Skift Take
Travelers may be catching up on international trips, but the pandemic set a precedent for exploring close by.
Despite some record-breaking numbers for international travel, most travel spending still stems from domestic trips. Tourism within regions is growing, too.
A McKinsey & Company report released this week breaks down global tourism and hospitality trends. McKinsey estimated domestic travel spending will reach $6 billion in 2030, followed by the $1.7 billion estimated for travel within a particular region.
“Revenge travel,” with tourists going abroad after the pandemic lockdowns, sounds popular. Still, roughly three-quarters of travel spending in 2023 came from domestic trips. McKinsey predicted that, by 2030, domestic trips will match prepandemic proportions of travel spending.
“The pandemic also created an opportunity for people to really explore what's in their backyard,” said McKinsey Associate Partner Jasperina de Vries, who specializes in travel and contributed to the report.
While the pandemic was one driving force behind closer travel, su