Hotelmarketing'com

Daily must-reads for hotel marketers.

Bleisure travel pays off in ROI. This new trend of traveling is not only potentially improving employee satisfaction and productivity, but also, saving the travel industry.

Kayak's travel trends for 2023. U.S. travelers are searching less for domestic stays and more for hotels abroad. Travelers will be flocking to bucket list destinations in Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand in 2023, likely because these destinations have (finally) re-opened to visitors.

Prior ways of marketing to Chinese travelers won’t cut it anymore. Content needs to be inspirational and get deeper than quick-hit viral videos. When Chinese travelers return, they will be more cautious and won’t just travel to any available destination - they will pay more attention to brands and quality than they did in the past.

Optimism for hotel group business in 2023. U.S. group demand data "very encouraging" heading into the new year. Even with a recession looming over the U.S. economy in the near future, a lodging industry analyst predicts that groups are poised to book more rooms at U.S. hotels in 2023.

Europe's quick rebound. 73 percent of U.S. luxury travel advisors surveyed said their clients’ interest in returning to Europe next year had grown since the beginning of the year.

Hotel rates decline as travel demand cools. Rate index for hotels and other lodging fell nearly 5% in November from October. With a possible recession on the horizon, the price declines for travel in November could be a harbinger of a further drop in demand.

UK travel sales trends. Despite a busy summer, the UK travel market now appears to be slowing down once again ahead of the January peaks season.

Europe: Accor, IHG buoyed by growth in Americas. More American tourists due to discount on Euro compared to U.S. dollar. The latest quarterly results from Europe's three largest publicly listed hotel firms show performance very near to 2019 levels, expressing optimism that the upward trend will continue in 2023.

US hotel performance picks up, but slower than expected. Weekday demand down due to fewer business travelers. The smaller-than-expected bump in weekly hotel demand was due in large part to less group business and the fact that business travel did not start in earnest after Thanksgiving.

For China to reopen may take months. As mainland China relaxes many of its stringent Covid controls, analysts point out the country is far from a quick return to a pre-pandemic situation.

Pent-up winter travel demand to continue to fuel airline recovery. A negative shift in spending habits looms for end of winter season and trips that have yet to be booked. Early signs from airline and tour operators show that winter travel demand is strong, with both bookings and pricing to sun destinations running ahead of pre-pandemic levels.

Is the travel boom fading?. Analysts are getting more skeptical about 2023. Even as airline executives crank up their enthusiasm about the travel rebound to maximum volume, analysts see cracks elsewhere in the industry.

Expedia Group’s Traveler Value Index 2023. Research reveals gaps between what people want from travel and what the industry is currently delivering. Expectations around safety and flexibility are still high, but travelers are also putting more consideration around the climate, inflation, and how to weather economic uncertainty.

STR: Signs of a slightly less optimistic outlook. Short-term travel sentiment soars, long-term outlook lags. Latest findings highlight growing sensitivity regarding costs and personal finances, which may stint future growth and could explain the dip in future sentiment.

Europe’s travel prices are finally falling. Experts warn deflation won’t last long with more “correction cycles” to come. New data shows travel costs have come down for the first time in 2022, catching up with a travel deflation seen in the U.S. in the third quarter.

U.S. international inbound travel won’t fully recover until 2025. Slow recovery due to the ongoing delays at U.S. embassies to process visitor visas. International inbound travel to the U.S. is projected to be at 63% and 75% of its pre-pandemic volume in 2022 and 2023, respectively, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

STR expects hotel revenues to grow even in recession. There will be a mild slowdown in GDP growth in 2023. U.S. hotel industry revenues have never grown during an economic recession, but Tourism Economics and STR is projecting just that to happen in 2023.

Holiday cost is at a 5-year high in the US. 12% increase in hotel room rates since 2019. After a summer of chaos full of flight delays and cancellations, and booked out accommodations, travelers are worried about similar issues as volumes spike.

US: STR cuts 2023 hotel rate, occupancy forecast. Anticipates a mild recession going into 2023. Weaker economic momentum will temper travel recovery, but the rebuilding of business travel and the ongoing prioritization of leisure travel will continue to support demand growth next year.

It used to be 45% 55%. It’s going to be more like 30% 70% in favour of leisure, as the bleisure trend is going to continue, with people taking longer trips - which is great for hospitality.

Headwinds' threaten 2023 U.S. hotel recovery pace. PwC projects decline in leisure travel for 2023. U.S. hotels will see RevPAR finish at record highs this year, but economic headwinds are expected to continue to strengthen in 2023, threatening the pace of recovery, according to PwC.

