Global Travel Market Report 2025
At a glance
- Global travel gross bookings reached US$1.6 trillion in 2024, with projections to approach US$1.8 trillion by 2027, according to Phocuswright.
- Report covers six regions: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Latin America and Eastern Europe, tracking segment and distribution trends.
- Emerging regions including Middle East and Latin America are rising fast, signalling industry diversification across markets and channels.
- Research addresses digital adoption, leisure demand recovery, segment performance and distribution dynamics across air, hotel, cruise and other travel categories.
- Analysis examines structural shifts including artificial intelligence, sustainability mandates and blended travel reshaping the next phase of global travel.
What the report covers
Phocuswright's Global Travel Market Report 2025 provides comprehensive market sizing and growth projections spanning 2021–2027 across six global regions. It analyses key travel segments including airlines, hotels, car rental, cruise, rail and tours, alongside online and traditional distribution channels. The report examines how digital adoption and steady leisure demand are driving structural transformation, whilst tracking divergent growth patterns between established and emerging markets. Published in October 2025, it serves industry stakeholders including DMOs, hoteliers and travel technology companies.
Key findings
Global travel gross bookings climbed to US$1.6 trillion in 2024, following full recovery from pandemic disruption. According to the report, bookings are projected to approach US$1.8 trillion by 2027, reflecting an era defined by structural transformation across multiple fronts including digital adoption and persistent leisure demand. This growth trajectory indicates the industry has moved beyond recovery into sustained expansion.
The report notes that growth is far from uniform across regions. Established markets maintain their leading positions in absolute terms, whilst emerging regions such as the Middle East and Latin America are rising rapidly. This divergence signals an industry diversifying across geographic markets, distribution channels and consumer behaviours, creating both opportunities and challenges for global stakeholders.
Phocuswright's analysis identifies key questions around regional leadership in travel gross bookings, speed of digital channel adoption, and the relative roles of suppliers versus online travel agencies in air and hotel distribution. The report addresses how geopolitical, economic and policy changes are shaping regional travel dynamics, indicating these external factors meaningfully influence market trajectories.
Long-term structural shifts including artificial intelligence, sustainability mandates and blended travel patterns are identified as defining forces shaping the next phase of global travel. The report frames these trends as fundamental to understanding future competitive dynamics and business model evolution across the travel industry value chain.
Key numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Global travel gross bookings | US$1.6 trillion |
| Projected global travel gross bookings | US$1.8 trillion |
| Projection period | 2021–2027 |
| Regional coverage | Six regions |
| Segments analysed | Eight segments |
Figures as published in the source; forecasts and survey results are labelled as such in the note.
Why it matters
DMOs & destinations
The report documents divergent regional growth patterns, with emerging regions rising fast. DMOs in Middle East and Latin America can leverage these trends to attract investment and position their destinations competitively. Understanding projected bookings growth through 2027 helps justify marketing budgets and infrastructure investments aligned with market trajectory.
Hotels & hospitality
Hotel and lodging segments feature prominently in the report's distribution analysis. Operators benefit from understanding global bookings growth to US$1.8 trillion by 2027 and regional variation, informing expansion and pricing strategies. Tracking digital channel adoption speeds helps hoteliers optimise direct booking versus OTA channel mix across regions.
Travel tech & distribution
The report examines distribution dynamics including supplier versus OTA roles in air and hotel segments across regions. Travel tech companies and platforms can use insights on digital adoption acceleration and structural shifts in artificial intelligence and blended travel to inform product development and competitive positioning in rapidly diversifying markets.
Methodology and limits
Phocuswright developed this report by synthesising data and analysis from seven regional travel market reports covering North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Market sizing relies on official data, proprietary research and industry sources. Projections extend to 2027 using modelled growth trajectories based on observed recovery patterns, digital adoption rates and regional economic outlooks. The publicly available summary provided here does not disclose full methodological detail; readers requiring detailed sample specifications, weighting approaches or data limitations should consult the full paid report.
Official source
The report is © Phocuswright. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel — it quotes only figures published in the source and never reproduces the document.
Check the official statistics on Pulse
Related reports
Phocuswright's Travel Forward report projects the global travel market to reach $1.67 trillion by 2026, sustained by robust demand across regions despite economic headwinds. Online bookings are forecast to grow 8% to $1.07 trillion in 2025, with Asia Pacific leading OTA growth at 36% of sales.
Phocuswright's 'The AI-Native Edge: Travel Startups 2025' examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping travel technology entrepreneurship despite a paradoxical funding environment.
Phocuswright's Travel Innovation and Technology Trends 2025 positions generative AI and digital identity as transformative technologies reshaping travel at a scale comparable to the internet and personal computer revolutions.
U.S. online travel agencies surpassed $100 billion in revenue for the first time in 2023, according to Phocuswright's latest market research.