152+ Travel Statistics for 2024 (Business, Leisure & More)

Q: What percentage of travelers write hotel reviews?

Nearly half of consumers ( 46% ) post hotel reviews. Another 40% review the activities, attractions, and restaurants they visited.

Q: Do travelers use social media while on vacation?

74% of travelers use social media when traveling. It’s a great way to keep friends and family updated on your travels and document your trip.

The travel industry is rebounding.

For one, it contributed a whopping $1.1T to the national GDP in 2020, even despite the COVID-19 outbreak and travel restrictions that followed.

Two, with remote work and hybrid setups now reigning supreme, most Americans are eager to turn on their out-of-office alerts and hit the road.

So—

At Passport Photo Online, we’ve decided to put together a comprehensive list of 152+ travel statistics and facts for 2023 to help you stay ahead of the curve.

General Leisure Travel Statistics

When planning a trip, Americans’ most important considerations are affordability, safety, and flexibility.

(Airbnb, Report on Travel & Living, 2021)

For nearly 47% of travelers, who they are with and what they do together is more important than where they go and what they see.

(Airbnb, Report on Travel & Living, 2021)

41% of people want to leave a city to live someplace remote or in the country.

(Airbnb, Report on Travel & Living, 2021)

41% of people want to live someplace remote

64% of tourists are interested in traveling during off-peak times.

(Airbnb, Report on Travel & Living, 2021)

City-centric trips are gaining ground, with searches going up for major cities such as Las Vegas (+40%), Melbourne (+90%), Paris (+30%), and Sydney (+85%).

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

Three-quarters of consumers are likely to pick a destination they’ve never visited.

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

Nearly 52% of travelers that have a trip planned will likely use a mode of transportation they’ve never used before.

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

About 22% look for once-in-a-lifetime experiences on their next trip.

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

60% of travelers choose domestic travel for the short term.

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

More consumers prefer to take frequent, shorter trips (41%) than those who want fewer, longer trips (28%) or a mixture of both (31%).

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

54% of travelers believe having the time to relax and do nothing is what makes them happiest.

(Expedia, Vacation Deprivation Study, 2021)

54% of travelers believe having the time to relax and do nothing is what makes them happiest

Merely thinking about travel makes people feel much happier (by 18 percentage points) and more hopeful (by nine points) than they otherwise do on a regular day.

(Airbnb, From Isolation To Connection—Travel in 2021)

Americans prioritize travel to be close to family (32%). Yet, they equally prioritize a new experience or destination (31%), ideally nearby, followed by a return to a favorite spot (25%).

(Airbnb, From Isolation To Connection—Travel in 2021)

56% prefer a domestic or local destination compared to just 21% who want to travel internationally.

(Airbnb, From Isolation To Connection—Travel in 2021)

One in five want their destination to be within driving distance of home. As a result, travel by car draws the most interest, beating air travel by 17 points.

(Airbnb, From Isolation To Connection—Travel in 2021)

Over half (51%) want to be isolated beyond major tourist areas rather than being “surrounded by people and energy” (24%).

(Airbnb, From Isolation To Connection—Travel in 2021)

A quarter of Americans are open to traveling during off-peak times.

(Airbnb, From Isolation To Connection—Travel in 2021)

Just 21% of those who took a cruise trip in the past say they’ll do it again.

(ABTA, Six Trends for Travel in 2021)

58% of people are interested in an ocean cruise, and 31% would like to go on a river cruise.

(ABTA, Six Trends for Travel in 2021)

Most Americans agree that travel creates greater cultural understanding (63%) and makes you more connected to the world (62%).

(Expedia, 2021 Travel Trends Report)

Four in five domestic trips people take are for leisure.

(US Travel Association)

International travel spending supports around 1.2M US jobs and accounts for $33.6B in wages.

(US Travel Association)

Top leisure travel activities in the US for overseas visitors:

Shopping
Sightseeing
Fine dining
National parks/monuments
Amusement/theme parks

(US Travel Association)

64% of leisure US travelers find accommodation, and 68% find trip experiences online.

(Facebook IQ, 2018)

46% of consumers post hotel reviews. Another 40% review the activities, attractions, and restaurants they visited.

