What's News with Datafy: October Tourism Edition

The TLDR: Affluent travelers hold strong, value seekers tighten their belts, and 2026 looms large with opportunity. 

Those watching the travel economy this fall may have noticed a pattern: steady demand on the surface, but widening divides underneath. The story isn’t one of decline - it’s one of divergence. Some segments are thriving while others are tightening, and the destinations that understand the split will be best positioned heading into 2026. 

The Big Picture: A K-Shaped Travel Economy

The story this month? Divergence. 

Affluent travelers are spending confidently, while middle- and lower-income households are tightening budgets. The divide shows up in hotel data, airlines earnings, and traveler sentiment. Total travel spending remains stable, but it’s being powered by premium segments. 

What this means: Success in 2026 will come from balance. Utilize geolocation and credit card data to identify the most promising targets amongst both affluent and budget travelers, and focus communications and ad strategy accordingly. Destinations need to balance premium and value messaging to diversify your audience mix so you’re not overexposed to one segment. 

Air Travel & Airlines: Premium Pays Off 

TSA data shows steady skies. September and October screening volumes are holding above last year’s levels. People are still flying, even as economic confidence cools. Take a closer look though: the real winners are airlines with strong premium and corporate demand (hello, Delta and United), while budget carriers (looking at you, Southwest and Alaska) are feeling more turbulence. 

What should you do? Destinations need to take a multi-pronged approach to air travel right now. While demand remains steady, growth is concentrated among higher-spending segments. To keep visitation and revenue strong, focus on experiences and messaging that resonates with premium and business audiences, where confidence (and spending) remain solid. At the same time, don’t lose sight of the value-seeker segment - they’re still traveling, just more intentional and when and where to go. 

Hotels: Upscale Holds, Midscale Slips 

Hotel performance is softening overall (September was the seventh month of year-over-year declines), but luxury and upper-scale brands, buoyed by affluent travelers, continue to outperform. (For example: Hilton saw global revenue growth, while Wyndham’s economy-heavy portfolio reported drops and lowered its annual forecast.) 

What this means: Dive into your Datafy Lodging dashboard to track hotel metrics closely and craft campaigns that speak to both high-yield and value-driven travelers. 

When it comes to hotels, DMOs need to protect yield, not just volume. Lodging options that align with premium and business segments are essential to hotel performance right now - but don’t forget that affordable options are still important to sustain volume. 

Domestic Travel: Resilient, Early, and Event-Driven 

Americans aren’t staying home. Nearly 60% plan to spend on leisure travel in the next three months, and a whopping 92% expect to take at least one leisure trip in the next year, according to the latest State of the American Traveler data from Future Partners. 

What’s changing is how they’re planning. The average week-long vacation is now booked about 11 weeks in advance, giving destinations a much earlier window to reach travelers while they’re still shaping their plans. 

Big events are also starting to influence intent. The Route 66 Centennial and the 2026 FIFA World Cup are already showing up in traveler conversations and trip research, sparking early excitement and movement. 

What it means for you: Longer booking windows create a chance to inspire travelers earlier and nurture intent over time. Layer in the buzz around major national events, and there’s huge potential for destinations to use timely, event-connected storytelling to stay top-of-mind. 

At the same time, double down on domestic drive markets. The segment’s desire to travel remains strong - make sure that you’re ready to capture that demand. 

The Economic Context: Cautious, Not Crisis 

The labor market is cooling, but not collapsing. The economy we’re seeing is “steady but cautious,” where travel isn’t stopping, but travelers are becoming more deliberate. (Trips may get shorter, closer, or more intentional).

What it means for you: Expect a value-conscious mindset in 2026. Lean into proven conversion channels and be willing to be flexible and nimble with campaigns as results come in. 

The Takeaway: Travel demand isn’t fading, but it is shifting. People are adjusting their travel to reflect what fits their current (and anticipated) budgets - but they’re still traveling. The destinations that thrive will be those that meet both the traveler seeking value and the affluent travelers seeking higher-end experiences. 

Want to understand how your visitors are shifting? Chat with us to see how Datafy’s insights can help you track traveler behavior and adapt your strategy before the trends hit. Schedule a meeting today.