Koddi: Holiday season travel outlook. Now is the time for savvy travel marketers to adjust their spending strategies to target travelers shopping during the upcoming demand surge.

What happens to travel in a recession?. Economic uncertainty clouds analysts' travel outlook. Booking.com is well-positioned for a downturn, but because so much of Booking’s business comes from Europe, it could be hurt if that continent suffers an economic hit.

Tripadvisor: Desire to travel shows no sign of abating. Inflationary pressures continue to impact consumer spending behavior. The company released its latest Seasonal Travel Index, providing a preview and outlook for travel demand and patterns for the months of December 2022 to February 2023.

Groups back at US hotels but on shorter notice. Group business is increasingly booked last-minute. Some of those groups are booking within a week of their arrival date, and the short lead time has required hotel sales teams to adjust their strategies.

Travel brands must fine-tune marketing to overcome cost-of-living concerns. Customers more considered with their spending. Pinterest data indicates that, while travel still remains a priority for consumers, it is undergoing a more thorough decision-making process.

Studies see possible muted fall, return of holiday travel. OTA web traffic decline indicates potential drop in travel demand beyond normal seasonal patterns. The summer of revenge travel, in which consumers spent their discretionary income on travel, has given way to a muted fall and winter travel outlook.

Competition high for European hotel deals. More investors lining up to spend capital. There’s a great deal of competition among investors in Europe looking to find the right hotel to invest in, with the resilience of the hospitality sector and the pricing strength of assets.

Strong US Dollar increased demand for holiday vacations to Europe. The dollar gaining parity with the Euro and the pound boosts holiday budgets. According to new data, London remains the most popular city to visit this holiday season, with demand increasing by 20 percent since 2019, followed by Paris, which jumped 13 percent.

Higher share of Americans plan holiday hotel stays. AHLA introduces Hotel Booking Index rating to gauge hotel industry outlook. The share of holiday travelers who plan to stay in hotels is up this year, and hotels are the top lodging choice among those certain to travel for leisure in the next three months.

PwC forecasts 2023 UK hotel rate rises amid ‘economic headwinds’. Average hotel rates in London could reach up to £212.6 in 2023, an increase of 18% on 2021. The report warned against an “operationally challenging” year ahead as talent shortages will be exacerbated by double-digit inflation, rising energy costs and a looming recession.

Deloitte European Hotel Industry Survey 2022. Hospitality leaders anticipate rising inflation and labour shortage headwinds. Emerging from a difficult period, the hotel industry is now faced with a new set of challenges as high inflation persists and the labour market remains fiercely competitive.

U.S. hotel labor costs higher than pre-pandemic for first time. Continued high levels of hospitality unemployment and more spending on contract labor. Despite total labor costs up 5% year to date, GOPPAR was the strongest since June 2022, and profit margins came in higher than September 2019.

UK: Deloitte warns of holiday sector’s “last hurrah”. Travel could be worst-hit sector between now and end of year. UK's consumer confidence plunged to a record low in Q3 with consumers making cutbacks across all areas of leisure spending except holidays.

Hotel prices are soaring. A new study found that in some major U.S. cities the average room price skyrocketed more than 200 percent compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

Peak fall travel season likely over for US hotels. All three key performance metrics dip in latest weekly data. Key metrics for U.S. hotel performance were down slightly in the latest weekly data from STR, and history suggests that the peak of the fall travel season has come and gone.

Europeans embrace intra-european travel. More Europeans anxious about rising travel costs amidst global economic crisis. Sentiment for intra-European travel is on the rise with 62% of respondents planning cross border trips within Europe this autumn and winter, according to the latest ETC Monitor.

From pent-up demand to new normal. Hybrid work has given travelers more flexibility, fueling demand during traditionally slow periods. The travel industry is experiencing “a countercyclical recovery,” as consumers shift their spending to experiences rather than material items.

Accor to combat inflation with pricing power. An average room rate increase of 5% will cover inflation's negative effects. Europe's biggest hotel group believes it will be able to overcome inflation through strong pricing power as guests are still showing they are willing travel at any cost.

US hoteliers anticipate a boom in group travel on the horizon. High demand gives hoteliers leverage in negotiating room blocks. Hoteliers across the U.S. are looking ahead to the next phase of group travel recovery with optimism, though some questions still remain around certain demand segments.

U.S. holiday travel slows. Concerns over finances and disruption keep some grounded. The 2022 Deloitte Holiday Travel Study reveals travel demand is slowing, with less than one-third of Americans planning to travel between Thanksgiving and mid-January, down from 42% in 2021.

