{"product_id":"2026-portrait-of-american-travelers-fall","title":"2026 Portrait of American Travelers (Fall)™","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e2026 Portrait of American Travelers™ (Fall Edition) \u003c\/strong\u003eprovides \u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003ean in-depth view of the outlook, priorities and planning behaviours of U.S. leisure travellers. The study examines how economic pressures, generational divides, emerging technologies and changing perceptions of value are reshaping travel demand, destination choice and the path to purchase.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe findings reveal a resilient market in which Americans are \u003cstrong\u003eprotecting their vacations rather than abandoning them\u003c\/strong\u003e. Travellers expect to spend \u003cstrong\u003e$5,655\u003c\/strong\u003e on leisure travel over the next 12 months, close to the record high reached earlier in 2026, while anticipated trip volume has climbed to \u003cstrong\u003e3.9 vacations\u003c\/strong\u003e per year. At the same time, \u003cstrong\u003e35% \u003c\/strong\u003eare travelling during off-peak periods and \u003cstrong\u003e32%\u003c\/strong\u003e are reducing spending elsewhere in their lives to preserve their ability to take a vacation\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/mmgy365.sharepoint.com\/sites\/DCAccountManagement\/_layouts\/15\/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc=%7b43654DCA-5726-4949-8A46-93A810ACA3D6%7d\u0026amp;file=2026+POAT+Fall+Key+Findings.docx\u0026amp;action=default\u0026amp;mobileredirect=true\u0026amp;nav=eyJoIjoiMTY3NjE2NDAzMCJ9\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat you will learn\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow leisure travel spending and trip intentions are evolving among American travellers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow travellers define value through price, quality, convenience and meaningful experiences\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy affordability, safety concerns and geopolitical uncertainty are influencing domestic and international travel decisions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow travel demand, budgets and activity preferences differ by generation and household income\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhich U.S. states, cities, islands and national or state parks travellers most want to visit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat motivates Americans to travel and which activities and experiences they are prioritising\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow travellers discover, research, plan and book domestic and international trips\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini are changing travel inspiration and itinerary planning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat the 2026 FIFA World Cup means for destination interest, vacation planning and demand for live sporting events\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhere travel advisors, curated recommendations and traditional booking channels remain most relevant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study highlights an \u003cstrong\u003eincreasingly divided travel market\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003eBoomers expect to spend $8,796\u003c\/strong\u003e on travel over the next year, nearly four times the \u003cstrong\u003e$2,195 anticipated by Gen Z travellers\u003c\/strong\u003e. The gap is equally pronounced by income: households earning $250,000 or more expect to spend over $12,000 and take more than five vacations annually, compared with $1,448 and three trips among those earning under $50,000.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eValue is also extending \u003cstrong\u003ebeyond the lowest available price\u003c\/strong\u003e. While \u003cstrong\u003e64% choose domestic destinations\u003c\/strong\u003e because they are less expensive, travellers also associate value with quality time with family and friends, creating lasting memories and staying in quality accommodation. These findings demonstrate the importance of \u003cstrong\u003ecombining affordability with experiences that feel meaningful\u003c\/strong\u003e and worth the investment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAI has now entered the mainstream travel journey, with \u003cstrong\u003e51% of leisure travellers using it for trip planning\u003c\/strong\u003e, an increase of 11 percentage points year over year. Adoption is highest among \u003cstrong\u003eGen Z travellers at 71%\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003ehouseholds with children at 68%\u003c\/strong\u003e, while ChatGPT and Gemini are the most widely used platforms. However, \u003cstrong\u003eonly 4% rank AI among their first three planning steps\u003c\/strong\u003e, showing that trusted content, human guidance and curated recommendations remain critical in converting inspiration into bookings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe report also explores destination demand, travel motivators and emerging opportunities across the wider leisure journey. \u003cstrong\u003eHawaii, Florida and California remain the most desired states\u003c\/strong\u003e, while Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and Yosemite lead interest in national and state parks. International travel intent has stabilised at 31%, and \u003cstrong\u003esignificant undecided audiences remain \u003c\/strong\u003eacross cruises and vacation packages, creating opportunities for organisations that can provide clearer guidance and curation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith detailed insights spanning travel outlook, destination preferences, vacation activities, international travel and trip planning, this study helps travel organisations \u003cstrong\u003eidentify growth opportunities, sharpen audience segmentation and develop more relevant products, messaging and channel strategies\u003c\/strong\u003e for today’s value-conscious American traveller.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIdeal for:\u003c\/strong\u003e Destination marketing organisations, tourism boards, hotels and resorts, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, travel advisors, attractions, sports and entertainment organisations, research teams, strategists and marketing professionals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"MMGY","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67590262292633,"sku":null,"price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0510\/3685\/files\/2026.08.25_TravelIntel_POAT_Covers_Front_2.png?v=1790679532","url":"https:\/\/store.mmgyintel.com\/products\/2026-portrait-of-american-travelers-fall","provider":"MMGY Global","version":"1.0","type":"link"}