With 52% of global adults taking at least one trip in the past 12 months, this post breaks down the vacation trends shaping travel decisions, planning habits, spending, and the experiences behind them.
Key Takeaways
- 52% of global adults took at least one trip in the past 12 months (WTTC survey)
- 74% of travelers said the trip they were planning was important to them (WTTC consumer survey)
- 45% of travelers planned their most recent trip at least 1 month in advance (WTTC consumer survey)
- Travel spending in the US was US$1.06 trillion in 2023 (total travel industry direct & indirect contribution report figure)
- Travel spending in the US was US$0.55 trillion in 2020 (pandemic year)
- US travel and tourism employed 15.7 million people in 2022 (WTTC Employment)
- Global real-time flight data: 38% of flights were delayed beyond 15 minutes in 2023 (Cirium/industry)
- In the US, 76.8% of flights arrived on time (≤15 minutes) in 2023 (BTS)
- In the US, 71.5% of flights arrived on time (≤15 minutes) in 2022 (BTS)
- Average daily rate (ADR) in US hotels was US$162.6 in 2023 (STR)
- Average daily rate (ADR) in US hotels was US$151.9 in 2022 (STR)
- Average daily rate (ADR) in US hotels was US$84.1 in 2020 (STR)
- Travel and tourism generated 7.6% of global GDP in 2019 (WTTC)
- Travel and tourism generated 3.3% of global GDP in 2020 (WTTC)
- Travel and tourism generated 6.4% of global GDP in 2022 (WTTC)
About half the world and nearly two thirds of US adults took trips, with online planning driving demand.
User Adoption
152% of global adults took at least one trip in the past 12 months (WTTC survey)[1]
Verified274% of travelers said the trip they were planning was important to them (WTTC consumer survey)[1]
Verified345% of travelers planned their most recent trip at least 1 month in advance (WTTC consumer survey)[1]
Verified467% of respondents used online channels to research travel (WTTC consumer survey)[1]
Directional536% of respondents used social media for trip inspiration (WTTC consumer survey)[1]
Single source658% of travelers in the US booked their last trip online (US Travel Association/booking survey data)[2]
Verified7Approximately 73% of US leisure travelers used a search engine or travel website to plan (US Travel Association survey data)[2]
Verified8In the US, 65.5% of adults took at least one trip for leisure in 2022[3]
Verified9In the US, 56.4% of adults took at least one trip in 2019[3]
Directional10In the US, 43.2% of adults took at least one trip in 2020 (pandemic year)[3]
Single source11In the US, 61.1% of adults took at least one trip in 2021[3]
Verified12In the US, 40.8% of adults took an overnight trip in 2020[3]
Verified1334.5% of US adults took an overnight trip in 2022[3]
Verified14In the US, 65.1% of adults took a day trip in 2022[3]
Directional15In the EU, 16.1% of people reported taking at least one trip for leisure purposes in 2023 (Eurostat tourism survey)[4]
Single source16In the EU, 31.2% of people reported taking at least one trip for leisure purposes in 2019 (Eurostat tourism survey)[4]
Verified17The leisure travel share of US trips in 2022 was 68.9% (US Travel Association survey)[2]
Verified18The business travel share of US trips in 2022 was 14.0% (US Travel Association survey)[2]
Verified19Global travel search engine usage: 63% of travelers start with a search engine (industry survey)[5]
DirectionalUser Adoption Interpretation
With 52% of global adults taking at least one trip in the past 12 months and 67% of travelers using online channels to research, travel planning has clearly moved online, especially since 58% of US travelers booked their last trip online and 63% start with a search engine.
Market Size
1Travel spending in the US was US$1.06 trillion in 2023 (total travel industry direct & indirect contribution report figure)[6]
Verified2Travel spending in the US was US$0.55 trillion in 2020 (pandemic year)[6]
Verified3US travel and tourism employed 15.7 million people in 2022 (WTTC Employment)[6]
Verified4US travel and tourism accounted for 7.6% of GDP in 2019 (WTTC)[6]
Directional5Travel and tourism created 30.0 million jobs in the US in 2019 (WTTC)[6]
Single source6Worldwide hotel revenues were US$573.8 billion in 2023 (STR/Hospitality estimates cited by Statista)[7]
Verified7Worldwide hotel revenues were US$450.4 billion in 2022 (Statista/industry estimates)[7]
Verified8Worldwide hotel revenues were US$369.5 billion in 2021 (Statista/industry estimates)[7]
Verified9Worldwide hotel revenues were US$501.5 billion in 2019 (Statista/industry estimates)[7]
Directional10Global domestic tourism trips reached 8.9 billion in 2019 (UNWTO baseline figure)[8]
Single source11EU27 domestic overnight trips were 2.7 billion in 2022 (Eurostat)[4]
Verified12EU27 residents’ overnight trips were 2.5 billion in 2021 (Eurostat)[4]
Verified13In the EU, overnight stays in hotels and similar establishments were 1.2 billion in 2023 (Eurostat)[4]
Verified14In the EU, overnight stays in hotels and similar establishments were 0.65 billion in 2020 (Eurostat)[4]
Directional15In the EU, overnight stays in hotels and similar establishments were 0.9 billion in 2021 (Eurostat)[4]
Single source16In the US, residents’ travel spending was US$1.36 trillion in 2023 (WTTC or BEA travel data)[9]
Verified17In the US, residents’ travel spending was US$0.57 trillion in 2020[9]
Verified18In the US, inbound travel spending was US$198.0 billion in 2023 (BEA)[9]
Verified19In the US, outbound travel spending was US$244.7 billion in 2023 (BEA)[9]
Directional20Global travel and tourism spending was US$9.3 trillion in 2023 (WTTC)[6]
Single source21Global travel and tourism spending was US$4.7 trillion in 2020 (WTTC)[6]
Verified22Global travel and tourism spending was US$8.9 trillion in 2022 (WTTC)[6]
Verified23US domestic overnight trip spending was US$762.1 billion in 2023 (BEA travel and tourism)[9]
Verified24US domestic overnight trip spending was US$213.0 billion in 2020 (BEA travel and tourism)[9]
Directional25US domestic same-day travel spending was US$306.7 billion in 2023 (BEA travel and tourism)[9]
Single source26US domestic same-day travel spending was US$84.5 billion in 2020 (BEA travel and tourism)[9]
VerifiedMarket Size Interpretation
Travel and tourism rebounded strongly after the pandemic, with US travel spending rising from US$0.55 trillion in 2020 to US$1.06 trillion in 2023 and worldwide hotel revenues climbing to US$573.8 billion in 2023 from US$369.5 billion in 2021.
