DALLAS, Texas—Fourteen % of US vacationers now flip to acquainted resort manufacturers as their start line when researching lodging, an nearly threefold enhance on final 12 months’s determine (5 %), in line with SiteMinder’s Altering Traveler Report 2026. This marked the best proportion of all international locations surveyed and double the worldwide common of seven %, which in flip greater than doubled from the earlier 12 months (3 %).
SiteMinder’s report confirmed that U.S. vacationers usually tend to e-book immediately—by web site, cellphone, or e mail—than they have been 12 months in the past, as much as 40 % from 36 %, and considerably above the worldwide common (28 %).
The first motivations cited for reserving immediately have been a need for flexibility with adjustments (66 %), a desire for direct communication (61 %), and entry to raised costs and package deal offers (57 %). SiteMinder’s knowledge additionally underscored the premium American vacationers place on freebies and loyalty packages, with 42 % and 28 %, respectively, itemizing these as a main cause to return to a property, in comparison with 32 % and 22 % globally.
In response to the info, the home focus amongst American vacationers can be strengthening, with 52 % planning to journey solely inside america in 2026, up from 49 % final 12 months. Among the many world’s vacationers, simply over 10 % naming america as a “dream vacation spot” in comparison with 9 % final 12 months. America was surpassed on this regard solely by Japan (17 %), which retained its place on the high of the listing, and is adopted carefully by France (10%).
“The larger willingness of American vacationers to e-book home journeys, and their robust desire for direct bookings and loyalty initiatives, presents a gap for motels, as does the continued worldwide curiosity in visiting the US subsequent 12 months,” mentioned Brian Reising, regional vp of U.S. and Latin America at SiteMinder. “Resorts that may meet vacationers’ rising expectations of flexibility, service, and worth are greatest positioned to benefit from company’ rising inclination in direction of direct bookings and need to forge a relationship with a model they belief.”
Adjustments in U.S. Traveler Habits Mirror International Traits
SiteMinder’s report confirmed a sequence of adjustments taking place amongst vacationers around the globe. Twenty-six % deliberate to start exploring lodging choices utilizing an OTA, in contrast with 18 % final 12 months, whereas those that would begin with a search engine fell to 21 % from 36 %. Twice as many vacationers (14 %) mentioned they might first look to mates or household for suggestions, up from 7 % final 12 months.
These traits have been echoed amongst American vacationers, with the quantity intending to begin their lodging analysis via serps nearly halving to 19 % this 12 months, in comparison with 36 % in 2024, whereas 18 % would select OTAs as their first port of name, up from 15 % the earlier 12 months. Likewise, 17 % would begin exploring lodging by searching for recommendation from family and friends, nearly double final 12 months’s determine (9 %).
The information from SiteMinder additionally confirmed that 18 % of vacationers who start their search on an OTA would finally e-book immediately with their resort, a sample rising by 3.3 share factors, year-on-year. Within the US, this elevated to 24 %.
Moreover, the usage of AI as a primary step of lodging analysis reached 4 %, up from 1 % final 12 months, each globally and in america, rising to 7 % amongst American Gen Zs and Millennials.
Whereas AI stays an rising channel for the preliminary planning levels with regards to lodging, the expertise is ready to quickly remodel the reserving course of. Eighty % of all vacationers and 71 % of U.S. vacationers mentioned they need AI-powered capabilities, with worth monitoring and alerts (37 %) main the wishlist in america. In an extra signal of vacationers’ elevated acceptance of expertise, 65 % worldwide and 59 % within the U.S. mentioned they now assist dynamic, or demand-based, pricing.
“Throughout each stage of the visitor journey, we’re seeing American vacationers diversify how they have interaction with info, from on-line journey companies and acquainted resort manufacturers to AI and serps,” mentioned Reising. “This non-linear path to buy makes it extra important than ever for motels to construct a stronger digital presence and guarantee consistency throughout all touchpoints, to achieve each visibility and commission-free income.”
Intention to Journey Grows as Demand for High quality Will increase
The report surveyed 12,000 vacationers throughout 14 international locations, together with Australia, China, France, India, Spain, Thailand, the UK, and america. It additionally discovered that:
- Practically half (49 %) of vacationers worldwide mentioned they’ve an elevated need to journey within the subsequent 12 months, with simply 12 % indicating much less motivation to journey.
- Occasion-driven journey continued to speed up globally: 63 % mentioned they have been extra more likely to journey for particular occasions subsequent 12 months, led by Gen Z (81 %) and Millennials (74 %).
- High quality was being prioritized on-site: 58 % deliberate to decide on superior or luxurious rooms (+4pp year-on-year), suggesting a shift towards extra significant, elevated experiences.
Other than their concentrate on direct bookings and model loyalty, U.S. vacationers are notable for prioritizing location particulars when reserving (58 %), preferring credit score or debit card funds above all others (66 %), and contemplating room quietness (44 %) to be a vital room characteristic.
“Whereas traveler behaviors are various increasingly between markets, the broad traits stay encouraging for the trade, with occasions persevering with to drive journey in ever larger numbers, and company more and more ready to pay extra for what they really worth,” mentioned Reising. “For U.S. motels, the chance lies in figuring out their company’ preferences to craft standout, loyalty-driving experiences from the very first digital interplay.”
