100 Critical Travel Statistics [2023]
Has travel recovered from the 2020-21 Covid Pandemic? Here is the latest data to answer that question, plus 90+ other critical travel statistics.
Is 2023 Travel Back to 2019 Levels? Travel Statistics Can Provide an Answer
Unfortunately, like many numbers, travel statistics can usually be manipulated to give the answer you want. Here are what the different experts are saying about the question.
United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
According to the UNWTO, not yet. As of the first quarter of 2023, while the Middle East is fully recovered, all other regions still have some work to do. Asia-Pacific, which stayed closed the longest, is still only 54% recovered. The World as a whole is 80% recovered, with the Americas 86% recovered, Africa 85% recovered and Europe, second best region in the world at 90% recovered.
In fact, the chart below shows that while the recovery was pretty strong in 2022, it is slowing a little more in 2023.
Additionally, when analyzing the travel recovery by year and by region, the UNWTO shows that the Middle East is improving much quicker than anywhere else in the world; Asia Pacific, which declined to 93% of its pre-pandemic travel in 2021, is still lagging the most in its recovery.
International Air Transportation Association (IATA)
IATA has a similar message, albeit with different data by region. Basically, IATA is more robust about 2023 being a recovery year for some regions. They predict that all regions recover fully in 2023 or 2024. They predict North America and Latin America recover fully in 2023, with the other regions recovering fully in 2024.
IATA is counting passengers, while UNWTO counts International Arrivals. It makes a difference, since domestic travel in places like the Americas is recovering much faster than International Arrivals in to the US, as Asian Traffic is clearly lagging.
Interestingly, Asian travel is expected to grow faster in 2024-25 and is expected to recover to 120% by 2025, second to the Middle East, which will recover to 122% by 2025. Asia Pacific is expected to add 2.5 million passengers a year by 2040, a startling number.
Statista.com
Statista reports as of 2022 that the number of international arrivals worldwide had only recovered by 67% (962.8 million vs 1,466.5 million). This clearly indicates that the world definitely has a way to go in 2023 and 2024 to get fully recovered.
US Department of Commerce – National Travel & Tourism Office
According to the US Department of Commerce, inbound visitor volume to the US is definitely picking up. They state that International Arrivals into the US in 2023 was 16,740,813, a 37.7% increase of 2022. And in July 2023, they state that the number of arrivals was 3,137,570, a 21% increase over July, 2022.
As shown in the chart above, the US inbound travel volume in 2022 was slow to recover in 2022. It was still only 50% of the 2019 inbound travel volume. Fortunately, the inbound volumes in 2023 have picked up as more people are definitely travelling internationally.
Another way to look at travel statistics and how well travel has recovered from the pandemic is to look at US outbound international travel data, which is reported by the US Department of Commerce – National Travel & Tourism Office. The chart below shows that finally in May and June of 2023, outbound travel from the US is almost back to 2019 levels. However, it clearly was not fully recovered in 2022. Here is the precise data: Total Outbound travelers 2022: 80,729,713 vs 2019: 99,270,496. May 2023 travelers 8,436,133 vs 8,529,519 in 2019. June 2023 travelers 10,377,992 vs 10,444,011 in 2019. So this confirms the UNWTO data, that even with the latest two heavy travel months of 2023 now in the record books, 2023 US International Travel is still not fully back to 2019. And, will likely not be fully back until 2024.
Economic Recovery Travel Statistics
According to the World Trade & Tourism Council, 2019 travel and tourism globally was 10% of the Global GDP. However, it declined by 50% during the pandemic and left 62 million people jobless throughout the world. Undoubtedly, cruise workers were the most impacted as the industry shut down. Global tourism jobs were 333 million in 2019, 300 million in 2022, and estimated to be 324 million in 2023, still not fully recovered.
According to IATA, the financial impact to the airline industry is as expected reflective of the falloff in global travel volumes. In addition, in 2023 there is continued falloff in cargo volumes compared to 2022, resulting from the slowing global economy.
