A study by Mindtrip with Sabre, Sojern, and MMGY Travel Intelligence reveals that 54% of travelers have used AI to plan travel, and 75% intend to use it for future trips. However, only 22% of destination marketing organizations (DMOs) offer AI trip-planning capabilities, and 26% have a documented AI strategy. The research indicates AI is reshaping destination discovery and decisions, urging DMOs to adopt AI to remain relevant.
Amadeus' report 'Tailored Horizons' reveals that 85% of U.S. travelers agree AI saves time and provides personalized recommendations, with 74% using AI during trip planning. However, trust declines when AI takes action: only 20% would allow AI to spend money autonomously within a budget, while 43% would allow it only with conditions. Travelers still desire human oversight, with 51% preferring a combination of AI and human expertise.
Phocuswright's report identifies ten structural shifts reshaping Asia-Pacific travel, spanning demographics, geopolitics, infrastructure, capital, and technology. These forces interact to redefine demand. India, Indonesia, and Malaysia remain young and growing, while Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan face aging populations. Geopolitical tensions impact arrivals, such as Cambodia's 36% drop and Japan's forecast $7.7 billion loss due to friction with China. Rail and short-term rentals gain share, fintech becomes infrastructure, hotel groups expand abroad, venture capital tightens, and cross-industry partnerships emerge as new distribution channels.
Expedia Group research shows 65% of APAC travel professionals expect demand growth in the next 2-3 years, but complexity in payments, content, and technology risks slowing momentum. India and Australia have highest confidence at 82% and 76%.
A new GBTA study reveals that U.S. business travel spending reached $538.5 billion in 2024, generating $623.8 billion in economic impact, accounting for 2.1% of GDP, supporting 6.7 million jobs, and contributing $148.6 billion in tax revenue. Meetings and events accounted for 40.4% of total spending. Business travel has a multiplier effect, with each dollar generating $1.16 in GDP. The study covers all 50 states, with California, New York, Florida, Texas, and Illinois leading in spending.
Phocuswright research shows Spain is the strongest-performing market in Europe, with 96.8 million international visitors in 2025, up 3.2% from 2024, and tourism revenue growing 7%. The war in Iran is redirecting international travelers to perceived safe European destinations, benefiting Spain, Italy, and France. Spain ranks second worldwide in international visitors, behind France, but first in tourism expenditure. The article also discusses tourism saturation and the challenge of redistributing demand from overcrowded destinations to northern and inland regions.
Phocuswright research defines 'indulgent explorers' as a high-value traveler segment that over-indexes on longer trips, higher in-destination spend, and premium components. Nearly three-quarters take multiple qualifying trips per year. Notably, 30% have household income under $100k and 26% have net worth under $100k, suggesting indulgence often reflects prioritization. They value safety, food quality, and privacy, with service being the top factor making a trip 'worth it.'
Phocuswright has published a research report, 'A Market Rewired: Ten Structural Shifts Redefining Asia Pacific Travel,' outlining trends that will matter in 2026 and beyond, including the widening demographic divide, geopolitics as a demand shaper, the reordering of travel maps, rail's next act in Asia Pacific, the rejuvenated India-China air corridor, the structural rise of short-term rentals, fintech as travel infrastructure, the outbound turn in hotel globalization, and tightening venture capital. In 2025, venture capital flows into Asia-based startups totaled $67.5 billion, down roughly 6% from 2024, marking the lowest annual tally in five years.
According to Phocuswright research, 56% of active US travelers used AI for planning, booking, or in-destination assistance in the past 12 months, up from 43% in H2 2025 and 33% in H1 2025. Among AI users, 94% have used it for travel. AI platforms are nearing parity with general search for travel product research. Half of travelers using AI in search engines still click through to source websites. AI usage is expected to increase further.
Research by Phocuswright and Arival shows the tours and activities sector is projected to reach $340 billion by 2029, but only a third of bookings occur online. At ITB Berlin panel, experts from Civitatis, Expedia Group, and Nezasa discussed AI's role in normalizing data, driving digitalization, and empowering small operators.
Phocuswright's research 'Beyond Points: Rethinking Loyalty and Brand Consistency in Travel' reveals that Gen Z is not disloyal but values novelty. When novelty and loyalty compete, novelty often wins. However, Gen Z and millennials show high engagement in loyalty programs, with higher redemption rates than other generations. They prefer credit card points and OTA programs for their diverse redemption options. The report suggests loyalty programs need to offer variety in both earning and burning to attract younger travelers.
Amadeus released global research, 'Connected Journeys: How Technology Will Transform Travel in the Next Decade'. It found 79% of Singapore respondents would consider using biometric gateways to replace repetitive document and identity checks at key airport touchpoints such as check-in, boarding and immigration, above the global average of 69%. 36% are interested in biometric security to speed up queues, 33% in real-time traffic and arrival updates, and 62% would check luggage from home. 32% would prefer a single 'super app' consolidating travel information; among business travellers, 34% prefer one consolidated app and 32% value smart luggage tracking. Generative AI usage nearly doubled fro…
SAP Concur published a blog on November 19, 2024, citing Wakefield Research to reveal challenges public sector organizations face in travel and expense management. Data shows 29% of healthcare organizations still rely on manual data entry, higher education institutions spend 64 days processing vendor payments, 38% of state and local government T&E solutions fail to meet regulatory requirements, 99% of aerospace and defense contractors face security mandates but nearly a third of systems fall short, and 100% of energy and utilities organizations face new security mandates but 34% acknowledge current solutions are inadequate.