(MDGadvertising, 2018)

Travel vs. Work: Facts and Stats

19% of Airbnb Homes guests used Airbnb to travel and work remotely in 2020.

(Airbnb, Report on Travel & Living, 2021)

55% of Airbnb long-term stay bookers worked or studied during their stay.

(Airbnb, Report on Travel & Living, 2021)

72% of consumers consider flexibility the key driver for business travel.

(Concur, Global Business Traveler Report 2021)

52% of business travelers expect the freedom to book direct flights.

(Concur, Global Business Traveler Report 2021)

Around 42% hold themselves most accountable for their health and safety on a trip.

(Concur, Global Business Traveler Report 2021)

Among the essential perks of business travel are the ability to choose accommodation (46%) and mode of transport (43%).

(Concur, Global Business Traveler Report 2021)

Direct spending on business travel by domestic and international travelers totaled $334.2B in 2019. That included expenditures on meetings, events, and incentive programs.

(US Travel Association)

Americans logged 464.4M business trips in 2019, with 38% for meetings and events.

(US Travel Association)

The jobs supported by travel expenditures include 9M in the travel industry and 6.8M in related sectors.

(US Travel Association)

The amount of wages shared by American workers directly employed by travel is $277.4B.

(US Travel Association)

The percentage of America’s GDP attributed to travel and tourism is 2.9%.

(US Travel Association)

One in 10 US jobs are dependent on travel and tourism.

(US Travel Association)

Employment-wise, travel is among the top 10 industries in 49 states and D.C.

(US Travel Association)

Business travelers make up 12% of airlines’ passengers. Yet, they represent 75% of the profit.

(Investopedia, How Much Airline Revenue Comes From Business Travelers, 2020)

The global market for business travel is expected to fully recover by 2026. At this point, it’ll likely reach $829.5B.

(ReportLinker, 2020)

The average daily cost of business travel in the US is $325.

(Small Biz Genius, 2021)

Companies spend roughly $1,425 for every employee who goes on a business trip.

(Fyle, 2020)

The average business travel budget consists of:

Lodging (34%)
Airfare (27%)
Meals (20%)
Car rentals (19%)

(Travel Pulse, 2020)

For nearly 70% of business travelers, the key considerations in booking airline tickets after COVID-19 are flexibility in cancellation and changing ticket conditions.

(Skift Research & McKinsey, 2020)

Over 700K businesses used “Airbnb for Work” for corporate trips in 2018.

(PhocusWire, 2018)

When it comes to accommodation, business travelers pay attention to:

Quality (44%)
Convenience (40%)
Trustworthiness (38%)
Quietness (30%)
Affordability (28%)
Coziness (28%)

(CWT, 2019)

what business travelers want when booking accommodation

91% of corporate travel managers believe business travel is essential to organizational growth.

(Skift + TripActions, The State of Business Travel, 2020)

Statistics on Travelers’ Spending Habits

Over a third of people (34%) had larger travel budgets in 2021 compared to 2020.

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

To save money for travel, 43% of Americans would limit dining out or takeout, and 38% would give up alcohol.

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

One in four travelers most value the ability to get a full refund across all travel experiences.

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

Most people (52%) want to see a range of prices and options for a specific type of experience, as well as the ability to book accommodation and transportation in one transaction (38%).

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

Every overseas traveler spends around $4,200 when they visit the US and stays 18 nights on average.

(US Travel Association)

how much overseas travelers spend and how long they stay when visiting US

Direct spending by resident and international travelers in the US averaged $3.1B a day.

(US Travel Association)

Travel accounts for around 2% of the total annual budgets of all US households.

(ValuePenguin)

For a typical trip within the US, people spend an average of $581 and go away for about four nights.

(ValuePenguin)

The typical vacationing US family spends about 44% of their travel funds getting to, from, and around their destinations.

(ValuePenguin)

Americans spend an average of $33 per day on food when vacationing in their home country.

(ValuePenguin)

On international trips, however, Americans spend about $35 per day—nearly 90% of those funds go to restaurant meals.

(ValuePenguin)

Only 12% of Americans report buying alcohol on vacation.

(ValuePenguin)

percentage of Americans who buy alcohol on vacation

People who travel spend about 9% of their budget on entertainment. That’s about $52, on average, for a domestic trip and $293 while abroad.