United States Economic Recovery Travel Statistics
According to Statisa.com, though the United States of America’s contribution of travel and tourism to GDP (% of GDP) fluctuated substantially in recent years, it also tended to decrease through the 2000 – 2019 period ending at 7.8 % in 2019, less that the global percentage of 10%. It became a much smaller percentage of total GDP during the pandemic years of 2020-21 when the travel industry was almost shut-down.
As shown in the above chart, US employment in the Travel and Tourism Industry declined by almost 50% between 2019 and 2020, while total employment in the US declined by only single digits in the same period. And in 2021, travel and tourism employment was only back to 75% of pre-pandemic levels.
According to the US Department of Commerce, when compared to the total economy the recovery in 2021 vs. 2020 was substantial as travel and tourism increased by 64.4% compared to a 5.9% total recovery in GDP over the same period.
Cost of Travel
As a result of inflation becoming a major concern worldwide in 2022-23, it is not surprising to see a jump in travel costs. According to the Forbes Advisor, as shown in the following chart, the average cost of domestic airfare was $378 in 2022, up 14.1% compared to 2021. International travel also faced higher costs, unless you find a screaming deal.
Forbes also indicates that the cost of travel will further increase in 2023. They say that the average cost of a domestic round-trip economy fare will increase to $427.20. Further, they predict that the average cost of a mid-range hotel room will be $167.16 per night, a daily car rental on average will be $49.17 and daily restaurant meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) will cost on average $104.30. Consequently, here are their estimates for the cost of a 3-day US vacation.
Restaurant Meals Costs by City
Forbes has also reported the average restaurant meal cost by city, according to Business travel news.
Lowest Cost US Vacation Rentals
Fortunately, according to Forbes, there are still some places to go in the United States where rental costs are manageable. This chart shows Forbes recommendations for the cheapest US vacation rental markets, with Myrtle Beach taking the number one spot at $141 for a daily rental in 2022. Following closely are San Antonio, Seattle, Philadelphia, and Branson, Missouri.
Airlines Travel Statistics
Also, according to Statista.com, the falloff in International airline travel resulting from the pandemic has been dramatic. This is especially significant when compared to the more than 5% annual rate of growth during the 15 years from 2005-2019. The 2022 number of international arrivals was 962.8 million passengers, about the same as in 2010, and roughly 65% of the amount of arrivals in 2019.
Use of Smartphones for Check-in
According to IATA in 2019 51% of passengers used smart phones to check-in.
Lodging Travel Statistics
By all means, according to a report in US News and World Reporter by the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the hotel industry in the United States. The report states that the pandemic has eliminated more than 10 years of job growth in the accommodations sector, with more than 670,000 hotel industry operation jobs and nearly 4 million hospitality jobs lost in 2020. The same report also predicts that the hotel and hospitality industry is not expected to make a full recovery until 2024.
However, there are some signs of improvement. According to a report by NBC News, U.S. hotel occupancy actually returned to pre-pandemic levels in the summer of 2021. They reported a 69.6 percent occupancy rate in July, the highest rate since August 2019. Some cities, including Miami and Virginia Beach, are even outperforming their occupancy and average daily rates from 2019.
Lodging Preferences – Summer 2023 Travel Statistics
According to a survey done by Deloitte, at least half of all leisure travelers will be taking a leisure trip with paid lodging. Of the 37% that don’t plan on traveling 50% say it is because of cost.
Similarly, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association, over half of adults in the US are more likely in 2023 during the summer than they were in 2022 to stay in a hotel (56%). They say Americans will take more frequent (55%) and longer (52%) leisure or vacation trips. They also claim that half of adults are interested in being a digital nomad, including 26% who are very interested.
Lodging Reservation Statistics
Thrivemyway.com has sourced a number of lodging statistics that are particularly interesting. These are especially important to hotel operators looking to improve their occupancy statistics.
- 83% of US adults prefer to book trips online, while, 41% prefer online travel agencies. Consequently, use of physical travel agencies is down to 24.3%.
- Booking.com is the most used travel site with 443 monthly visits.
- 700 million people worldwide are expected to book online hotel rooms in 2023.
