April 3, 2023
Our Economic Portrait of the Traveler report has uncovered numerous insights on travelers’ intent and how they prioritize leisure activities in 2023. A main takeaway: Dining in particular stood up as a non-negotiable expense. Clearly, for travelers, planning meals (and even planning travel around those meals) can make or break a trip.
For many, travel has always been among the most highly valued leisure activities. Today, for a large majority of consumers, it has become nothing short of sacred. Even during a time of inflation and economic uncertainty, people’s appetite for exploration has grown exponentially. And the numbers bear that out: 95% of travelers say they would pull back on spending on other pursuits to pay for their adventures, and 22% of their travel budget is dedicated to dining out.
By the Numbers: How Travelers Are Spending
While dining might be one of the first discretionary expenses people tend to cut back on when budgeting for other activities, it is also considered one of the most essential sources of in-destination entertainment.
Our latest research — a multi-part analysis surveying 4,959 consumers across six countries (U.S., U.K., Japan, Singapore, India, and Australia) — shows how travelers spend, how they prioritize their budgets, and what they are willing to splurge on. Spoiler alert: dining is the highest-cost bucket.
On average, travelers engage in 3 or 4 in-destination activity categories and plan 30% of their budget toward them. Once they arrive at a destination, they typically spend money in:
Categories of spend in destination, % ranked #1
Of these activities, 61% plan to dine out, making it the most popular in-destination activity.
Most travelers tend to dine out while traveling, seeking to taste local cuisine. But more often, it’s the experience of dining that leads to desire for travel in the first place — like finding the perfect carnitas in Mexico City, cheesesteak in Philadelphia, or fondue in Zurich.
Dining is not only at the heart of travel experiences; today’s travelers are prioritizing eating local. Over half of our respondents tend to visit local restaurants and cafes while traveling, with women leading that category at 53%.
Indeed, today’s travelers are looking to spend their dollars much more carefully and aim to support local communities. Claiming your listing can help you stand and hopefully make a connection with travelers looking to eat local.
The diner experience is at the heart of it all. Travelers are not only looking for a way to escape, but they are also seeking a one-of-a-kind experience and cultural immersion. Although restaurant owners are worried about today’s economy, the takeaway from this research is that travel is back — and in-destination dining is powering its revival.
Source: Tripadvisor, An Economic Portrait of the Traveler, N=4,959; Australia, Japan, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States, India; September 2022
