Get the latest in travel industry highlights with our free weekly research articles and more. Sign up to get the latest delivered directly to your inbox.
Use of tech in trip-planning is not one-size-fits-all
November 2024Travelers’ embrace of technology continues to evolve. Digital interactions, preferences for apps and what consumers are looking for differ for each part of the travel journey. And most travelers vary their approach to planning each trip online. But as technologies develop, are you understanding your customers’’ attitudes and perceptions about the tools they are using?
Is the future of travel regulation digital and green?
November 2024Navigating a patchwork of regulations across borders is a major challenge for travel businesses. Balancing economic growth with environmental and social responsibility further complicates the picture. However, growing awareness of the importance of sustainability and consumer protections is driving a shift toward more robust and level regulation.
When travelers want digital vs. human interaction
October 2024While digital interactions are preferred by more for directions, checking in, and making changes to bookings/reservations, travelers prefer their fellow humans for tours, customer support and ordering in restaurants. Travel companies should note the strong continued interest in human customer service, despite the rise in use of artificial intelligence chatbots.
.png "Are travelers early adopters?")
Are travelers early adopters?
October 2024The use of technology in the trip-planning path is notone-size-fits-all; for most, there is variation with each trip.
Phocuswright Research Roundup 3Q24
October 2024It was another packed quarter for Phocuswright analysts, with 20+ publications spanning technology trends, global travel market sizing, social creator and influencer analysis and more.
Creators and conversion
October 2024The rate of influencer collaborations affecting converters is a prime indicator that creator partnerships can be extremely effective, but brands must still walk a fine line with their choices of when to partner and with whom. Among followers of creators, almost half (49%) say they'll trust an account less if they have a lot of brand collaborations or ads. Even the most successful influencers can...
The cost of payments in the travel industry
October 2024Forty percent of North American respondents and 32% of European respondents pay between 3-3.9% in credit card fees per transaction. Globally, 4-5 in 10 respondents strongly agreed that card processing fees are too high.
What Google’s cookie reversal means for travel
October 2024While third-party cookies are here to stay on the world’s most popular web browser – at least for now – their role in the digital landscape of the future is less certain. This article explores what the change means – and doesn’t mean – and highlights strategic implications for travel advertisers.
How the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) will impact travel
September 2024Amid growing recognition of the power wielded by the Big Tech players, governments worldwide have pushed to enact new regulations and increase antitrust efforts.
The labor shortage should be over, so why are we still worried?
September 2024The labor shortage in tourism and hospitality should be over by now, correct? Most hotels are back to full operation, airlines have enough pilots to fly their planes, and people do and will need jobs. But the truth is, there is no simple fix.
The travel industry payment gap
September 2024Changes in payment are not happening in isolation. As distribution and payment trends are interconnected, suppliers and intermediaries use payment to drive greater loyalty and ease of use. Different industry players are approaching the new payments landscape in thei
Platforms, topics and influencers: Who’s using what?
September 2024Platforms, topics and influencers: Who’s using what? 5575 Through a better understanding of demographics that embrace social media and the psychology of why people engage with the medium, brands can better position themselves and improve the effectiveness of their social marketing. Our latest research e
Decisions guided by trust: Social media conversion in travel
August 2024Decisions guided by trust: Social media conversion in travel 5575 In travel, social media plays a pivotal role in influencing trip decisions. But converting social media engagement into actual bookings can be a challenge. Who are the converters that look to creators and brands to make travel decisions?
Some segments have a higher propensity to be swayed by social content
August 2024Some segments have a higher propensity to be swayed by social content 5575 Social media plays a pivotal role in influencing travel decisions, but converting social media engagement into actual bookings remains a challenge for marketers. The travel purchase journey on social platforms is non-linear, beg
The top 15 global travel markets: North America, APAC and Western Europe lead the way
August 2024The top 15 global travel markets: North America, APAC and Western Europe lead the way 5575 North America, APAC and Western Europe continue to lead in terms of market size, with the top 15 markets in 2023 closely resembling those of 2019, while exhibiting some shifts in their rankings and the addition o
Travel Startups Interactive Database
August 2024A redesigned database of 8,000+ startups, 11,000+ funding rounds, aggregated data of investment trends and more.