Incentive travel budgets are tight. New research looks at how the incentive-travel industry is recovering, how program design is evolving, and what’s affecting destination choice.

US cities getting more revenue from tourism than business travel. Revenue per available room lags in commercial metro markets. The cities that lagged were the ones focused on convention attendance and business meetings - while those that bounced back faster were vacation oriented, a new report finds.

China’s holiday spending plunges. Holiday spending during China’s Golden Week has plunged to its lowest level in seven years, as broad Covid curbs discouraged people from traveling.

Boutique hotels leading US hotel industry in many metrics. Recovery remains strong, especially in upscale lifestyle hotels. Boutique hotels are performing well in 2022 and all classes show recovery in average rate and revenues, surpassing 2019 peak levels and leading the U.S. hotel industry.

Strong dollar has helped fuel U.S. travelers' interest in Europe. Europe much more enticing when the euro is more even with the dollar. American travelers are on a shopping spree in Europe this year, with the dollar reaching its strongest value against the euro in two decades amid a surge in travel to the Continent.

Europe’s hotel industry ripe for growth. Hoteliers adapt, no longer to survive but to thrive. Hotel operators are applying lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic to strategies to drive demand to their properties and gain market share for the brands.

Global hotel occupancy exceeds pre-pandemic levels. Group and business travel segments are showing steady recovery. For the summer of 2022, global hotel occupancy hit an average of nearly 70%, which is an increase of around 5% over the summer of 2019, according to the latest Amadeus data.

Inflation to curb holiday travel plans. Travelers are shifting their holiday getaway plans. Forty-three percent of U.S. adults are planning to take trips between Thanksgiving and New Year’s; 79% of them are changing their holiday travel plans due to high inflation.

Summer’s over, but the European travel season isn’t. Airlines look to boost revenue after more than two years of pandemic. Airline executives say demand for flights to Europe from the U.S. has remained resilient into the fall, well past the traditional peak for trips to the region.

Hotel brands look beyond short-term headwinds. The fundamentals of hotels continue to improve. The broad hotel industry faces a lot of headwinds right now, but when you cut through all the noise, what you see is an industry thriving.

Affluent Americans intend to travel more internationally. High-earning U.S. households anticipate taking 3.8 international vacations in next 12 months. Despite rising costs and changing world events, international travel is poised to increase among affluent Americans over the next year, according to new research by MMGY Travel Intelligence.

U.S. economist expects inflation to cool and hotel industry to grow. Geopolitics, the Fed and COVID policies will decide economic future. The most likely scenarios for the economy - including falling gas prices, a stabilizing labor environment and the dollar losing some value - will culminate in a strong travel outlook for the next two years.

U.S. hoteliers acknowledge recession might be unavoidable. Is it a recession? Technically, yes, but I don't think it feels like it.. Many are still holding out hope that what is now a technical recession won't grow into the type of deep recession that will keep consumers and corporations from spending on travel.

STR: U.S. hotel occupancy dips in August. Continued improvement in business travel and groups. Average U.S. hotel industry occupancy in August 2022 dropped from the previous month, while average daily rate and revenue per available room displayed noteworthy year-over-year growth.

Holiday travelers booking earlier. According to a new AAA survey, more than half of respondents said they plan to finalize Thanksgiving travel plans before October.

When will the Chinese travel market return?. Signs that international travel should open up in the coming months. National tourist boards are restarting their Chinese social media campaigns and spending heavily to remind the most valuable market in the world that their destinations are open and welcoming to Chinese tourists.

Where do travelers’ loyalties lie?. Hotels see popularity dip despite remaining preferred choice. While there has been a clear lift in hotel demand, it is interesting to see how consumers have viewed hotels vs. alternative forms of accommodation over the last several months.

The state of the American traveler in September 2022. Travel attitudes and what’s hot right now. Despite an uber-crowded summer season and a continued seriousness about financial concerns posing challenges for the travel & hospitality industry, the outlook for Fall travel still looks comforting.

US: Urban hotel comeback powered by high rates. Miami leads the way among top 25 markets, while San Francisco lags. Hotels in the top 25 markets across the U.S. were the hardest hit by the pandemic-induced demand downturn but have come back with a vengeance, fueled by outsize rate growth.

Travel less appealing than before pandemic. Net propensity to travel remains negative for both domestic and international travel. Lingering COVID-19 concerns along with other factors, such as economic uncertainty and flight cancellations, are still impairing the overall appeal of travel currently.

