More than 70 statistics and trends in online travel booking for 2026

The world of online travel and tourism has changed significantly over the last five years, following changes in travelers' needs, preferences, and demands.

To facilitate your understanding of the sector, we compiled more than 60 statistics and trends from the online booking market to analyze traveler preferences and behaviors.

These online travel booking statistics offer an overview of the most popular trends in the tourism sector, with valuable information about traveler expectations and the role of online and mobile travel agencies.

An analysis of the growth of the online travel booking sector in recent years.

The growth of the online travel market has been consistent in recent years.

Particularly between 2024 and 2026, with the increase in disposable income for many adults and easy access to online platforms, which allow booking everything from vacation packages to last-minute hotel reservations, the size and revenue of the market are growing.

• The global online travel sector was valued at US$ 622.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$ 1.43 trillion by 2034.This represents a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8% . ( Research and Markets)
• The main trends driving growth in the travel industry include increased use of smart devices, easy access to high-speed internet, the growing popularity of solo travel, and the increasing number of business travelers. ( Research and Markets)
• In the countries studied, including the USA, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, and Mexico, approximately 39% to 40% of global travelers plan to spend more on travel in 2026 than they did in 2025( American Express).
• 65% of travelers recognize that the cost of living continues to impact their plans for 2026; only 2% plan to abandon vacations completely, 44% will take fewer trips, and 17% will opt for shorter stays. (Moneynet )
• Global expenses for business travel are expected to exceed the figure of 1.64 billion dollars in 2025.
  ( Amadeus )
• The travel app market generated US$ 1.1 trillion in revenue in 2025, an increase of 10% compared to the previous year. Business of Apps )
• The total number of global downloads of travel apps reached $4.2 billion in 2024, while revenue within apps was approximately $180 million . ( Sensor Tower)

How people book: Search and purchase behaviors

In North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, travel booking preferences and behaviors are changing in real time as smartphones, artificial intelligence, and other new technologies transform the competitive landscape. See how consumers research and book travel today:

• According to the 2024 Global Trends Survey, 80% of global travelers surveyed find it important to be able to book their trips entirely online, with 86% of Millennials and 83% of Generation Z leading this trend.
• 76% of global travelers said they look for travel apps that reduce the friction and stress of traveling.
• Last year, the top five resources used by travelers to get travel guidance were: search engines (46%), travel review websites (36%), recommendations from family or friends (35%), hotel sites (31%), and OTAs (28%).
• Social networks had the biggest influence on leisure tourists' travel destinations, with 75% of travelers now using social media to choose where to go.
• According to the 2026 Travel Trends Report,64% of Generation Z travelersand57% oftravelers of Generation Y planned and booked activities such as museums or experiences before the trip.
• 60% of travelers state they prioritize booking trips with a single brand or credit card to maximize loyalty points, with Millennials being the most loyal group.(67%).
• In 2026, 26% of travelers said they used an OTA to search for flights and 36% said they used it to book flights. Travelers also used OTAs to book hotels (43%), paid activities (28%), and travel packages (38%).
• 62% of Gen Z adult travelers worldwide said they used AI to help them save money on travel.
• More than 900 million people used a travel app to help them plan trips in 2026. 
• In 2026, approximately 40% of travelersworldwide used AI-powered tools to plan a trip . 
• In May 2026, the number of accesses to travel apps was 87% higher than at the end of 2013.

Online booking statistics indicate a renewed perspective for travelers around the world.

