Travel, Leisure, Tourism: Consumer Trends in Hospitality

The tourism industry ranks among the top 10 biggest industries by revenue, and there are so many different kinds of businesses linked to it: hotels, airlines and other transportation, food and beverages, and, of course, entertainment (The Taylor Swift Effect is real). 

In this research, we explore the current and future trends shaping hospitality and travel. As we dive deeper into the online conversation, we’ll explore how consumer behavior is changing and what that means for brands in the space. 

Keep reading or jump directly to each section. 

• How have consumer sentiments towards hospitality shifted? 
• The most discussed vacation types in 2024 
• The changing face of luxury travel 
• Staycations are in decline 
• Trends from peak travel in summer 2024, including The Eras Tour and the summer games, and what they mean for the future 

How have consumer sentiments towards hospitality shifted? 

Between January 1 and June 15, 2024, we gathered over 77m mentions around travel.  

Positive mentions accounted for 16% of the conversation. In these mentions, consumers discussed what they generally enjoyed about traveling. We spotted mentions of great food and service, safe flights and destinations, and consumer-recommended experiences that are “worth the trip.” 

Many mentioned specialty food, must-try dishes, and dining experiences worth traveling for. 

Poor customer service saw a 13.5% increase in mentions in the first five months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.  

Consumers indicated that poor communication from brands was their main issue. In one example, a customer posted on X that after hours of waiting to take off, the flight crew announced that they didn’t have a pilot. In this thread, the consumer added that they understood that delays can happen for various reasons, but the airline should’ve properly communicated the issue to the customers on board.  

Among other mentions with negative sentiment, we spotted complaints about travel apps. Consumers expressed their frustration with inconsistencies and technical difficulties they encountered while using travel and booking applications. They mentioned issues with booking tickets, including app crashes, unresponsive support, credit card payment failures, unexpected fees, pricing discrepancies, and scams.  

These consumers also actively discouraged others from using specific apps they didn’t have luck with. 

Mentions relating to travel apps clocked in at 361k between January 1 and June 15, 2024.

Of course, some issues that arise in travel are unavoidable. Many frustrated travelers are asking for clearer and more frequent communications, so improving communication strategies would be a win for airlines in particular. Airlines should pay special attention to issues that are emerging that they can swiftly do something about.  

While solo travel clocked in the most mentions out of the six categories, the all-inclusive topic saw the highest increase in conversation within the first five months of 2024 – up 13.3% compared to the same period in 2023.

In all-inclusive travel conversations online, many commenters hinted on their overall state of fatigue and the need for a break from their routine, even a short one.  

When we compared the “need a break” conversation between January 1 and June 15, 2024, to the previous five months (July 18 and December 31, 2023), the volume of mentions grew by 11%. Hospitality brands might do well to tap into this trend in their messaging, offering relaxing experiences to combat the general sense of fatigue.  

The cost of living was another factor contributing to the all-inclusive conversation.   

These two posts gathered large volumes of engagement on X. They compared the cost of living of two individuals in their respective homelands to the cost of living at an all-inclusive resort in a country where goods and services tend to be cheaper. In both cases, the comparison showed that an all-inclusive holiday package might be a more cost-effective solution to paying rent and expenses at home. 

What does the generational breakdown look like? 

Looking at the breakdown of data, solo travel dominated travel-related discussions across all generations, with the highest share of conversation among Gen Z, making up 80.4% of their entire conversation around the categories we studied. 

Besides solo travel, baby boomers and Gen X authors were more likely to discuss eco-friendly travel options than other generations, accounting for 37.5% and 26.7% of their conversations on the topics, respectively. 

Millennials and Gen Z authors were more likely to discuss all-inclusive travel, accounting for 13.4% of all vacation type conversations among millennials and 12.5% among Gen Z. 

As expected from the topic of vacation, all six categories saw high proportions of mentions classified as joyful. 

Many of the many types of travel we studied brought consumers joy, with themes including cheaper travel options, unique experiences, dining, ambiance, views, helpful customer service, and inclusive destinations. 

