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Produced by SkiftX in partnership with Amazon Ads, this report draws on a survey of 1,642 US leisure travellers conducted in August 2025. It examines how the travel planning and booking journey has changed and what this means for destination marketers and travel advertisers.
The central argument is that today's leisure traveller has multiple identities and does not follow a linear path from search to booking. The same person might book a solo wellness retreat, a concert weekend and a family road trip in the same year, and their inspiration for each may come from entirely different channels. Ninety-seven percent of respondents plan to take at least one leisure trip in the next 12 months, and 44% plan to spend more on travel than the previous year.
The report identifies a shift towards what it terms mindful travel: values-based planning that prioritises restoration, connection and experience over status or prestige. Nature destinations saw the biggest rise in interest, with 61% of travellers saying they are more interested in nature-focused trips than they were five years ago. At the same time, recommendation culture is increasingly supplementing search. Sixty-four percent say friends and family recommendations have the most influence on their travel decisions, while streaming content, influencer posts and AI platforms are all growing as discovery sources.
For DMOs and destination marketers, the report's five strategic recommendations cover embracing the multi-identity traveller, shifting from transactional to inspirational content, integrating discovery across channels, thinking like a recommendation engine and supporting the traveller's story rather than leading with price.
Produced by SkiftX in partnership with Amazon Ads, this report draws on a survey of 1,642 US leisure travellers conducted in August 2025. It examines how the travel planning and booking journey has changed and what this means for destination marketers and travel advertisers.
The central argument is that today's leisure traveller has multiple identities and does not follow a linear path from search to booking. The same person might book a solo wellness retreat, a concert weekend and a family road trip in the same year, and their inspiration for each may come from entirely different channels. Ninety-seven percent of respondents plan to take at least one leisure trip in the next 12 months, and 44% plan to spend more on travel than the previous year.
The report identifies a shift towards what it terms mindful travel: values-based planning that prioritises restoration, connection and experience over status or prestige. Nature destinations saw the biggest rise in interest, with 61% of travellers saying they are more interested in nature-focused trips than they were five years ago. At the same time, recommendation culture is increasingly supplementing search. Sixty-four percent say friends and family recommendations have the most influence on their travel decisions, while streaming content, influencer posts and AI platforms are all growing as discovery sources.
For DMOs and destination marketers, the report's five strategic recommendations cover embracing the multi-identity traveller, shifting from transactional to inspirational content, integrating discovery across channels, thinking like a recommendation engine and supporting the traveller's story rather than leading with price.