(ValuePenguin)

Around 68% of travelers want to see their money reinvested in the local economy.

(Regiondo, Where Travel Is Going in 2021)

Looking for passport photos? Discover more information:

Air Travel: Facts & Stats

The total number of flights operated in July 2021 reached 86% of pre-pandemic levels.

(US Department of Transportation, Air Travel Consumer Report, 2021)

66% of US travelers find flights online.

(Facebook IQ, 2018)

percentage of US travelers who find flights online

53% of flight shoppers in the US who are on Facebook use it to see travel pictures from friends and family.

(Facebook IQ, 2018)

A little over half of Americans claim that once they decide to go on a trip, they spend less than a week researching flights.

(Facebook IQ, 2018)

US flight shoppers’ decision to book flights is influenced by:

Past experiences (94%)
Loyalty programs (80%)
Recommendations from friends and family (70%)

(Facebook IQ, 2018)

71% of US travelers book flights at least one month ahead of the trip.

(Facebook IQ, 2018)

Nearly 65% of flight shoppers want post-purchase engagement from brands, with live updates and discounts being the most desired updates.

(Facebook IQ, 2018)

Americans spend over $3,304 on airfare per year on average.

(ValuePenguin)

how much Americans spend on airfare yearly

Statistics on Accommodation Booking

The top three reasons travelers are more likely to book an extra night:

Room discount
Free breakfast
Room upgrade

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

Affordability is the key priority when choosing accommodation, beating health and safety protocols by 10 points.

(Airbnb, From Isolation To Connection—Travel in 2021)

Around 75% of Americans want to search for accommodation within a range of dates.

(Airbnb, Report on Travel & Living, 2021)

77% of US consumers want the ability to cancel or change bookings at the last minute.

(Airbnb, Report on Travel & Living, 2021)

percentage of US consumers who want ability to cancel or change bookings at the last minute

The percentage of long-term stays (28 nights or more) on Airbnb nearly doubled from 14% of nights booked in 2019 to 24% in Q1 2021.

(Airbnb, Report on Travel & Living, 2021)

48% of travelers are open to booking via sites and companies they’ve never used if they believe the travel provider is trustworthy.

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

Nearly 65% of consumers are more likely to book with travel providers that identify their practices as “inclusive.” It includes properties that are:

Owned by women
Welcoming to the LGBTQIA+ community
Supportive of people with disabilities

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

most consumers are more likely to book with travel providers that identify practices as inclusive

For 57% of consumers, detailed photos give them the confidence to book accommodation.

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

Nearly 70% are willing to pay extra for properties that have their favorite amenities and services.

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

most travelers will pay extra for properties with favorite amenities

89% of travelers want to see some information or features of the surrounding location.

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

Nearly 60% of travelers are unlikely to book a non-refundable room in exchange for a reduced rate.

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

For most travelers (91%), photos are critical when booking accommodation.

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

importance of photos when booking accommodation

Consumers view an average of nine photos before making a booking decision.

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

87% want to receive information from the chosen accommodation before check-in.

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

For 77%, accommodation must have core technology amenities.

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

One in three travelers want to see destination messaging regarding social-distancing measures and cleanliness standards.

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

91% of travelers believe property owners and managers should reply to negative reviews.

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

most travelers want property owners to reply to negative reviews

Only 9% of consumers believe there’s nothing properties could do to make them feel more comfortable after reading a negative review.

(Expedia, What Travelers Want in 2021)

Importance of Sustainability: Statistics and Facts

Nearly 59% of travelers are willing to spend extra to make their vacation more sustainable.

(Expedia, Traveler Value Index, 2021)

most travelers will spend extra to make vacation more sustainable

56% of people under 50 would be “much” or “somewhat more likely” to use an online platform that lets them search for green accommodation. Yet, only 28% of those aged 50+ would follow suit.

(Airbnb, From Isolation To Connection—Travel in 2021)

In 2011, only 19% of people were more likely to choose one company over another based on a better environmental record, compared to 38% in 2020.

(ABTA, Six Trends for Travel in 2021)

61% of travelers claim the pandemic made them want to travel more sustainably in the future.