A M E R I C A N E X P R E S S T R A V E L’ S

2023 Global Travel
Trends Report
Where to travel and how? What to do once you’re there?
The answers to these questions continue to evolve.
The 2023 Global Travel Trends Report1 uncovers the driving
forces behind global traveler behaviors and how thesefactors are shaping the future of travel.

T R E N D S AT A G L A N C E

Traveling Off
the Beaten Path

The Rise of“Set-Jetting”

Delicious
Destinations

A Wellness
Wave

Travelers want to discoverlesser-known destinations andhidden gems and help support
local communities.

Pop culture is driving
decision-making about whereto travel and what to do when
you get there.

Food is a huge part oftravel, with consumers
planning entire vacations
around dining experiences.

Restorative vacations
are on the rise, as travelers
prioritize self-care andmental and physical health.

“ TRAVELERS ARE GETTING
INSPIRATION FROM A
NUMBER OF PLACES.

Whether it’s engaging with local communities, recreating favorite onscreen
moments, or planning an entire trip around a specific restaurant, one thingthat’s clear is that people continue to value and feel passionately about travel.
As demand for travel continues, we know our customers on a deep level
and can use our expertise to plan all types of trips.”
AUDREY HENDLEYPRESIDENT OF AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVELGROWTH IN 2023 TRAVEL

85% of respondents
surveyed say they plan totake two or more leisuretrips in 2023

74% of respondents
surveyed agree that theycare more about creatinga travel experience thatmeets their expectations
than about the cost

78% of respondents
surveyed agree they seeleisure travel as an importantbudget priority

Traveling Off
the Beaten Path
Travelers want to discover lesser-known destinations andhidden gems, while helping to support local communities:

89% of respondents agree
that they want to travel todestinations they’ve nevervisited before

71% of respondents agree
that they want to travel toa destination that is off thebeaten path

88% of respondents agree
that dining and shopping at
local small businesses brings
a more authentic experience
while traveling

68% of respondents agree
that they pride themselves onfinding lesser-known vacation
spots before they become
popular85% of respondents agree
that they want to visit aplace where they can truly
experience the local culture

69% of all respondents agree
that they would be willing tospend more on a vacation if
they knew it supported the
local community

83% of respondents agree
that they want to shop at small
businesses when traveling to a
new location
78% of respondents are“very” or “somewhat”
interested in going on avacation in 2023 that supports
local communities

58% of respondents said
that they value learning about
different cultures while onvacation
51% of respondents agree
that they value financially
supporting local businesses
while traveling

Putting a Premium on Purpose:
Gen-Z and Millennial2 Spotlight
86% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents agree thatthey want to shop at small businesses when they travel toa new location – compared to 83% of respondents overall
81% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents agree thatthey want to be able to tell their friends and family thatthey discovered a new vacation spot– compared to 72%of respondents overall
79% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents agree thatthey would love to partake in a day in the life of locals inthe destination they are visiting – compared to 73% ofrespondents overall

When asked which travel activities they would
undertake to support a destination’s local economy,
the most respondents cited eating at local restaurants(75%), followed by shopping at local businesses (63%),
walking to local/hole-in-the-wall restaurants, shops,
and attractions (60%), and visiting cultural sites likemuseums and landmarks (59%)

The Rise of “Set-Jetting”
Travelers are flocking to places that captivate them onscreen, with travel
inspiration found anywhere from smartphones and binge-worthy TV series:

Inspiration driven
by pop-culture:

Inspiration driven
by social media:

The Power of the Screen:
Gen-Z and Millennial Spotlight

64% of respondents agree thatthey have been inspired to travel to a
destination after seeing it featured on a
TV show, news source, or movie

75% of respondents agree thatthey have been inspired to travel to a
specific destination by social media

70% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents
agree that they have been inspired to visit a
destination after seeing it featured in a TV show,
news source, or movie – compared to 64% ofrespondents overall

64% of respondents agree that they
like to watch travel TV shows to knowwhat to do when they visit a destination
61% of respondents agree that they
have been inspired to visit specificrestaurants or stores after seeing themin a TV show or movie
55% of respondents agree thatthey have been inspired to travel toa specific destination after seeing itfeatured on a TV show or documentary
about food
44% of respondents agree that they
get most of their inspiration for whereto dine and what to eat from TV shows
40% of respondents agree that they
have been inspired by a celebrity/
influencer to visit a specific destination

57% of respondents agree that they
like to capture content for their social
media accounts during their travels
51% of respondents say that mostof their inspiration for where to dine
and what to eat while traveling comesfrom social media
49% of respondents say that a top
motivation for traveling in 2023 is tovisit a destination that will look greatin photos/videos
48% of respondents say they want
to travel somewhere they can “showoff on social media”

66% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents
agree that they get most of their eating-whiletraveling inspiration from social media –compared to 51% of respondents overall
61% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents
agree that a top motivation for traveling in
2023 is to visit a destination because it looks
great in photos/videos – compared to 49% ofrespondents overall
56% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents
say they often purchase new outfits oraccessories for a vacation – compared to 25%of respondents overall
46% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents
say they have been inspired to travel to a
destination because of Instagram – comparedto 31% of respondents overall
29% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents
say they have been inspired to travel to a
destination in 2023 from TikTok specifically –compared to 18% of respondents overall.