An overview of the Europe startup landscape
August 2024With over 2,500 travel startups tracked in Phocuswright’s Travel Startups Interactive Database, this graphical overview features top verticals by funding, regional rankings and more.
5 things to know about the U.S. hotel market
July 20245 things to know about the U.S. hotel market 5575 The U.S. hotel & lodging market had a record year in 2023, thanks to robust demand and historically high ADRs according to Phocuswright’s U.S. Hotel & Lodging Market Report 2023-2027. The labor shortage that plagued the industry, causing service
The true impact of social strategy
July 2024For social marketing in travel, the waters remain murky. On the one hand, engagement with social content has played a clear role in driving destination growth – sometimes even directly propagating overtourism. But in many cases, companies struggle to measure the true impact of their social strategies and fail to comprehensively capture consumer interactions with their content.
Traveler profile in major European markets
July 2024Here's a look at the last trip profile for travelers in five markets across Europe.
.png "Watch recording: Travel Innovation and Technology Trends 2024")
Watch recording: Travel Innovation and Technology Trends 2024
July 2024Phocuswright’s expert analysts dive into the most impactful technology and innovation trends that will influence the travel industry in the coming year and beyond. Watch the recording now.
Phocuswright Research Roundup 2Q24
July 2024An overview of the research reports published in 2Q24.
Is the travel industry ready for CBDCs?
July 2024It is essential that the travel industry separates the hype around digital currencies from the clear trend toward their acceptance. CBDCs represent a major transition from traditional fiat paper currency to a digital form of currency with new capabilities and concerns. Now is the time for suppliers and intermediaries to evaluate accepting them as a form of payment and create the necessary...
True automated AI in travel is coming
July 2024AI-driven automation is poised to dramatically transform the travel industry, fulfilling the promise of early OTAs and OBTs of agentless planning and booking and so much more. The success of these efforts will be contingent on the quality of their actions, the degree to which they disrupt our technology infrastructure and how and when they use our personal information to achieve their goals.
62% who use social for trip planning make specific decision after viewing content
June 202462% who use social for trip planning make specific decision after viewing content 5575 A majority of travelers (57%) utilize social media for their trips. It's leveraged for a variety of purposes including finding ideas, general travel information, shopping, making a booking, or sharing content to thei
Phocuswright Europe 2024 Wrap Up: GenAI is Here - Now What?
June 2024Travel demand might have slowed from the sizzling pace of 2023, but there was no lack of enthusiasm at Phocuswright Europe in Barcelona June 10-12. Here's a wrap up of the most pressing topics and highlights.
4 things to know about the European travel market
June 2024With Phocuswright Europe fresh on our minds, we present 4 important figures from our latest European market research.
Spanish travelers: Hotel stays flat, short-term rentals up 28% YOY
June 2024For Spanish travelers, hotels remain the overall lodging of choice, with short-term rentals (STR) a distant second. However, STR usage increased considerably over the prior year, closing the gap somewhat.
5 noteworthy stats about U.K. travelers
May 2024Traveler demand in the U.K. hit an all-time high in 2023. Across all age groups, travel incidence increased and travel spend remains a top priority for Britons. While some economic challenges persist, overall outlook towards future travel also remains largel
7 GenAI use cases for consumer travel and internal operations
May 2024While the interfaces for research, shopping and booking are the center of attention, several other GenAI use cases stand out on the consumer side.
Minimizing hallucinations in GenAI and LLMs
May 2024Travel Innovation and Technology Trends 2024
Optimistic, nimble and reactive: A fresh start for U.S. airlines in 2024
May 2024Optimistic, nimble and reactive: A fresh start for U.S. airlines in 2024 5575 Demand remains high for the U.S. airline industry, as it witnessed passenger numbers surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2023, with over 855 million passengers traveling through U.S. airports. Airline gross bookings continued thei
U.S. OTAs pass $100B revenue mark for first time
May 20244 key takeaways from latest U.S. OTA research 5575 As the digital landscape evolves, U.S. OTAs continue growing, with 2023 witnessing a solid yet decelerated 14% expansion in response to a stabilizing consumer demand post-pandemic. Despite anticipated longer-term stagnation, these platforms have cement
.png "Unlocking Insights: Tour Phocuswright's Open Access Research Subscription")
Unlocking Insights: Tour Phocuswright's Open Access Research Subscription
April 2024We delve into the world of travel market intelligence with Phocuswright's Open Access research subscription.
