2nd century BC. Nowadays, planting trees creates much-needed shade, stores carbon, and increases biodiversity, but it also makes our cityscapes so much nicer.

While Valencia, an early adopter of urban greening with its 12km-long Turia Garden in 1986, is the 2024 European Green Capital, France is busy planting trees like there’s no tomorrow. Go to Paris for the 2024 Olympics and you’ll spot budding new forests growing in Place du Colonel-Fabien, Place de Catalogne, and in the Charonne district, while Bordeaux ’s Grandeur Nature project includes urban cooling islands, micro-forests, and rain gardens.

Meanwhile, on Cyprus—an island that experienced temperatures of 111°F in 2023—the new Salina Park opens in time for summer shade in the seaside city of Larnaca. In Brazil , Rio’s Hortas Cariocas is a groundbreaking achievement that will be completed by the end of 2024: the largest urban vegetable garden in the world, connecting 56 community gardens across favelas and schools.

And in London , the £1-billion Google building in King’s Cross will show just what can be done with one structure. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the “landscraper”—only 11 stories high but stretching out longer than the Shard is tall—is hoped to provide a blueprint for future urban projects: running along the rooftop is a multi-level garden, with wildflowers, lawns and decked seating areas, set with more than 55,000 plants and 250 trees. Can you dig it? — Rick Jordan

17. Back-of-house tours

What’s the trend? Greener hotels giving us a look behind the scenes to show us—not just tell us— they're sustainable. Not just a look-see at solar panels or composting, but experiential tours that help us appreciate why it matters to support socio-economic uplift through tourism. In South America, Blue Apple Beach invites visitors to get up close and personal with the community work it does in Colombia through its impact fund. Founder Portia Hart wanted more than token-gesture carbon offsetting, where locals themselves could decide how money was spent. In Africa, guests of the Bushcamp Company contribute to initiatives through the Luangwa Conservation and Community Fund. A popular excursion in Zambia is visiting the boreholes that are installed with outreach funds. Each pump provides fresh drinking water to hundreds of people a day, and visitors who spend time with those gathered get a very tangible insight into how such provisions funded by hospitality can literally change lives in regions most affected by a warming planet.

Why will it matter in 2024? Transparency is on the up as the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive comes into force and greenwashing is coming close to being officially outlawed. A year of droughts, floods, and heatwaves also reminds us we need to make better-informed choices in our travel planning—and all the better if we can also get a crash course on the science and sociology of positive impact. Experiences that go beyond explaining responsible practices, but demonstrate a deep respect for communities on the climate-change frontlines and help make their challenges relatable to visitors are especially helpful. — Juliet Kinsman

18. Wild feasting

What’s the trend? Have you ever noticed how food always tastes better outdoors? But in today’s modern world, many of us are more used to eating a sandwich while staring at a screen. Wild feasting describes the trend for beautifully curated culinary experiences in natural environments with the incorporation of hyper-local and foraged ingredients. In Sweden , for example, you can tap into a network of do-it-yourself outdoor restaurants where you book a table in a scenic location, search for nettles, birch leaves, lingonberries, and trumpet chanterelles, and then cook them on an open fire according to a recipe card provided by a Michelin-grade chef.

Why will it matter in 2024? A greater range of wild feasting opportunities will give urbanites a chance to properly connect over food. Leading the way is Noah Ellis, founder of the UK's Nomadic Dinners . “Since launching in 2018, we experienced compounded year-on-year growth for our feasting and foraging experiences,” he says. In 2024, he will be hosting a new series of fire feasts, including one set among the bluebells. Also tapping into the zeitgeist is TikTok star Alexis Nikole Nelson (a.k.a. the Black Forager) who will publish a book about wild food in 2024. And don’t forget, 2024 is the last year you will be able to eat at Copenhagen ’s legendary, foraging-focused restaurant Noma before it turns into a test kitchen and closes to the public.

Another innovator is Holmen Lofoten’s Kitchen On The Edge Of The World series in the Norwegian Arctic Circle, where guests can participate in four nights of wild feasts cooked by top chefs. In 2024, these will include Lennox Hastie, José Pizarro, and Heidi Bjerkan. Ingunn Rasmussen, owner of Holmen Lofoten, says, “Now, as when we were little kids, gathering around a bonfire in the wilderness, sharing stories, and feasting under the stars in these magical, remote surroundings is one of the absolute highlights, both for our guests and for us.” — Jenny Southan

19. Plan-free travel

What's the trend? Saying no to endless scrolling to plan every inch of a trip, and saying yes to spontaneity instead. The power of the algorithm-spawned era of FOMO travel is waning, with those once secret spots made Insta-famous becoming tired and cookie-cutter, and the drive to plan a trip around them losing momentum. The rising counter movement is travel with no plans at all.

Why will it matter in 2024? The plan-free appeal is going one step further in 2024. Booking.com recently reported that 50% of UK travelers want to book a surprise trip in 2024, where everything, even the destination, is unknown until arrival. And it’s possible to do it via travel companies such as Black Tomato, whose Get Lost service offers customers the ability to simply select a preferred environment—polar, jungle, desert, mountain, or coastal—and leave its team to decide everything else. “While we launched Get Lost several years ago, post-pandemic we’ve seen a notable and rising uptick in bookings and enquiries,” says Black Tomato co-founder Tom Marchant.

Journee offers a similar surprise element, with travelers only finding out where they’re going at the airport. The service, which includes a full itinerary and access to a team via Whatsapp, is particularly popular with solo female travelers, while overall demand has grown so much that the London-based brand recently launched trips in the US. — Lauren Burvill

20. Frontier tourism

What’s the trend? To go above and beyond. Or below and under. As crossings of the tumultuous Drake Passage to Antarctica rack up millions of TikTok views and traffic jams form on Everest, canny travelers are seeking more individual, less obvious experiences that combine thrill-seeking with more meaningful self-empowerment.

Why will it matter in 2024? One person’s frontier is another’s backyard, of course, so frontiers are entirely subjective here. For some, this could mean being the first to camp under the stars in a remote landscape, or hike an ancient pilgrimage trail that’s been off the map for centuries. It’s still possible to bag a rare place on a Kamba African Rainforest Experience in the Republic of the Congo, being one of just 12 people to explore a game park the size of Belgium.

Black Tomato, meanwhile, is designing an intrepid new expedition to the remote Mitre Peninsula in Argentina, along with a trip in Peru navigating the Sacred Valley of the Incas by raft. “This sort of adventure goes beyond bragging rights and is more akin to self-empowerment and the gratification of pushing our own horizons,” says Black Tomato co-founder Tom Marchant. The Ultimate Travel Company is also heading to Peru, a country repositioning itself for luxury travelers, with stays at Puqio, its first tented exploration camp, in the remote Colca Valley in the Southern Peruvian Andes.

Wilderness camping is also pegging out fresh terrain in Kyrgyzstan, with yurt stays on the steppes trending for 2024, according to Wild Frontiers, as is Mongolia; while Albania, Mongolia, Pakistan and the Empty Quarter of Oman are all on the radar for an increasing number of travelers. And while the space-age pods of White Desert have already sold out for New Year’s Eve 2024 and 2025, latter-day frontiersfolk can take the path less traveled and explore the frozen continent’s southern coast (99 per cent of visitors go from South America to the northwest) with The Ultimate Travel Company’s new Ross Sea cruises, seeing the Ross Ice Shelf and Transantarctic Mountains. Don’t forget to pack your penknife. — Rick Jordan

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions ), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Traveller. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.