Travelers Are Redefining Value as Competition for Every Trip Intensifies

Kansas City, MO – Travel remains a priority for Americans this summer, but they’re becoming more thoughtful about where they go and how they spend. The latest findings from MMGY‘s 2026 Portrait of American Travelers™ reveal that as rising costs reshape travel decisions, consumers aren’t abandoning vacations – they’re becoming more selective about which destinations earn their time, attention and dollars.

Travel demand remains remarkably resilient, but the competition for travelers has fundamentally changed. People aren’t simply deciding whether to take a vacation. They’re deciding which destination deserves their limited time and discretionary income. For destination marketers, that means success will increasingly belong to brands that clearly demonstrate their value, differentiate their experiences and lean into a more data-driven, personalized approach to communication in an evolving landscape that is driven by AI.

Craig Compagnone, President of MMGY Global

Based on a survey of more than 4,300 U.S. adults, Portrait of American Travelers™ remains the travel industry’s longest-running and most-trusted examination of leisure travel behavior in America. Among the most notable findings in the “Summer Edition” of the report:

• Travelers are being more discerning with their decisions. While nearly half of Americans (49%) plan to take a leisure trip within the next three months, expected trips (3.5) and travel spending ($5,570) in the next 12 months have softened since earlier this year, reflecting a more deliberate approach to destination selection rather than a pullback in travel.

• Increased use of AI in planning is driving more informed choices. More than half of active leisure travelers (52%) have used AI to help plan a trip, up 10 percentage points year over year, with ChatGPT (57%) and Gemini (42%) emerging as the most widely used travel planning tools.

• Destination choice is becoming more competitive. Orlando was one of the few major destinations to gain interest year over year (+3 percentage points). Cities such as Palm Springs (-3), Raleigh/Durham (-5) and St. Petersburg/Clearwater (-3) all saw declines in consideration as travelers are seeking a broader set of opportunities.

• Value is increasingly defined by experience, with events and sports often leading the way. More than half of travelers (55%) are interested in travel that is tied to a major event, including 29% who would consider Route 66 Centennial celebrations and 29% interested in America’s 250th anniversary events. The influence of sports on tourism continues to grow, with 27% of travelers interested in attending a sporting event while on vacation.

The findings suggest destinations face a new challenge: convincing travelers not just to take a vacation but to choose them over an increasingly competitive field of alternatives. As consumers raise their expectations, success will depend on creating a more personalized narrative, communicating authentic experiences and demonstrating clear value to visiting that extends well beyond price.

The 2026 Portrait of American Travelers™ “Summer Edition” is now available for purchase or as part of an all-access subscription to EurekA!, MMGY’s searchable research platform. To explore more, visit mmgyintel.com.

About Portrait of American Travelers^™ 

MMGY’s Portrait of American Travelers^™ is the travel industry’s longest-running and most-trusted examination of U.S. leisure travel behavior. Released quarterly, it provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of current economic conditions, social values, and emerging travel habits and intentions. The “Summer Edition” is based on interviews with 4,371 U.S. adults conducted in May 2026, with generational insights from Gen Zers (18–29), Millennials (30–45), Gen Xers (46–61) and Boomers (62–80). Results from the Silent Generation (81+) are included in totals but not reported separately due to small sample size.