Online event - Tripped Up: Why Trip Planning Startups Stumble
April 2024Hear from Mike Coletta, Manager of Research and Innovation at Phocuswright and Gilad Berenstein, investor and former founder of Utrip, on their personal experiences with trip planning startups and what Phocuswright’s startup data tells us about success and failure.
Will cutting emissions cut into corporate travel?
April 2024Travel Innovation and Technology Trends 2024
5 things to know about the U.K. travel market in 2024 and beyond
April 20245 things to know about the U.K. travel market in 2024 and beyond 5575 In 2023, the U.K. travel market experienced significant growth, with gross bookings increasing 19%, driven by robust expansion in online bookings, mobile transactions, and key sectors like airlines and car rentals. To fully understan
Scandinavian airline market excels, but risks remain
April 2024Scandinavian airline market excels, but risks remain 5575 In the Scandinavia travel market, the outlook through 2027 is positive, with double-digit growth expected each year as Scandinavian travelers indulge their wanderlust. However, while airline gross bookings are projected to surpass pre-COVID leve
Online event recording: The Long-Term Outlook on Short-Term Rentals: How to Thrive in a Shifting Market
April 2024This interdisciplinary webinar bridges macro insights on U.S. travel demand, real estate and hospitality trends with practical financial and regulatory challenges that rental operators deal with on the ground. Segment experts and Phocuswright analyst Madeline List takes a nuanced and data-driven view on STRs’ next chapter.
Who should own the customer?
April 2024What if rather than a supplier or intermediary owning the customer profile, travelers themselves controlled their own personal information, choosing which suppliers and intermediaries to share specific details with? Enter the concept of self-sovereign identity (SSI).
U.S. Consumer Travel Report
March 2024A true understanding of American travelers’ behavior and travel sentiment based on a comprehensive survey of leisure travelers.
Growth, increased arrivals, but an eye on cost in France
March 2024Growth, increased arrivals, but an eye on cost in France 5575 France's travel sector witnessed solid growth in 2023, climbing by 12% to over €55 billion, predominantly driven by the resurgence of international travel alongside strong domestic demand. The digital transformation for the French market is
Is the travel industry keeping up with emerging tech?
March 2024Emerging technologies have undoubtedly revolutionized many industries, yet the travel industry has not fully unleashed all their potentials. Looking forward, many will play a crucial role in meeting the evolving demands of global travelers, emphasizing sustainability, seamless journeys and hyper-personalized experiences.
U.S. Corporate Travel Market: Insights and Outlook
March 2024Participate in an updated study on the U.S. corporate travel landscape, focusing on current market sizing, evolving trends, and future projections.
U.S. Short-Term Rentals
March 2024Examining perceptions, preferences, key trends, market size, tech adoption, inventory, opportunities and more.
Scroll, Heart, Fly: Social Media’s Impact on Travel
March 2024Inspired by the trends in the data, senior analyst Madeline List will lead this consumer research study that specializes in social media usage for trip planning and sharing.
.png "Funding for short-term rental startups cooling but more resilient than other verticals")
Funding for short-term rental startups cooling but more resilient than other verticals
March 2024An analysis of Phocuswright's Travel Startups Interactive Database reveals new insights when comparing funding from 2022 through 3Q23 versus the past 10 years.
From discovery page to destination
March 2024The extremely wide reach of social networks also sparks fear that places will go viral too quickly for a destination to manage the resulting swarms of users intent on visiting trendy areas. Though these cases are likely to be fueled by a minority of travelers, that's expected to grow over time as social media gains even more traction.
Domestic tourism driving surge in India travel market
February 2024Indian travelers, especially the younger generations, perceive travel not merely as a recreational pursuit but as an integral part of their lifestyle. Middle class expansion, coupled with growing disposable incomes and a paradigm shift in cultural perspectives, have catalyzed a surge in tourism in recent years. Gross bookings for the India travel market grew 72% to $33.2 billion in 2022, ultimately...