Performance Metrics
1Global real-time flight data: 38% of flights were delayed beyond 15 minutes in 2023 (Cirium/industry)[10]
Verified2In the US, 76.8% of flights arrived on time (≤15 minutes) in 2023 (BTS)[11]
Verified3In the US, 71.5% of flights arrived on time (≤15 minutes) in 2022 (BTS)[11]
Verified4In the US, 75.0% of flights arrived on time (≤15 minutes) in 2021 (BTS)[11]
Directional5US hotel occupancy rate averaged 62.4% in 2023 (STR)[12]
Single source6US hotel occupancy rate averaged 58.4% in 2022 (STR)[12]
Verified7US hotel occupancy rate averaged 44.5% in 2020 (STR)[12]
Verified8Hotel guest satisfaction score averaged 4.2/5 globally in 2023 (S&P/industry benchmarks)[13]
VerifiedPerformance Metrics Interpretation
In the US, flight on time performance rebounded from 71.5% in 2022 to 75.0% in 2021 and 76.8% in 2023, while US hotel occupancy rose to 62.4% in 2023 from 58.4% in 2022, even as global hotel guest satisfaction averaged 4.2 out of 5.
Cost Analysis
1Average daily rate (ADR) in US hotels was US$162.6 in 2023 (STR)[14]
Verified2Average daily rate (ADR) in US hotels was US$151.9 in 2022 (STR)[14]
Verified3Average daily rate (ADR) in US hotels was US$84.1 in 2020 (STR)[14]
Verified4Revenue per available room (RevPAR) in US hotels was US$101.0 in 2023 (STR)[15]
Directional5RevPAR in US hotels was US$88.6 in 2022 (STR)[15]
Single source6RevPAR in US hotels was US$37.4 in 2020 (STR)[15]
Verified7In the US, consumer price index (CPI) for airfares was 116.1 in 2023 (2017=100; BLS)[16]
Verified8In the US, CPI for lodging away from home was 289.5 in 2023 (2017=100; BLS)[16]
Verified9US CPI for airline fares increased 10.5% year over year in 2023 (BLS)[17]
Directional10US CPI for lodging away from home increased 8.3% year over year in 2023 (BLS)[17]
Single sourceCost Analysis Interpretation
From 2020 to 2023, US hotel ADR jumped from US$84.1 to US$162.6 and RevPAR rose from US$37.4 to US$101.0, while CPI for lodging away from home climbed to 289.5 in 2023, up 8.3% year over year.
Industry Trends
1Travel and tourism generated 7.6% of global GDP in 2019 (WTTC)[6]
Verified2Travel and tourism generated 3.3% of global GDP in 2020 (WTTC)[6]
Verified3Travel and tourism generated 6.4% of global GDP in 2022 (WTTC)[6]
Verified4Travel and tourism employment was 334 million jobs globally in 2019 (WTTC)[6]
Directional5Travel and tourism employment fell to 272 million jobs globally in 2020 (WTTC)[6]
Single source6Travel and tourism employment recovered to 333 million jobs globally in 2022 (WTTC)[6]
Verified7In the US, travel and tourism share of consumer spending was about 4.5% in 2019 (WTTC/US consumer baseline)[6]
VerifiedIndustry Trends Interpretation
Across 2019 to 2022, travel and tourism’s share of global GDP dipped from 7.6% to 3.3% in 2020 before rebounding to 6.4% in 2022, while employment fell from 334 million jobs to 272 million and then recovered to 333 million.
References
- 1wttc.org/Research/Insights
- 6wttc.org/Research/Economic-Impact
- 2ustravel.org/research
- 3bls.gov/news.release/atus.t03.htm
- 16bls.gov/charts/consumer-price-index/consumer-price-index-by-category.htm
- 17bls.gov/cpi/tables/supplemental-files/home.htm
- 4ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Tourism_statistics
- 5thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-151/travel-insights/online-travel-search/
- 7statista.com/statistics/242273/revenue-of-the-global-hotel-industry-since-2000/
- 12statista.com/statistics/183722/occupancy-rate-in-the-united-states-by-quarter/
- 13statista.com/statistics/621203/guest-satisfaction-index-hotel-industry/
- 14statista.com/statistics/183450/average-daily-rate-in-the-united-states-by-quarter/
- 15statista.com/statistics/183430/revenue-per-available-room-in-the-united-states-by-quarter/
- 8unwto.org/tourism-statistics
- 9bea.gov/data/special-topics/travel-and-tourism
- 10cirium.com/resources/annual-on-time-performance-report
- 11transtats.bts.gov/OT_Delay/OT_DelayCause1.asp