APAC hotel bookings jump 10%, air travel up 7% in Q1 2025: Criteo Report
The report 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.
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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, as per Spring 2025 Travel Pulse Global Report by Criteo. 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 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. According to the report, based on global data of over 14,000 consumers, significant shifts in booking patterns, destination preferences, the increasing importance of sustainable travel options, and the growing influence of AI in travel planning were observed.
The report 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. 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.