Delicious Destinations
People are choosing their next travel destination based on what they’ll
eat—from top restaurants, to local favorites, to cooking classes:

81% of respondents agree
that trying local foods andcuisines is the part of travelingthey look forward to most

37% of respndents agree thatthey have planned an entire
trip around visiting a specificrestaurant

79% of respondents liketo explore new food options
they’ve never had before whentraveling

35% of respondents saythat they typically book travel
destinations based on popular
restaurants located there

72% of respondents agree
that they are looking to travelinternationally to experience
cuisines from other cultures

Top ways respondents
plan meals while travelinginclude: walking into
restaurants suggested by
locals or that they discover(58%), improvising/making
dining plans at the destination(48%), making reservations
to dine out (41%), grocery
shopping at the destination(34%) and even planning theirtrip around visiting a specificrestaurant (26%)

46% of respondents agree
they would sign up for cooking
classes to engage in the cultureof the destination
41% of respondents prefer tomake reservations to dine out
while traveling, while 34% of
respondents shop for groceries
while traveling

Focusing on Food:
Gen-Z and Millennial Spotlight
86% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents are open
to venturing out of their comfort zone and trying newfoods while traveling – compared to 84% of respondentsoverall
62% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents are
more inclined when traveling to make reservations inadvance of going to a restaurant – compared to 55% ofrespondents overall
47% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents agree thatthey have planned an entire trip around visiting a specificrestaurant – compared to 37% of respondents overall
45% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents say they haveplanned an entire trip around attending a food festival –compared to 35% of respondents overall
45% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents book theirdinner reservations ahead of their vacations – comparedto 41% of respondents overallA Wellness Wave
Travelers want to relax and unplug from busy lives – and are gravitating towarddestinations and resorts that will help them decompress and feel healthier:

88% of respondents say that theyplan to spend the same or more on
wellness vacations this year, compared
to previous years

68% of respondents areseeking travel destinations thatare surrounded by nature, to focus
on mental clarity

82% of respondents consider walking
their favorite activity for staying healthy
while traveling

The top three reasons that
respondents want to travel in
2023 is to gain new experiences(60%), escape from their normal
routine (57%) and to spend timewith people (45%)

81% of respondents look forward to
unplugging while on vacation to live inthe moment
A large majority (75%) of
respondents agree that they areplanning to decrease screen time
while traveling to better their mental
health and/or seeking to surroundthemselves with nature to focus on
mental clarity (68%).
73% of respondents are planningvacations to better their mental,
physical, and emotional health in 2023
72% of respondents say they are
more focused on self-care than they
were a year ago

57% of respondents plan to takeextended vacations to focus on
their wellness
43% of respondents say thatthey have selected a hotel/
accommodations based on the spa
and wellness center amenities
Among the top activities
respondents are planning wellness
experiences during their travels:
exploring hiking/beach trails (39%),
visiting a private beach (34%),
getting a massage or facial (33%)

Welcoming Wellness:
Gen-Z and Millennial Spotlight
71% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents
are eager to book travels to private beaches
to focus on relaxation – compared to 62% of
respondents overall
61% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents areprioritizing travel plans that focus on personalwellness this year – compared to 48% of
respondents overall
60% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents saythey go out of their way to book hotels that offer
spa and wellness services – compared to 43%of respondents overall
60% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents saythey are planning to take extended vacations tofocus on their wellness – compared to 57% of
respondents overallAdditional Trends to Watch
Intersection ofTravel and Fashion

Credit Cards, Hotels& Lounges on Travel

Younger Generations Paving
the Future of Luxury Travel

70% of respondents agree
that they like to buy new
clothes or accessories fromlocal shops or vendors while
traveling

70% of respondents say they
like to get to the airport earlyso they can relax in an airport
lounge84% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents agree
that they would rather take a dream vacation thanpurchase a new luxury item – compared to 80% of
respondents overall

70% of respondents say theywant to save money by using
credit card points to buy travel

79% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents agree
that they see leisure travel as an important budget
priority – compared to 78% of respondents overall

49% of respondents agree
that they look forward topremium food and beverage
selections at airport lounges
during their journey

76% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents agree thatthey care more about creating a travel experience thatbest fits their expectations than about the cost– compared to 74% of respondents overall

69% of respondents liketo buy new clothes andaccessories for their travels
46% of respondents agree
that they are inspired tochange their style after
traveling to a destination
46% of respondents typicallypurchase and/or plan specificoutfits just for the airport

When asked about preferred
travel accommodations,
respondents invited toselect more than one option
overwhelmingly chose hotels(77%), followed by vacation
rentals (34%) and staying withfriends/family (33%)

65% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents agree thatthey would pay more for luxury customized itineraries
that feature different destinations – compared to 59%
of respondents overall
46% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents plan
to spend more money on experiences like travel, asopposed to goods, in 2023 – compared to 37% ofrespondents overall

METHODOLOGYThe American Express 2023 Global Travel Trends Report is based on data obtained through an online poll conducted byMorning Consult between February 3rd – 11th, 2023 among a sample of 1,000 travelers from Australia, Canada, India, Japan,Mexico, UK and 2,000 travelers in the US who have a household income of at least a $70k equivalent, and who typically travel
by air at least once a year. Results from each market’s survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
1Gen-Z and Millennials are defined as respondents as being born between 1981 - 2012.

2