Traveling can be fulfilling and life-changing. You get to go out in the world, experience new and exciting places, learn about cultures, try out cuisines, meet new people, and make new friends. You might be wondering–how often do people travel? Which generation travels the most? What is traveling going to be like in 2022?
Well, you’ve come to the right place to find out. The travel statistics and travel facts found within this article can help you get a better, clearer understanding of this activity both in the US and on a global level.
Top Ten Travel Statistics for 2022 to Get You Started:
- 43% of travelers worldwide said they value experiences more than things.
- 55% of consumers find chatbots likable.
- International travel statistics show that 9 in 10 travelers use apps to get around when visiting a foreign country.
- 72% of travelers think people ought to make more sustainable choices when traveling.
- 61% of people who travel often report being happy with their physical health and wellbeing.
- Business travel statistics show that 24% of adults never check their work messages and emails when they’re on holiday.
- 74% of millennials said the budget was a primary factor for traveling.
- 60% of business trips turn into personal travel, business travel statistics say.
- 40.1% of millennials pick their destination by how “instagrammable” it is, holiday traveling statistics show.
- 66% of baby boomers are influenced by informative content found in ads.
General Travel Statistics to Keep in Mind for Your Next Adventure
Whether you like to travel or not (seriously, though?), the truth is you rarely think about the habits of fellow globetrotters. But let’s talk about those vacation statistics for a second because you might be surprised.
Here are some statistics on traveling to explain how people perceive their trips, what they do and don’t like, and so much more.
1. 55% of consumers find chatbots likable.
(Regiondo)
Travel booking trends reveal that more than half of consumers like talking to chatbots, mainly because they respond right away. This is why chatbots are a perfect solution for those in the travel industry who receive a lot of similar inquiries in one working day.
Using chatbots is also very cost-effective, as some apps even offer free plans.
2. 72% of travelers think people ought to make more sustainable choices when traveling.
(Regiondo)
Findings from a popular travel platform, Booking.com, reveal that most people are open to sustainable travel and preserving the Earth. In fact, travel stats tell us that the interest in green hotels has been on the rise.
Different travel facts show that people are also looking at different types of accommodation, with camping and glamping becoming more popular than before. Not only is this a way to escape technology and modern life, but it’s also a good way to minimize your carbon footprint.
3. 80% of customers left a review when they were asked to.
(Regiondo)
Travel companies who aim to improve their business and promote their services through word of mouth should consider asking people to leave reviews. According to recent vacation statistics, only 22% of people wrote a review without being asked to do it.
4. 60% of business trips turn into personal travel, business travel statistics say.
(Regiondo)
People who travel for business can be an untapped audience market for the travel industry, as most of these trips are extended for personal reasons.
5. International travel statistics show that 9 in 10 travelers use apps to get around when visiting a foreign country.
(Travelport) (TechRadar)
Technology has definitely changed the way we travel, with most travelers using apps for everything they need while they’re on vacation. This includes social media (dating apps included), weather apps, airline apps, and maps.
Travel facts confirm that technology makes it easier to research destinations and travel is supported by 80% of people saying they prefer obtaining information by themselves.
6. Statistics about travel say families prefer traveling by planes or cars.
(Expedia Group)
Whether families travel by plane or car depends on the criteria they use. For instance, 52% of families choose it according to the fastest option, while 34% base their decisions on what costs the least.
Also, there is something attractive about the idea of having a road trip with your friends, so cars are still high on the list.
7. 23% of workers say they didn’t travel during their time off.
(U.S. Travel Association)
Almost a quarter of people said they didn’t travel at all during their time off from work, despite the fact that traveling is a great way to get rid of the piled-up workplace stress.
This definitely isn’t due to the lack of care, because 84% of workers said that traveling during their time off was important to them.
8. 43% of travelers worldwide said they value experiences more than things.
(Euromonitor International)
Travel statistics from 2019 also showed that 78% of people prioritize real-world experiences instead of buying things.
9. 61% of people who travel often report being happy with their physical health and wellbeing.
(U.S. Travel Association)
In comparison, only 39% of people who don’t travel often, or homebodies, report the same thing.
Millennial & Baby Boomers Travel Statistics
We’re already used to Millennials being different from all other generations in every sense of the word, the difference being the most drastic when compared to Baby Boomers.
Despite all traveling restrictions that continued well into 2021, you can’t help but wonder— who travels the most? How do different generations plan their travels, and how do they decide on their destinations? Let’s find out with these travel facts!
10. 56% of baby boomers have already decided where they are going to travel.
(Expedia Group Media)
In comparison, significantly fewer millennials (40%) and those who belong to Gen Z (35%) have already decided on their destination.
Vacation statistics show that 9% of the Gen Z members and 6% of millennials don’t even have a destination in mind.
11. 74% of millennials said the budget was a primary factor for traveling.
(Expedia Group Media)
When it comes to breaking down the budget, 27% of the millennials’ budget went to accommodation. Flights made up 20% of the budget, while food made up 16%. Millennials also spend 11% on attractions and transportation each, according to the same traveling statistics.
12. 57% of baby boomers said money was the first factor for traveling.
(Expedia Group Media)
A lot of us have a dream to travel the world once we retire and start enjoying a work-free retirement lifestyle. But, how easy is that?
The budget of baby boomers differs slightly from that of millennials. This generation spends 29% of its budget on hotels and 19% on flights. Food is also 19% of the budget, while shopping, transportation, and attractions are all 9% each.