- 2/3 of all reservations are made directly on a hotel website.
- 1/3 of leisure travelers in the US stayed in private accommodations.
- In 2021 the percentage of travel bookings done on a mobile device increased to 41%.
- Not unexpected, mobile users prefer apps over websites.
For more information about lodging please see the following cosguide4travel posts:
Public Transit Statistics
Cruise Travel Statistics
Without a doubt, the cruise industry was hurt more than any other industry during the pandemic. Essentially, it was virtually shut-down.
According to a report by Statista, the number of global cruise passengers in 2022 was 20.4 million. The same report forecasts that the number of global cruise passengers is expected to reach 31.5 million in 2023. This surpasses the peak reported in 2019.
For more information about Cruises please see the following cosguide4travel posts:
Travel Preferences
According to Forbes Advisors, there is good news for the travel industry in 2023. Despite the fact that the cost of travel is increasing in 2023, Americans are willing to spend more on travel in 2023.
Also, according to Forbes Advisor, Americans are likely to take a road trip in 2023. The main reason they decide to travel is visiting friends and family. This was supported by a similar survey conducted by Earthweb.com. Their survey claimed that 66% of Americans planned a spring 2023 vacation within the states. Here are the specific choices from the recent survey:
According to Deloitte, all aspects of travel will be showing an increase in 2023.
Vacation Confidence Index
Further supporting the notion that people are more interested in traveling in 2023 is Alliance Partners Vacation Confidence Index. It indicates that 74% of Americans think annual vacations are important, and that only 19% of that group believe they won’t be able to take one in 2023. This is down from 44% who said they wouldn’t be able to take on in 2020. Nineteen percent in 2023 is the second lowest percentage in the fifteen years that they have conducted the survey. Lowest was 18% in 2012.
Highway Statistics
Since the majority of travel involves getting on a highway at some point on a trip, highway statistics can become very important. The following data was gathered from the US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.
Average Miles Traveled per Vehicle 2021 vs 2020
| Vehicle Type | 2020 | 2021 |
| Cars & Other Light Duty Vehicles | 9,928 | 10,566 |
| Motorcycles | 2,150 | 1,988 |
| Heavy Duty Trucks | 23,075 | 23,596 |
| All Motor Vehicles | 10,523 | 11,094 |
Average Miles Traveled per Gallon of Fuel Consumed
| Vehicle Type | 2020 | 2021 |
| Cars & Other Light Duty Vehicles | 25.3 | 25.2 |
| Motorcycles | 44.0 | 44.0 |
| Heavy Duty Trucks | 6.6 | 6.5 |
| All Motor Vehicles | 18.2 | 18.0 |
Motor Fuel Taxes By Country
Ever wonder why gasoline costs so much in other countries around the world? These travel statistics make it pretty obvious.
Business Travel Statistics
FinancesOnline.com reports on a number of important aspects of business travel. Here are some of the highlights. Please note the dates for these stats are either 2020 or 2021. 2023 costs will be higher.
- Business travelers are only 12% of passengers but 75% of profit (Investopedia, 2020).
- Average Daily Cost of Business Travel in the United States is $325 per day (Small Biz Genius, 2021).
- Average Cost of a Business Trip: $1425 (Fyle, 2020).
- Average Cost of International Business Trip: $2600, Airfare $1216 (Certify).
- Average Business Trip Costs consist of Lodging 34%, Airfare 27%, Meals 20%, and Cars 19% (Travel Pulse 2020).
- 75% of Business Trips are less than 250 miles from origin (US Department of Transportation, 2017).
- Leading Concerns of Business Travelers:
- 73.2% Delayed Flights
- 43.8% Seat Avaiability
- 41% Earning Frequent Flyer Points
- 31.4% Ease of getting through security
- What do Business Travelers Want:
- 54% Real-time Notifications
- 46% Automatic Flight Rebooking of Cancelled Flights
- 39% Face-to-Face interaction with agents
“Bleisure” Travel Statistic
“Bleisure” is a fairly new term to describe combining business travel with a leisure add-on extension. Earthweb.com reports that 60% percent of business trips become personal trips. According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association the majority of business travelers are interested in extending business trips with a leisure add-on.
