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Travel & Hospitality

The State of Travel & Hospitality Report: H1 2023

May 2023

Report summary

For more recent data and analysis, see The State of Travel & Hospitality Report: H2 2023.

More than three years since the beginning of the pandemic, it’s officially time to move on from the idea of a “return to normal” in travel. Learned behaviors have become entrenched, and the rest of 2023 will look much more like 2022 than 2019. However, a shifting economic environment could impact travelers’ plans.

Key Takeaways

  • Inflation has resulted in higher travel costs and less disposable income to spend on trips, and most travelers anticipate that it will get worse.
  • Comfort in all types of travel has steadied, and although COVID-19 is a minor consideration, it’s no longer materially influencing travel behaviors.
  • Even many of those who traveled frequently for business in the past year are unsure of when they will do so again.
  • Borders have reopened, restrictions have dropped, and Americans are dusting off their passports.

Methodology

This report is grounded in multiple datasets:

Research conducted from October 2021 to March 2023 among roughly 2,200 U.S. adults per month

Data from surveys conducted between January 2021 and February 2023 among approximately 14,000 total adults in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States

“Return to Normal” trend data leveraged from weekly surveys of 2,200 U.S. adults each

The interviews were conducted online, and the data was weighted to approximate respective populations of adults based on gender, educational attainment, race and region. Topline results from all surveys have margins of error of up to +/-3 percentage points.

About the author

Lindsey Roeschke is a travel & hospitality analyst. Lindsey’s work focuses on behavior and expectations in travel (among other categories), particularly through a generational and cultural lens. In addition to her research and advisory background, Lindsey has more than a decade of experience in the advertising world.