13. 40.1% of millennials pick their destination by how “instagrammable” it is, holiday traveling statistics show.
(Travolution)
Not all younger people are driven by social media, though, as 22.6% of millennials choose their destination for personal development.
14. 72% of baby boomers will choose a destination where they can be active and explore the outdoors.
(Expedia Media Solutions)
The majority of this generation, 95% to be precise, chooses their destination according to the best deals they can find.
15. Millennials prefer staying active and exploring their destination more than boomers, with 89% choosing adventure in their travel.
(Expedia Media Solutions)
However, millennials travel statistics show that the two generations are very similar in choosing their destinations according to the best deals, with 92% of millennials choosing a destination based on this factor.
16. 66% of baby boomers are influenced by informative content found in ads.
(Expedia Media Solutions)
Travel facts confirm that Millennials aren’t immune to advertising either, as 72% of the respondents said ads could influence their decision for choosing a destination.
Just to compare the travel statistics by age group, 90% of Gen Z’s travel destination decisions are influenced by social media and businesses that have a positive branding.
17. 55% of millennials travel for relaxation, making this one of the top vacation types for this generation.
(Expedia Media Solutions)
Other reasons for traveling included visiting family (50%), going on a family vacation (45%), and escaping on a romantic weekend with their partner (34%).
18. Travel industry statistics show fewer boomers travel for relaxation – 48%.
(Expedia Media Solutions)
Vacation statistics indicate that more baby boomers travel because they are visiting family (67%). Another top type of vacation for this generation, right after relaxation and self-care, is sightseeing, with 44% of respondents saying this is their reason for traveling.
19. 19% of baby boomers went outside their country for their last vacation.
(Expedia Media Solutions)
Surprisingly, there is no difference between the two generations in this aspect, with 19% of millennials also choosing to go abroad for their last vacation.
US Travel Statistics to Take You Down the Route 66
Traveling around the US is a dream for many people. But the truth is, it’s quite an expensive dream. Have you ever asked yourself what do American people wish for? Where do they travel and how they behave? Here are some answers.
20. The average hotel rate in the US is $90.92.
(Statista 2) (Statista)
These are the latest vacation statistics we have, and they represent a 27.7% drop which occurred due to the pandemic. For comparison, the average hotel rate per day in 2019 was $131.21.
21. Approximately 37.79 million US citizens traveled overseas in 2019, according to the American travel statistics.
(Statista 1)
Even though these numbers seem impressive, this is a decrease from the previous year’s number of US citizens who traveled overseas. In 2018, the number reached 41.77 million.
22. International travel statistics reveal a staggering 14.01 million international tourists visited New York in 2019.
(Statista 3)
According to these, and thanks to all the international arrivals, New York was forecast to become one of the leading city destinations in the US.
23. The US travel statistics show that 66% of Americans plan on a spring vacation somewhere in America.
(Statista 4)
According to some travel facts for the US, Florida is one of the top destinations for domestic travel, with 38% saying they would like to go on vacation there.
24. Vacationing statistics from 2019 show that 31% of respondents said they expected to travel more in the following year.
(Statista 6)
In 2019, less than half of US citizens were confident they would travel more than they did in 2020.
25. Business travel statistics show that 24% of adults never check their work messages and emails when they’re on holiday.
(Statista 7)
In 2018, only around a quarter of adults actually enjoyed their vacation without checking up on work. This means that the majority is still up to date with what’s going on in the office, even if they are on vacation.
26. Travel industry statistics prove that traveling is good for the US economy.
(US Travel)
In 2019, 1.1 trillion was spent on travel. This generated 2.6 trillion in economic output. On top of that, 15.8 million jobs were supported by travel.
FAQ
How much does the travel industry make a year?
(Select USA)
The US travel and tourism industry employ over 7.8 million people, and it generated a massive $1.6 trillion in 2017. It accounts for roughly 32% of all US service exports or 11% of total exports.
Furthermore, in 2017, tourism and travel represented 2.8% of the US gross domestic product.
How many US citizens travel abroad each year?
(National Travel and Tourism Office)
According to data and stats from 2018, American Departures hit a new record. There were 93 million Americans traveling abroad. Of this number, 41.8 million people traveled via air travel.
Roughly 17.7 million people went to Europe, 8.3 million to the Caribbean, 6.3 million went to Asia, and around 3.2 million went to Central America.
Then, 2.4 million traveled to the Middle East, 2.1 million to South America, 861 thousand to Oceania, and 432,000 to Africa.
Furthermore, vacation statistics show that roughly 36.9 million went to Mexico, while 14.3 million went to Canada.
Conclusion
Traveling is a fulfilling and important activity that enriches the soul and makes you understand the world better. However, coronavirus changed everything and 2022 travels are bound to be very different from what we’re used to.
The travel statistics above will hopefully help you with understanding it all and making the right decision. Bon voyage!
Sources:
- Euromonitor International
- Expedia Group
- Expedia Group Media
- Expedia Media Solutions
- National Travel and Tourism Office
- Regiondo
- Select USA
- Statista 1
- Statista 2
- Statista 3
- Statista 4
- Statista 5
- Statista 6
- Statista 7
- Statista
- TechRadar
- Travel Agent Central
- Travelport
- Travolution
- TripAdvisor
- U.S. Travel Association
- Us Travel
