Criteo, the commerce media company, has unveiled its Spring 2025 Travel Pulse Global Report, highlighting a significant resurgence in global travel bookings.
According to the report, unlike other regions, APAC saw strong and steady growth in both air and hotel bookings in Q1 2025, with an increase in hotel bookings by 10%, and air booking by 7%, outpacing America (hotel booking -10%, air travel booking 1%) and EMEA (hotel booking -11% and air travel booking -4%) region. The report also highlighted that the travel bookings across APAC outperformed retail sales by over 12 index points from July to October 2024, signalling a sustained appetite for exploration well into the off-season.
The report, based on global data of over 14,000 consumers, reveals significant shifts in booking patterns, destination preferences, the increasing importance of sustainable travel options, and the growing influence of AI in travel planning. The report also highlighted that the average booking value for hotels in the APAC region stood at 23% indicating a notable increase, compared to Americas & EMEA (both 2%).
The report also signifies distinctive shopping behaviours among affluent APAC travellers, who are twice as likely to purchase luxury items compared to average travellers. Makeup purchases saw a remarkable 102% increase in likelihood of purchase among affluent travellers, similarly, perfume and cologne purchases by affluent travellers jumped 113% as compared to Americas and EMEA.
In addition to shopping preferences, the research highlights a notable rise in the influence of AI on travel planning among global consumers, particularly in the adoption of activity and excursion recommendations. Food tourism has also emerged as a significant driver of this growth, with an impressive 60% of international travellers from APAC, identifying food-related attractions as a top priority on their itineraries, reflecting a strong inclination toward gastronomic experiences.
Medhavi Singh, Country Head, Criteo India, said, “Today’s travellers are more intentional, tech-savvy, and value-driven than ever before. As highlighted in Criteo’s Spring 2025 Travel Pulse Report, consumers are planning their journeys well in advance, guided by AI insights, flexible itineraries, and a strong preference for bundled deals via online travel platforms. For travel marketers, this means there’s a critical opportunity to engage audiences with the right message, at the right moment, across the right channels. At Criteo, we help brands turn travel intent into bookings – leveraging real-time commerce data and AI-powered personalization to drive smarter engagement and measurable results throughout the customer journey.”
This report acknowledges the impact of rising costs, geopolitical uncertainties, and increasing environmental awareness that are influencing travel behaviour. However, rather than abandoning their travel plans, many travellers are choosing to adapt, revising budgets and prioritizing experiences that offer greater value. This shift underscores a resilient appetite for exploration, with flexibility and cost-conscious decisions emerging as key drivers in the new travel landscape. For marketers, this opens a crucial opportunity to focus on cross-sells, bundled offers, and strategic pricing to maximize value in high-growth sectors while rethinking approaches in areas seeing slower momentum.