"Economic concerns are making travelers wary of spending. Serving as authoritative sources of information and providing escape will help brands convince them."
Mike Gallinari, Senior Travel & Leisure Analyst
Most industries would be happy with reaching 86% of consumers and 2.5% annual growth, but these figures show hamstrung growth for travel. Worry about the economy has many travelers considering fewer trips this year, and government policies and rhetoric has caused a precipitous drop in inbound tourism, led by a 22.1% reduction in Canadian visitors. As such, travel brands are pressured to pivot to more intense marketing toward domestic travelers.
The added attention is amplifying the stress vacation planners feel when researching their trips, with a least one quarter of normally-excited Gen Z and Millennial travelers saying they anticipate having trouble both finding and verifying travel information online. This has them turning to AI planning solutions; while these can be convenient and “good enough,” they reduce the amount of influence and engagement brands have with travelers. To counter this, brands must reach younger planners directly to be seen as trusted authorities on travel, with guidance on budgeting and itineraries particularly helpful.
Marquee events like the FIFA World Cup will generate a lot of revenue for the industry, but also compound many travelers’ cost concerns. Less-touristed “spillover” destinations, coupled with wellness and/or special interest messaging, can resonate with travelers and move them to action.
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
The travel and tourism market includes both leisure and business travel segments, including: traveler accommodations, domestic and international passenger air transportation services, deep-sea passenger water transportation services, scenic and sightseeing transportation services and travel agencies and tour operators.
Vacationer: an internet user aged 18+ who plans to take a leisure trip in 2025.
Consumer research for this Report was conducted during December 2025, prior to several global and domestic developments in January 2026, which may influence how Americans’ view the political landscape, national identity and the country’s reputation abroad.
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