US hotel rates reach another record high as sector recovers. ADR in the US reaches $159.08 in July, 17.5% higher than in July 2019. But hotel occupancy in the US has still been hindered by the slow return of midweek business travel demand and remains below the levels of summer 2019.

More than half of guests book their European accommodations directly with hotels. Offline reservations still make up a quarter of total European hotel bookings. All in all, direct online bookings, booking through online travel platforms, and social media made up 64.6 percent of all European hotel bookings in 2022, according to new data from Statista.

Despite inflation, travel demand remains high. While the busy summer travel season is coming to an end, Americans' appetite for vacations is not over. Tripadvisor's Fall Travel Index reveals nearly six out of ten Americans will travel this season - more than 40% will travel long-haul - despite ongoing inflation and rising fuel costs.

Hospitality industry statistics to have on your radar. Numbers to take your business to the next level. EHL Insights have compiled a few hospitality statistics and data you need to know in 2022 to drive innovation, delight customers and capture value.

Hospitality bullish as consumer spend shifts toward experiences. People are gravitating back to a pre-pandemic equilibrium. Not only did revenues at a host of experience-related companies soar in Q2, but also many of them are optimistic that consumers will continue to spend on travel and hospitality in Q3 and throughout the rest of the year.

European hotel profit tops 2019 levels. Gross operating profit per available room was €95.28 in June 2022, slightly higher than the same month in 2019, according to the latest data from HotStats.

U.S. hotels spin travel demand into gold as airlines struggle. Hotels have been able to turn demand into increased profitability far more effectively than airlines. Staff shortages, airport chaos and higher fuel costs have caused earnings at U.S. airlines to land below analysts' expectations while hotel chains are reporting double-digit profit growth.

The vacation, planning habits of luxury travelers. Luxury traveler significantly younger and more likely to have children in the household. Luxury travelers took significantly more vacations that used the services of a travel advisor than did other travelers, and significantly more plan to use a travel advisor for their next vacation.​

International travel recovering to and from U.S.. Spending by overseas travelers still lags. New research from the World Travel & Tourism Council also shows U.S. outbound flight bookings to international destinations have reached near pre-pandemic levels.

AHLA: Hotels' recovery continues. Business and leisure travel continue to blur. Midway through 2022, the US hotel industry continues to make strides toward recovery, with nominal hotel room revenue and state and local tax revenues projected to exceed 2019 levels by the end of this year.

European hotel bookings exceed pre-pandemic levels. Bookings in June reached 108 per cent of 2019 volumes. European corporate hotel bookings surpassed pre-pandemic levels in June as the recovery has accelerated in the past two months.

Asians are ready to explore the world. India emerged most confident with 86% of India travelers stating they intend to travel in the next 12 months; followed closely by Vietnam and China.

U.S. travel demand holds strong despite inflation. $50 - $100 ticket price increases aren’t stopping travelers from booking, but $200 - $300-plus increases are. Twenty-seven percent more people are traveling this summer compared to 2021. Of those traveling, 63 percent are booking international flights, according to OAG’s latest survey.

Strong outlook for European tourism. Short- and medium-haul travel to continue driving European tourism recovery, while arrivals from long-haul markets still lag significantly behind.

Tourism Economics projects US likely avoids recession. Full-blown recession unlikely, and if there is one, it will be mild and short. Tourism Economics' modeling still indicates that the American economy will manage to avoid a recession in the near term, putting the odds of a recession at roughly one-third.

People will find a way to travel. Expedia is not seeing any signs of a hit on bookings due to the cost of living crisis and is anticipating a “hot summer” for travel.

International travel boosts hotel demand in US gateway cities. Hotels in large, gateway markets approaching record summer performance. New York City, San Francisco and Miami are among the U.S. cities experiencing the steepest increases in hotel room demand, as international travelers begin to return to the U.S..

U.S. travel forecast: Headwinds on the horizon. Pent-up demand and consumer savings will drive recovery in 2022 but taper off in the coming years. Domestic leisure travel will continue to drive the overall U.S. travel industry’s recovery in the near term, though spending is projected to remain $46 billion below where it should have been in 2022 had the pandemic not occurred.

US hoteliers prepare for fall demand shifts. Leisure transient can't be at these levels forever. As hoteliers enjoy the latest wave of exceptionally strong leisure demand this summer travel season, the question hotel companies are left to answer is: How long can this last?

Europe: Hotels see more direct bookings, but OTA reliance remains. Booking.com by far the most influential player, with a share of 71.2% in the OTA market. Despite an increase in direct bookings, hotels' reliance on OTAs remained almost at the same level as before the pandemic, according to a study released by HOTREC.