The all-inclusive and pet-friendly travel categories gathered higher shares of angry mentions, with 14% and 11%, respectively. This suggests that consumers buying all-inclusive vacations have higher expectations over their experiences regardless of the price. 

Consumers discussing all-inclusive experiences shared concerns about hidden charges or lack of clarity during booking, as well as disappointment over poor amenities, inadequate hotel service, and low-quality food. Some people also mentioned overcrowding of resorts and theme parks affecting their visitor experience.  

In pet-friendly travel conversations, consumers talked about the necessity of having consistent and clear communication around pet policies at hotels to avoid surprise charges. 

Solo travel gathered the highest volume of fearful mentions, accounting for 12% of all emotion-categorized mentions for this category. Safety and privacy were the biggest concerns in solo travel conversations. Solo travelers called out brands for problematic experiences like broken or faulty door locks at hotels and feeling uncomfortable at their premises. 

Many solo travelers warned others about how to behave to promote safety when traveling alone, especially as a female.  

Staycations are in decline 

Staycations have been known as a great way to recharge, treat oneself, have fun, and relax – as well as to save a bit of money on travel.  

We gathered over 225k mentions relating to staycation between January 1 and June 15, 2024. But things seem to be in decline – mentions of staycation decreased 29% compared to January 1 and June 15, 2023.  

According to a recent report by US Travel Association, domestic air passenger growth was up 6% in January 2024 compared to the previous year but lower than the double-digit growth seen through 2023. Traveling abroad increased 24% year-over-year.  

High gas prices, car rentals, and expensive airfare contribute to the total cost of a vacation, and according to a recent report, a weeklong solo vacation in the US can set customers back more than $1,900 per person. 

For travelers in the UK, unpredictable weather and exorbitant prices have taken a toll on domestic tourism, too. 

The growing costs of staying local compared to traveling abroad could be one of the reasons not to have a staycation for some consumers. 

For those who can afford staycations, we found plenty of consumers spotlighting their ultimate staycation experiences, including luxurious suites, gourmet delights, and spa retreats. 

Major soccer games gathered the highest volume of travel conversation between January 1 and June 15, 2024, accounting for 42% of mentions relating to the three events. 

Our emotion analysis showed that major soccer games saw the highest volume of angry mentions. In those conversations, consumers complained about high travel costs, accommodation availability, airline refund requests, public transportation issues, and overall logistics.  

Summer games accumulated the highest volume of joyful mentions. Multiple consumers shared their excitement about the upcoming event in Paris, including preparations, travel recommendations, and plans for the event. Some openly praised travel brands when scoring a good travel deal. 

Taylor Swift’s Eras tour gathered the highest share of sad mentions compared to the other two events, accounting for 24% of all Eras Tour-related emotion-categorized mentions. In sad conversations, Taylor Swift fans often discussed the costs associated with traveling to see their idol. Some people added that it’s cheaper to fly to Europe to see her concert than to stay in North America. This is a trend that’s reminiscent of our staycation data above – for those looking to save money, staying closer to home doesn’t always make sense. 

Despite the significant costs that Taylor Swift indirectly imposes on her fans and local residents, the Taylor Swift effect undeniably provides a boost to local businesses, as seen in Stockholm here. 

The same can be said about major sporting events.  

Studies suggest that the football championship in Germany will bring over 1 billion US dollars from visiting fans. 

Summer games are projected to generate between 6.7 and 11.1 billion euros for the Paris region. 

Recognizing this potential, many brands are actively joining online discussions, aiming to become a source of joy for consumers. These brands align their tactics with what delights customers, thus positioning themselves as positive contributors to overall customer satisfaction. This is often done in subtle ways, with strict rules around marketing associated with top sporting events.  

To understand this trend better, we looked into mentions of joy relating to the three events shared between January 1 and June 15, 2024. 

The examples below feature happy consumers highlighting thoughtful brands in their online discussions. 

And these brands used the opportunity to reengage their audience online and build stronger and more meaningful relationships with the audience.  

Plenty of brand inspiration if you ask us. 

At the time of writing this research, the major events we looked at haven't finished yet. But what we do know is that during these peak times, brands should be extra vigilant and look for opportunities to delight as well as monitor and solve issues that arise fast.