• In 2025, a large majority of travelers (72%) stated they preferred booking their trips online, compared to only 12% who preferred using a travel agency.
• Of those who book trips online, 53% said it is because of the speed with which they can plan the trip (perfect for last-minute travel), 47% said it is easier to compare prices, and 42% said it is better to find cheaper deals.
• More than 70% of all travel bookings were made online in 2025, with 63% of all bookings done via mobile devices. 
• It is predicted that 75% of the total revenue of the tourism and travel sector will be generated through online sales by 2029. 
• 95% of travelers surveyed in 2025 said they would reduce spending in other areas (such as food or entertainment) to finance their trips.
• 95% of travelers surveyed in 2024 said they planned to travel as much or more in the summer of 2024 compared to the previous year. Of these, 80% planned one to two summer trips, with an average duration of five nights.
• In 2026, the dominance of mobile devices increased considerably:68% of travel searches now originate from mobile devices, and mobile platforms represent 63% of all online travel bookings worldwide.
• 97.8% of travel industry executives stated that AI will impact the industry within the next 1 to 5 years.
• 28% of global travelers used AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to plan trips.
• 80% of travelers who booked online visited an OTA "at some point" before booking, "even if they booked on another site."

Main obstacles and frustrations in online travel bookings

• In a study with 15,000 TripAdvisor reviews, it was discovered that flight irregularities were the most discussed topic (36%) by dissatisfied travelers in 2025 , compared to 20% in 2022.
• 43% of Americans dislike booking trips, including 23% of Generation Z travelers.
• The difference between the experience of booking a trip and actually traveling is remarkably large — although 64% of people love to travel, only 26% appreciate the booking process .
• Many travelers reported feeling anxious when booking trips, mainly due to the possibility of delays or cancellations (32%), price issues (18%), and long queues in congested airports (17%).
• 89% of business travelers were affected by travel disruptions in 2025 - the highest number in the last three years.
• On average, 42% of travelers say they are checking travel updates more frequently due to delays, while 36% state that they now prefer booking options with flexible cancellation policies.
• Online travel booking continues to be a source of friction, with about 52% of usersabandoning the booking due to bad experience. 
• In 2026, 86%of people who use AI for travel planning have concerns about the security of their data.
• 74% of interviewed travel agents believe that the buying and selling of travel packages can be simplified. 86% of agents are favorable to modernizing the user experience to boost online travel sales.
• 43% of business travelers were frustrated by the fact that the search function on travel websites was limited to budget or date.
• 87% of business travelers said they would like booking business trips to be as easy as booking vacation trips, but 42% said that booking business trips iseven more difficult. 
  
• In 2025, the main consequences for employee well-being resulting from travel disruptions included increased stress (66%), worse work-life balance (56%) and disruption of personal plans (42% ).
• Travelers want complete solutions to book their trips in one place. 45% of travelers prefer to book a trip from start to finish on a single site that offers flight options, accommodation, car rentals, and extra services, including 50% of Gen Z travelers.
• Bookings made by computer continue to generate a larger share of travel revenue than bookings made on mobile devices, representing about 50% of the revenue, compared to 47% of bookings made on mobile devices.
  

Travel booking is becoming mobile.

• In 2026 until May, 70.5% of online traffic for travel and hospitality websites came from mobile devices..
• Although mobile devices account for about 60% of online travel traffic, computers are responsible for approximately 62% of sales — even if travelers research more on mobile devices, they still use computers to book.
• 39% of users prefer using an app over the mobile website due to speed, while 30% appreciate the greater functionality of a mobile app.
• The average value of online orders from mobile device users grew by 29% since 2022. 
• The global market for travel bookings via mobile devices was estimated at$291.7 billion in 2024and is expected to reach$489.1 billion by 2030(Research and Markets)
• In 2025, the use of mobile devices continues to narrow the gap compared to computers in travel bookings, representing nearly half of all online reservations worldwide. (Phocus Wright)