Economic concerns overshadow travel surge. Travel boom could begin to cool, albeit from high levels. Demand after the summer travel surge, when business travel usually picks up, will be key for the industry, as recession worries could scale back on plans for business travel.

Leisure travel may be uniquely positioned to weather a recession. Reservations already on the books may shield us for months. It's plausible that momentum from the current travel boom could stretch for months into an economic downturn, though forward bookings would likely slow.

Amadeus: Hotel rates outpacing 2019 on a global basis. Close-in bookings to give hoteliers confidence to keep room rates steady. According to Amadeus' Demand360 data, global hotel occupancy and average daily rates are outpacing pre-pandemic levels, although booking windows remain short.

Rates drive US hotel recovery but lag inflation in most cases. Hoteliers, analysts confident that industry could withstand mild recession. STR expects revenue per available room on a nominal basis will surpass 2019 levels in 2022, but RevPAR and ADR adjusted for inflation won’t return to 2019 levels until 2024 or later.

Expedia doesn’t see high prices stopping summer travel. People want to rebound and overspend into travel. According to Expedia, travelers don’t seem to be dissuaded by high inflation, soaring energy costs, labor shortages or the spread of variants in some areas.

US: STR upgrades forecast to full RevPAR recovery in 2022. The outlook for hotel performance remains positive. Even as the economy faces headwinds, lodging demand and room rates are being buoyed by strong household finances and the return of business travel.

US hoteliers aren't concerned about inflation. Pleasantly surprised by the returning volumes of business transient and group travel demand. Hoteliers are determined to keep industry performance on a steady track, despite obstacles in the form of inflation and a possible economic recession.

Travelers want the industry to change. 44% of public want new rules and technology to ease travel. New research from YouGov polled travelers from 11 countries around the world and revealed that travelers want to see positive changes to the travel industry following the pandemic.

US urban hotel markets rebound. Hotels in New York City, San Francisco and other major cities report significant gains. The signs of summer are here for the U.S. hotel industry, and some of the nation’s top urban markets are showing consistent evidence of recovery.

Spanish hotel rates surge 36%. Hoteliers have been able to adjust their rates thanks to a significant increase in foreign tourism, mostly from Britain and Germany.

Travel: COVID-19 and inflation concerns linger. Current economic uncertainty likely to affect consumers' spending on travel. Marketers would be well advised to take a calculated approach to ad spending within the travel category in the current environment, as rising prices could depress demand.

More Americans are planning a European vacation this summer. European cities made up five of the top 20 destinations people are searching this year on Google. Several major cruise lines, travel agents and even Google all seem to agree that Europe is in high demand this booking season.

2022 Deloitte summer travel survey. 46% of Americans are planning a trip involving stays in hotels or other types of paid lodging. Unhindered by continued news about variants or by rising airfares and hotel rates, travel intent has reached a level that would have been high before the pandemic.

US: Strength in ADR expected to drive 2022 RevPAR above 2019 levels. Average daily room rates surpassed comparable 2019 levels in the last three quarters. PwC's revised outlook for 2022 expects US hotels to surpass 2019 RevPAR levels, driven by strong growth in room rates stemming from focused revenue management strategies of operators.

Chinese tourists 2.0 – coming anytime soon?. Tourism in Southeast Asia will not see a full recovery until Chinese travelers come back. Truth be told, it is not just Southeast Asian tourism but the world in general, given the fact that it is the largest tourism source market since 2012.

Global leisure and business flights surpass 2019 levels. New data shows a major recovery is underway. Whether travel demand will remain robust throughout the year - or whether travelers will take a last summer hurrah before tightening their purse strings - is yet to be seen.

Europe's hotels trend toward full recovery, driven by leisure demand. UK top-performing country in the region. Much like in the U.S., the rebound of travel in Europe is being led by leisure-driven markets and destinations that have been more eager to relax pandemic-era restrictions.

Tripadvisor Seasonal Travel Index. The growing concern of inflation across the globe appears to be changing consumer spending habits on certain discretionary purchases.

Travel rebound: Could market, economy play spoiler?. Will summer 2022 be as strong as travel CEOs are envisioning it. As economic pundits raise fears about a recession, hospitality CEOs are pushing back, pointing to bookings that illustrate a positive picture of the American consumer.

