We worked with Northstar to survey more than 11,000 travelers in 11 countries around the globe. Our findings reveal significant patterns across regions and countries and some very surprising outliers. This blog explores some of the highlights; be sure to download the new, fully updated research to get the whole picture.
Across regions and spanning generations, travel decisions are driven by the heart more than the head. Which is to say: budget considerations are important for travelers but cultural and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and activities are considered more important. Most travelers surveyed – from Chinese to Brazilian, from Canadian to German – are most motivated by unique experiences when planning travel. Japanese travelers, while more strongly driven by budgetary considerations, also indicated that they are specifically motivated by food-based experiences. The graph below shows, in aggregate, the considerations that are most important for travelers around the globe.
Our research also revealed that, while in the planning stages, most travelers are considering multiple destinations. Of the regions surveyed, Europeans are the most likely to be deciding between multiple destinations. This is demonstrated by the following graph, which shows that the majority of travelers are deciding between two or more destinations when in the planning stage.
Other interesting findings from the study comparing global travelers include:
Latin American, Japanese, and Chinese travelers are more likely to use their smartphones to seek travel inspiration, conduct research and ultimately book their travel than North Americans and Europeans. However, all groups indicate that they are using their smartphones while traveling.
Across the board, a third of the traveler’s budget is allocated to hotel and flight, with food closely following.
To dive more deeply into this research on global travel patterns, download the full study.
