Market Trends

🏖 Based on 2024 surveys from the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany, Phocuswright's 2025 report analyzes travel destination choices. It examines how U.S. and European preferences differ, the impact of digital tools across ages and regions, and motivations like price, scenery, and rest. It identifies traveler segments seeking new versus familiar places. Phocuswright offers unlimited access to travel research, ensuring your strategy stays competitive. Get insights and guide your team with tailored analyst support.

🌍 In 2025, European travelers plan more international leisure and business trips than in 2024, despite economic and geopolitical challenges. Total travel gross bookings rose 6% in 2024 to €347 billion, with a projected increase to €415 billion by 2028. Online bookings grew 11%, reaching €236 billion in 2024, with penetration expected to rise from 68% in 2024 to 74% by 2028. Sustainability and digital efficiency, including AI advancements, are priorities amidst moderate growth and overtourism issues in places like Barcelona and Venice.

💻 U.S., U.K., France, and Germany travelers rely on OTAs and search engines to choose destinations, with the U.S. preferring search (38%) and Germany OTAs (37%). Regional differences show Northeast U.S. travelers favor review sites, while the West uses OTAs and Google Maps equally. Generationally, Millennials and younger rely heavily on digital tools, unlike Gen X and older. Brands must adapt strategies to these patterns for effective engagement, as digital influence varies.

📈 Estonia achieved a +0.1% annual growth target with the Global Review Index™ (GRI) rising from 89.3 in 2022 to 89.8 in 2024. In 2023, satisfaction for museums and attractions decreased by 0.4 and 0.9, prompting targeted training for recovery by 2024 (+0.4 for museums, +0.2 for attractions). Reviewpro Reputation aggregates data from over 80 sources, enabling instant trend recognition. AI analysis helps prioritize improvements, and custom dashboards provide insights based on region, theme, and visitor type.

🏖 Estonia, August 21, 2025 – Visit Estonia improved national guest satisfaction using the Global Review Index™ (GRI) as a KPI, raising the GRI from 89.3 in 2022 to 89.8 in 2024. The initiative analyzed feedback from 254 accommodations, 357 restaurants, 76 museums, and 35 attractions. Key improvements included accommodations (+2.6%) and food services (+6.1%). In 2023, targeted recovery efforts enhanced museums (+0.4) and attractions (+0.2) by 2024. Estonia plans to implement semantic analysis tools in 2025.

🍵 South Korean-style cafés are transforming the U.S. café scene with unique Asian coffee and tea drinks. Expanding from New York to Los Angeles, these cafés offer visually appealing, indulgent flavors with ingredients like sweet corn and black sesame. Highlights include Korean Einspanner and China's AeroFoam drinks. This trend satisfies consumers' desires for experiential and shareable beverages. Carbonate, a creative agency, ranked #45 on the 2025 Inc. Regionals: Midwest list, supports brands in this evolving landscape.

💻 STR President Amanda Hite discusses AI's future role in hospitality at the 2025 Hotel Data Conference. STR's 40 years of hotel data is its key advantage. Her team is carefully testing AI to enhance data onboarding and analysis while safeguarding data integrity. Human judgment remains crucial for interpreting data. This dialogue provides insights on leveraging AI in forecasting without compromising trust.

📈 **Josiah and Amanda discuss the importance of benchmarking in the hotel industry.** When? 2025. Where? U.S. hotel market. What? The key is consistency in tracking data to grow market share. How? By adapting to changes and focusing on competitive growth. The U.S. hotel demand forecast has been revised to -0.1%. With no new demand growth, businesses must shift demand from competitors to succeed. Why? To survive in a rapidly changing environment.

📈 Amanda Hite, President of STR, shared the latest hotel industry forecast on August 7, 2025.