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Travel is now a priority Travel now accounts for a higher share of consumer spending than at any point in the past, despite ongoing economic volatility. Historically, periods of uncertainty have led to a pullback in discretionary spending, including travel. Today, however, consumers increasingly view travel as a necessity rather than a luxury. Evidence from Tourism Economics’ Travel Trends Survey highlights this shift in attitudes. Three-quarters of respondents agree that undertaking leisure travel is an important annual priority. While there are clear signs of value-conscious behaviour, this has not displaced demand for premium and experiential travel. Many travellers continue to “trade up” on experiences, prioritising travel over other forms of discretionary consumption. Motivations for travel are also evolving. Interest in discovering new destinations now outweighs purely price-driven decision-making, although affordability remains an important consideration. Experiences rooted in local culture,
Growth is not uniform across all markets. Chinese outbound travel continues to recover more gradually following later border reopenings, with some continued caution around international trips and less lavish spending than in the previous decade. Nonetheless, global growth remains broad-based, with strong momentum across both established destinations and newer markets offering distinctive experiences and better value. For example, arrivals to Albania in 2025 are estimated to be around 90% higher than in 2019. At the same time, travel volumes continue to rise in many traditionally popular destinations, including those facing overtourism pressures. Iconic destinations around the world remain especially attractive to first-time international travellers There is tentative evidence, however, of easing seasonality in some hotspots, with faster growth observed in shoulder seasons than during peak summer months in 2025.
food and environment are increasingly influential, while iconic and bucket-list destinations continue to attract demand, particularly from first-time travellers and those in emerging markets. At a macro level, leisure travel’s share of income and consumption is at historic highs in advanced economies and continues to rise in emerging markets as the global travel class expands. International travel spending as a share of consumption increased steadily in the decade prior to the pandemic. It reached a peak in 2019, and has since surpassed that level, setting a new record in advanced economies in 2025.
International travel spend reached a new record share of consumption in 2025 in advanced economies
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