How is corporate travel online booking evolving

• 82% of travel agents reported the need for digital sales for both leisure and business trips. A better customer experience is a priority for both types of travel. (TravelPort)
• In 2025,86% of business travelersconsidered work trips beneficial and94%stated that business travel is essential for success in their roles.(GBTA)
• 76% of CEOs believe that increased travel budgets would have a positive impact on company revenue, and 62% of CEOs are actively planning to increase travel budgets this year.
• 86% of corporate travel managers stated that airfares affected their companies' ability or willingness to travel (Deloitte)..
• But about 30% of business travelers use unmanaged channels to book corporate travel instead of resorting to corporate travel agents. Why? Business travelers are attracted to OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) with better availability and offers, more flexibility, and a better digital travel experience.Deloitte) 
• 40% of employees state that corporate travel is great for their personal and professional growth.
• However, despite the growing interest in corporate travel, companies were concerned about their carbon footprint. In fact, more than half of surveyed US corporate travel managers stated that they needed to reduce business trips by 10 to 20% to meet sustainability goals.Deloitte).
• 46% of corporate travel managers stated that they have implemented strategies to reduce carbon emissions in 2024 and subsequent years, an increase compared to the 30% registered in 2023. Deloitte)
• In 2024, 63% of companies are investing more in sustainable travel and 80% of business travelers desire more sustainable options when booking. (TravelPort)
• 88% of corporate travelers desire total transparency about what they are buying when booking trips online. (TravelPort)
• In 2025, 35% of global professionals opted for flexible itineraries to recover costs when trips did not go as planned. 
• The role of online travel agencies in a digital world

Online travel agencies continue to play an important role in current travel services. Offering loyalty programs, partnerships and other initiatives to continue attracting today's consumers will be crucial for expanding market share, rather than being used only for research.

• In 2023, 80% of users made reservations with a single online travel agency (OTA), while 17% used only two OTAs. This indicates strong loyalty to OTAs, as users find one that meets their needs. ( Yodlee)
• In 2023, 51% of travelers made reservations with OTAs (Online Travel Agencies), compared to 37% who booked directly with airlines, 23% who booked directly with hotels and 13% who used seasonal rental platforms like Airbnb. ( Expedia Group )
• 34% of millennials would book with a travel agent instead of an OTA (online travel agency), and 60% of them state that they would be willing to pay more for the advice, recommendations, and destination knowledge provided by agents. ( Condor Ferries)
• The average cart abandonment rate for OTAs was approximately 81%, indicating how travelers frequently use online travel booking websites to find and compare options. ( Condor Ferries)
• Approximately 75%of US travelers booked at least one flight, hotel or travel package through OTA platforms in 2024 ( Market Reports World).
• Some of the main reasons why people preferred OTAs were the security, convenience, loyalty discounts, and reliable online reviews they offered. ( Hospitalitynet)
• 12% of people who book through OTAs say they do so because it is faster than booking directly. ( Hospitalitynet)

Travelers champion sustainability

Market research shows a strong demand for greater sustainability from travelers worldwide in the post-pandemic period, particularly in the US, Europe, Latin America, and Canada.

See what ecotourism market reports suggest consumers are looking for:

• 73%% of global travelers report wanting to makemore sustainable travel choices, but only37% actually put them into practice. 
• 43%% of travelers plan to avoid crowds,42%plan to travel outside of peak season and 25%plan to visit cooler destinations.
• 74% of American travelers said in 2024 that they wanted to travel more sustainably in the following 12 months.
• In a 2026 study, between 43% and 50% of travelers said they were willing to pay an additional amount for eco-friendly optionsor certified as sustainable.
• In 2022, 66% of travelers wanted travel companies to offer more sustainable travel options. However, in 2023, this number increased to 74%.
• 74% of business travelers said it was important for them to minimize their environmental impact in 2024. ( Hilton)
• 66% of travelers in 2024 said that considering climate change was an overwhelming factor when planning their trips ( Hilton).
• Almost half of travelers (49%) stated that sustainable travel options were too expensive, but 43% said they would pay more for sustainable accommodation options. ( GSTC)
• With growing traveler interest in sustainable travel and ecotourism, the ecotourism sector was valued at approximately US$ 295.8 billion in 2025(Fortune Business Insights).
• 78% of travelers want to stay in ecologically friendly accommodations, while 35% want accommodation options with energy efficiency, such as smart thermostats. 40% of travelers want to travel outside the high season to reduce environmental impact and 42% want to buy from local establishments to support local communities.
• Business travelers are also seeking more sustainable lodging options. , with almost half of corporate travel managers forming partnerships with sustainable accommodation providers ( Statista ).