The U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard

Travel and economic data for October continues to point to a familiar theme: a mixed picture for an industry pushing through real headwinds. Some indicators remain unavailable due to the government shutdown, but the available data reinforces the unevenness we’ve seen all year.

Overall travel spending was flat compared to last October—a month already distorted by Hurricane Milton’s impact in 2024. Domestic air travel ticked up, though that growth reflects a soft comparison period more than true acceleration. International inbound continued its six-month downward trend, with preliminary data showing overseas visits down 3.1%—and more detailed inbound reporting still delayed. Early StatsCan figures show Canadian inbound down 20–30% in October, in line with recent months. Hotel room demand also continued to slip, both overall and within the group segment.

The broader economic picture isn’t much clearer. Delayed September jobs data show a labor market that is still adding positions, particularly in Leisure and Hospitality. But inflationary pressure and the shutdown pushed consumer confidence and sentiment near historic lows—and full CPI data remains held up.

The bottom line: Demand remains resilient in places, but uncertainty continues to define the landscape.
 

U.S. Travel members have access to the exclusive U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard, the most comprehensive and centralized source for high-frequency intelligence on the U.S. travel industry and the broader economy. The platform, powered by Tourism Economics, is supported by approximately 20 data partners and tracks industry performance, travel volumes and predictive travel indicators to provide members with a detailed, interactive view of travel's recovery and performance.

The dashboard is updated on the last week of each month.

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