Is the leisure travel boom running out of gas?. What happens when summer is over and pent-up demand potentially starts to fizzle out?. Travelers may currently be planning trips at a rapid clip, but once they've crossed a big vacation or two off their bucket lists, bookings could quickly return to a more measured pace.

Higher rates drive US hotel room revenues above 2019 levels. But not high enough to negate the effects of inflation. Higher rates continue to make up for lower occupancies across the U.S. hotel industry, pushing weekly room revenue higher than it was in 2019.

U.S. hotel rates surge to record high. U.S. continues to outperform the rest of the world in terms of revenue per available room. The average U.S. hotel daily room rate last month was $146.61 - the highest average daily room rate of any month on record, according to hospitality data firm STR.

Americans' travel to Europe expected to increase sixfold this summer. Top destination London remains unchanged from last year, capturing 22% of all Europe bookings. European destinations have made a significant effort to welcome Americans back, and our data shows tremendous pent-up demand for travel to the continent.

Importance of affordability. At a time of increasing utility, fuel and food costs, demonstrating better value for money may be the new battlefield for hotel brands in winning over customers.

Largest U.S. hotel markets showed considerable RevPAR gains. Late March into early April 2022 marked a key turnaround toward historical performance levels. Reflective of the industry’s rebound toward normalcy, more than two-thirds of STR-defined U.S. hotel markets outperformed their 2019 comparables over the four weeks ending April 9, 2022.

Experts predicting a summer of travel chaos. Facing unprecedented demand, the much-reduced industry is struggling to cope. Countries on both sides of the Atlantic are seeing a slew of canceled flights due to lack of crew, long lines at airports thanks to understaffing, and the kind of rates for rental cars that make buying a vehicle look cheap.

U.S. travel costs are soaring as demand reaches some of its highest points since the global pandemic began, a trend that shows little sign of stopping as summertime travel heats up.

Plenty of signs of optimism for the future of tourism. Omicron hangover is there, but the future is bright. STR's latest survey, conducted in February 2022, canvassed opinion from a global audience to gauge sentiment and the outlook on travel.

Uncertainty escalates for Europe’s travel season. Main challenge for hotels will be rising costs and adapting to supply chain problems. Many of the European countries that are heavily dependent on tourism had hoped to start the travel season early to make up for lost revenue from the pandemic. That’s now looking unlikely.

‘Life is short’ mantra drives U.S. hotel prices to record highs. If a market has a leisure appeal, hotels in that market are doing well. Vacationers, flush with cash and eager to hit the road after two years of pandemic living, are paying up at resorts, roadside hotels and even urban properties – at least in cities with tourism appeal.

Europe hotel occupancy remains stable amid war in Ukraine. Europe’s hotel occupancy hasn’t dipped below 53% on a running 7-day basis since late February, according to STR data. Hotel performance has remained stable in most of Europe amid the war in Ukraine, and countries bordering the conflict area have seen a refugee-driven lift in occupancy.

China’s tourism recovery slows. The sector's recovery has slowed since mid-2021 and will remain volatile in 2022 as a result of travel restrictions amid a resurgence of Covid-19 cases.

Google on what’s driving travel this spring. Travelers show a willingness to try new brands. With 50% planning trips for spring break and 41% for Memorial Day Weekend, these major travel moments are fast approaching, and brand-agnostic travelers are waiting to hear from marketers.

What does the American traveler want?. An increasing number of American travelers perceive international travel as safe. MMGY released its updated quarterly "Portrait of the American Traveler," and the insights it provides are at once hopeful, surprising and, in some cases, concerning.

Travel's back, baby. People want to travel more than anything, Travelport survey finds. But as travel returns, the way it’s sold is also back under the microscope. Because after two years of doing almost everything online, consumers expect better.

Spring break, Easter trends predictive of US travel demand. Spring break will peak highest in 2022 on Easter Weekend (April 16-17). As the hospitality industry continues to recover, and the business sector still trailing behind, predicting transient travel demand patterns becomes more critical than ever.

Tech lags in return to business travel. More workers stay home. As the pandemic starts to wane and planes fill up again, airlines are finding that Silicon Valley’s workers aren’t coming back so quickly.

CBRE U.S. Lodging Forecast sees rate recovery in '22. Higher room rates will lead to a quicker return to 2019’s nominal ADR levels. Updated forecast now projects that occupancy, revenue per available room and average daily rate all could match or exceed 2019 levels as early as this year.

ITB Berlin survey finds strong interest in international travel this year. Source markets with a high potential for outbound travel are Germany, the UK, the USA, France and the Netherlands. In Europe, outbound travel intentions have remained stable, at almost 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, while in America they have reached now almost 75 per cent, and in Asia 66 per cent.

