Consumer Habits

Travel demand is holding in 2026, but growth will favor markets and brands that adapt as power shifts geographically and behaviorally.

MENA travelers are redefining global tourism — blending faith, family, and cultural identity with digital fluency and a growing appetite for authentic, experience-led travel.

The hotel technology sector is shifting from cost center to growth engine, with AI, data integration, and guest-facing tools driving efficiency and revenue, but success hinges on modernized systems, cultural readiness, and proactive risk management

Americans are back on the road — guided by experiences, wooed by AI, wary of hidden fees, and booking wherever the value clicks.

The future of travel is unfolding now; you just need the right data and insights to see it. The State of Travel report is your essential guide to understanding the trends shaping our industry and staying ahead of the modern traveler as a company, association, or destination.

As growth slows, hotels are embracing experience, innovation, and agility to navigate a cautious, yet resilient, travel landscape in 2025

Asia’s travelers are mobile-first, OTA-driven, and value-conscious—yet increasingly open to premium, branded, and sustainable travel.

Asia’s outbound travelers are getting younger, more digital, and more experience-driven—forcing global travel brands to rethink how and where they engage.

Social media is no longer just inspiring travel, it’s where trips are being researched, priced, and booked. As platforms evolve into powerful sales channels, creators are becoming the new travel agents, short-form video is replacing static ads, and the booking journey is evolving into a low-friction social interaction.

Recession alarm bells are going off. A global downturn isn't our base case, but it's still worth reviewing how the travel industry might perform in a worst-case scenario. Even in a turbulent market, travel won't stop — it will shift.

Trump-era politics is driving down global interest in U.S. travel, with safety and perception key to recovery.

Travel is the most aspirational consumer purchase out there. With secular tailwinds and a boost from post-pandemic revenge travel, our industry was flying high. But now, new policies announced by U.S. President Donald Trump may take travel out of the clouds and back down to earth.