70% of U.S. travelers stayed in hotel, 24% in STR

When it comes to lodging trends in the U.S., there’s a clear winner: hotels. Travelers stay at hotels more than any other lodging type while on vacation. They're most popular among 35 years old or older, with Mid- and upscale being preferred by most. However, short-term rentals (STRs) are particularly popular among younger travelers, with many seeing the benefits of space, privacy and flexibility that STRs have to offer.

The overarching positive for the lodging industry is that almost all travelers stayed in some kind of paid accommodation in the past 12 months (95%), marking a new high, up slightly from 2022/2023 (see figure below). According to Phocuswright’s February Travel Metric of the Month, of the 172 million U.S. travelers in 2024, 70% stayed in a hotel accommodation, whereas 24% stayed in a short-term rental. And when it comes to future intentions, things are looking good.

Phocuswright’s Travel Metric of the Month 2025 features fresh travel industry research published throughout the year, showcasing key data across our market sizing, consumer research, and tech and innovation practices. Each month, we will publish a new visualization that highlights a significant research trend, finding or data set, along with links to the source publication for a deeper dive.

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