European tourism officials concerned about potential disruption to travel. Should travelers rethink Europe plans because of the war in Ukraine?. According to a recent survey conducted by MMGY Travel Intelligence, the war in Ukraine is now twice as likely to impact Americans' travel plans to Europe as the coronavirus pandemic.

STR: US market recovery monitor. Central business districts within the top 25 markets saw a sharp increase in weekday occupancy, rising to 52.1%, a 12-week high.

Pent-up demand suggests strong year for hospitality industry. Hotels will flourish in the coming year, as people seek social connection. However, the industry is going to have to prepare, at least on the supply side, to be more resilient than it perhaps did from 2010 to 2020.

US visitors wary of Ukraine threaten European travel recovery. Bookings slide as Russian invasion adds to uncertainty for airlines and hotels. Airlines and hoteliers have warned that the conflict in Ukraine is causing high-spending US travelers to hold off visiting Europe, slowing the industry’s long recovery from the pandemic.

Tripadvisor's Spring Travel Index shows Americans are spending big. Interest in travel internationally is bouncing back. Over half of Americans are planning on traveling this spring, with over a third planning on taking two or more trips - and travelers are also planning to splash more cash.

ITB: In 2022 the tourism industry will probably achieve 80 per cent of pre-pandemic turnover. Full recovery will not be achieved until 2024. A recovery is on the horizon: 46 per cent growth is possible in 2022 – domestic tourism remains more popular than traveling abroad; Artificial Intelligence, smart homes and workations as potential sales drivers?

U.S. travel industry stocks fall. Investors worry about surging oil prices and concerns about how Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine could impact European travel plans.

Spring forward: US hoteliers hope for another demand boom. Forward bookings giving hoteliers indication of what’s to come for spring and summer. Hoteliers believe that demand for leisure travel is setting the stage for another strong spring and summer, but visibility remains short, and questions remain about group and business travel.

War in Ukraine troubles many U.S. travelers with Europe plans. 47% want to wait to plan Europe travel to see how the situation in Ukraine evolves. MMGY said it surveyed "hundreds of U.S. travelers" with plans to visit Europe, and of those surveyed, 62% said concerns of the war spreading to nearby countries was a factor impacting their plans.

Asia-Pacific travel faces bumpy recovery. With North Asian countries still largely restricting entry and Southeast Asian countries reopening cautiously, the region's tourism recovery will not be quick.

Europe travel will grow post-Covid despite Ukraine war. Expected surge in travel this summer is still likely. The vast majority of European air traffic is driven by Western Europe, which should remain relatively unaffected unless Russia conducts a further offensive into NATO territory.

A travel boom is coming. But the travel industry may be ill-prepared thanks to a mass labor shortage. But it's not just wanderlusting Americans fueling the travel boom. So, too, are business travelers, the majority of whom believe there will be a business travel boom within their industry by the end of the year.

Outlook for China tourism in 2022. Consumer confidence is growing but desire for travel shows a pattern of spikes and dips. McKinsey conducted five rounds of surveys to understand Chinese travelers’ sentiments - the latest results indicate an emerging pattern of periods of suppressed travel demand followed by a quick recovery.

As omicron wanes, Americans eagerly book vacations. As summer gets booked fast, focus shifts to 2023 for many accommodation providers. Travel agents, hotel operators and restaurateurs say they've seen dramatic spikes in demand in the past week, following a drop of more than 40 percent in daily U.S. coronavirus cases.

Airbnb issues upbeat travel projection following record year. Travelers returning to cities almost reached pre-pandemic levels. Company sees evidence of strong pent-up demand: as of the end of January 2022, it had over 25% more nights booked for the summer travel season than at the same time in 2019.

U.S. travel recovery projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Easter and summer travel bookings will bolster economic recovery. The recovery of the US travel and tourism industry is projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels this year, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

US hotel occupancy begins to trend upward. Weekend demand makes the difference as business travel still lags. The U.S. hotel industry neared 50% occupancy in the latest weekly results as leisure travel began to reemerge from a post-holiday hibernation.

US: Leisure momentum to carry over to spring. Rising COVID-19 cases have a negative impact on business travel. Though business for the industry overall has slowed down seasonally, several leisure-focused markets continue to reach or surpass 2019 levels for occupancy and rates.

HotStats: Hotels end 2021 closer to 'normal'. ADR to close out the year was at its highest level since October 2018. An indication that hoteliers stuck with rate throughout the year, having learned a valuable lesson from downturns of yore: discounting is not a smart revenue-management practice.