Leisure Travel Generational Travel Differences
According to Rezdy.com, there are going to be differences in the travel interests and ways various age brackets travel. Here are some of their findings from a survey they conducted:
- 80% of travelers 18-34 are expected to go big on their next trip compared to 56% or travelers over 50. (source: Expedia).
- Gen X (over 40) will travel with a family group, while travelers under 40 (Millennials-Gen Y) will travel with friends or solo.
- 40% of Millennials pick holiday destinations based on how Instagrammable the pics will be.
- 6 in 10 travelers under 40 pick locations to stay based on the culinary scene.
- 57% of Millennials have made a travel purchase based on a recommendation from a celebrity or influencer.
The US Travel Association reports the following generational differences:
- 27% of Baby Boomers find relaxing/reducing stress to be their #1 reason for traveling, spending time with family as #2 at 8% .
- Gen X are more focused on strengthening bonds with family and friends (16%) and seeing their children get excited about the experience (9%).
- Millennials are more focused on making memories (19%) and also seeing children get excited (8%).
Also, The US Travel Association reports that in most of the US 22-25% of the population travels to relax and reduce stress; however in the western part of the country the #1 reason to travel for 23% of the population is to make memories.
Country and City Travel Statistics
There is some debate as what are the most highly traveled countries and cities in the world. The reasons for this are once again based in the definition of the statistic. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) France is #1 in 2021, but still has not released 2022 data.
Most traveled Cities of the World
When we try to list the most traveled cities of the world the comparisons get even more difficult, depending on which travel statistic is used. Following is a chart shown in Wikipedia that compares statistics from Euromonitor and Mastercard. Euromonitor’s definition of an international visitor is any person visiting another city in another country who stays more than 24 hours and no more than 12 months. Mastercard’s definition is a person who stayed at least once in the city, two very different definitions. Under these different definitions Hong Kong is #1 by Euromonitor, but falls to #11 under Mastercard.
New York City Travel Statistics
Making the city travel comparisons gets even more complicated when you consider domestic travel as well as international arrivals. For example, NYC & Company, the travel arm for NYC, reports that their volume for tourism in 2022 was 56.4 million travelers (47.4 Domestic and 8.9 International). This was only 85% of the 2019 visitors but is expected to get to 61.7 million in 2023.
So, how do you compare these numbers to the numbers in the above table? Most of the other cities do not have anywhere near the number of domestic travelers that NYC has and, as such, if you based the comparisons on domestic numbers you would have a very different ranking. Tourism is very important to all these cities and especially to New York (where I worked for the City for four years 2007-2010).
According to NYC & Company, tourism supports 410,000 jobs in the Big Apple. The $40 Billion in direct tourism spending has a $60 Billion economic impact for the city.
Sustainable Travel Statistics
(Source Booking.com 2019)
- 55% of Global Travelers Will Make Sustainable Travel Choices.
- 73% intend to stay at least once in an eco-friendly (green) accommodation.
- 70% will be more likely to book accommodation knowing it is eco-friendly.
While these sustainability statistics are very positive, the fact is that travelers have a hard time determining truly sustainable accommodations. As such, the actual people staying in sustainable lodging is much less than those willing to support the environment.
Conclusion
In summary, here is what we can say about travel and tourism in 2023:
- While travel has recovered nicely from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21, it is still not fully back to 2019 levels.
- Despite the impact of worldwide inflation and increases in travel costs, travelers are willing to spend more on travel in 2023.
- Reasons for traveling differ greatly by age group. Travel operators need to understand these differences when marketing to their prospective customers.
- Using travel statistics to identify rankings by country or city can be misleading if you don’t understand the statistical definition.
- Several statistics in this report suggest the US could develop a much more focused transportation strategy to better help it meet the global carbon neutrality goals by 2050. The highway usage statistics and the imbalance of commercial traffic’s impact on fossil fuel consumption, the low US fuel tax, and the traveler’s willingness to support sustainable alternatives all suggest a more focused strategy is needed.