New SiteMinder research reveals the 2025 hotel guest will demand “everything”
The research confirms the need for technology to meet the demands of an increasingly multifaceted traveller next year
SiteMinder, the world’s leading hotel distribution and revenue platform, has today released SiteMinder’s Changing Traveller Report 2025, revealing the emergence of the ‘everything traveller’ – a new, multifaceted traveller who reflects the dynamic shifts within travel with plans that blend trending and traditional.
This evolved guest, according to SiteMinder’s report, the world’s largest consumer research on accommodation, will come with newfound complexity that should signal a fundamental change in how hotels operate.
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SiteMinder’s report follows the company’s survey of more than 12,000 travellers in 14 of the world’s largest tourism markets, including the US, China, Spain, Thailand and Australia. As an example of the everything traveller’s complex nature, the report shows that while 78 percent globally want to use AI at some point during their accommodation journey, only one-in-ten (12 percent) want machines to manage all hotel functions.
Additionally, while 72 percent plan to venture abroad in 2025 – an increase from 65 percent this year – fewer plan to travel exclusively internationally, with the number intending both domestic and overseas trips almost doubling.
Additional insights relating to the everything traveller include:
- Although 80 perceent intend to seek out experiences on site at their accommodation, 41 percent also plan to work, a 5 percent increase from this year.
- Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) are more likely to travel for an event, rising to 83 percent among Gen Zers. Yet, once at their accommodation, more than half anticipate spending ‘most of the time’ (19 percent) or ‘considerable time’ (32 percent) there, a 1.5 percent year-on-year increase.
- Almost half (46 percent) plan to book a Standard (basic quality) Room, yet the majority will splurge ‘where it matters’, with 87 percent willing to spend on extras like breakfast (47 percent), room size (30 percent) and views (28 percent), and 70 percent open to paying more for an eco-friendly stay.
SiteMinder’s report also provides an in-depth analysis of the key distinctions between the world’s travellers, particularly regarding their use of and readiness for technology.
Notable findings reveal:
- A significant divide exists between how travellers from different regions perceive and embrace emerging technologies.
- Over 90 percent of travellers in high growth regions are open to using AI at some point during the planning, booking and experiencing of their stay, including in Thailand (98 percent), China (96 percent), India (94 percent) and Mexico (91 percent). This drops to around 60 percent of travellers from more traditional destinations such as Canada and Australia (62 percent each) as well as Germany and the UK (63 percent each).
- More than half of travellers globally (51 percent) believe hotels are ‘ahead’ (33 percent) or ‘very ahead’ (18 percent) of the curve when it comes to adopting new solutions, a perception as high as 80 percent in Indonesia, but as low as 30 percent in France.
- Seventy percent of Gen Zers (18-27) have abandoned an online booking due to a negative experience, compared to 47 percent of Gen Xers (44-59), 28 percent of Baby Boomers (60-78) and only 13 percent of Radio Babies (79-96).
- The Italian traveller is the most likely to begin their hotel research using a search engine (50 percent), while the Chinese traveller is the least likely to do so (20 percent), favouring specific online travel agencies and social media.
SiteMinder’s chief growth officer, Trent Innes, says the research confirms the need for technology to meet the demands of an increasingly multifaceted traveller next year.
“In an era where guests hold increasing influence over their stays, it’s clear that their evolving needs are both broad and deeply specific. The everything traveller embodies a bold new standard, with the flexibility to pivot between impulsive and considered decisions, international and local travel, and a clear demand for control,” says Innes. “Our research signals to hoteliers that accommodating these nuanced preferences isn’t just about adapting to a trend—it’s about committing to a deep understanding of how specific traveller preferences and behaviours are changing, and keeping a finger on the pulse as they do. In this landscape, data-driven insights become critical for hoteliers to anticipate guest needs and deliver the stay they envision.”
SiteMinder’s Changing Traveller Report 2025 is available here.