Americans are in a “ready to travel” mindset. Travelers appear to have largely shrugged off hesitation fueled by the Covid-19 virus. Americans’ enthusiasm for travel has rebounded to levels unseen since the broad rollout of Covid-19 vaccines last year, as their wanderlust eclipses hesitation fueled by the omicron and delta virus variants.

US hotel occupancy stabilizing. Only 18% of hotels reported occupancy below 30% in latest weekly results. Three weeks ago, nearly a quarter of all U.S. hotels were reporting occupancy under 30%. For the week ending Jan. 22, that percentage was 18% as compared to 32% a year ago.

U.S. hotel industry recovery expected to accelerate. Larger US markets continue to struggle as business travel demand lags. STR’s latest forecast calls for nominal average daily rate to fully recover by the end of the year and nominal revenue per available room to recover to 2019 levels next year.

UNWTO World Tourism Barometer expects travel to rebound in 2022. Majority of experts expect a rebound during the third quarter. International tourism experienced a 4% increase in 2021 compared to 2020, with international arrivals still 72% below the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

US hotel recovery chugs along, inflation and labor ongoing concerns. Strong recovery with some bumps in the road. As rate and revenue growth remain promising, there is widespread concern over inflation, a persistent labor shortage and the next Covid-19 variant or development.

STR, TE upgrade latest U.S. hotel forecast. Leisure travel demand gathering strength with substantial recovery in sight for many markets. Even with 2021 projections higher, full recovery of demand remains on the same timeline for 2023, while close-to-complete recovery of RevPAR is still projected for 2024.

US hotel recovery continues with higher rates but meandering occupancy. STR comparisons to 2019 show importance of pricing power. Pricing power in leisure travel destinations and airport markets continue to keep the U.S. hotel industry recovery on track despite hotels being less than half occupied on average.

STR: U.S. hotel RevPAR recovered 83% in 2021. Occupancy failed to reach 60% for just the second time since 2011. With improved performance as 2021 progressed, the U.S. hotel industry reported total-year RevPAR that was 83.2% of the pre-pandemic comparable, according to the latest data from STR.

Travelers willing to pay more. According to Expedia Group’s 2022 Travel Value Index more than half of respondents say they plan to spend more on trips than they did prior to the pandemic.

Tripadvisor: What’s hot for 2022? Dubai has shoved perennial icons like London, Paris and Rome aside to take the crown of the most popular destination in the world for 2022.

STR: Continuing weakness in business travel demand. Occupancy of 45% among lowest on record for traditionally slow week. U.S. hotel performance declined in the first week of January to a level that suggests continuing weakness in business travel demand because of concerns over the COVID-19 omicron variant.

UK tourism industry becoming less competitive as an international destination. Crippling border restrictions continue to stifle recovery. Tourists from China and Middle Eastern countries were keen to shop in the UK, but are now more likely to choose France because they could get a tax refund when they left.

Chinese consumers make travel plans for 2022. Japan takes pole position, followed by Thailand, Australia and France. A new survey conducted in December 2021 found that 78% are considering outbound travel in the new year, with 55% having a destination in mind and will go ahead once outbound travel is made possible.

Travel is ‘roaring back’. But the industry might not be ready for a boom. Travel bookings and inquiries are surging, say travel insiders, in an upward trajectory that, if realized, may both benefit and challenge travelers in the coming year.

Travel in 2022 - a look ahead. Travel plans for 2022 surpass pre-pandemic levels, according to a new Tripadvisor research. New report shows high travel intent for 2022 and a willingness to spend more on travel, while encouraging businesses to maintain safety protocols to win over travelers.

UK: Travel confidence increases. Kuoni predicts travel will be 90% back to 2019 levels before the end of the spring following the easing of travel restrictions.

Britain races to book holidays after Covid testing relaxed. Travel industry relieved as interest in trips abroad surges. Travel firms and airlines have reported surging bookings following the relaxation of Covid testing requirements for travelers returning to the UK.

European inbound and outbound travel trends. Europe travel demand fragmented but largely moving forward, according to the European Travel Commission. Approximately two thirds of Europeans surveyed in the ETC study planned to travel domestically or internationally in the fourth quarter of 2021 or the first quarter of 2022.

2022 hotel forecasts optimistic for now. Forecasters remain unsure when business transient travel will pick up meaningfully in 2022. Hotel industry prognosticators aren’t pessimistic thanks to the resilience travelers have shown and the power of pent-up demand for travel by people willing to pay higher rates.