Demand for full trip planning on the rise, research shows
New global research suggests travellers are looking to plan full trips, including accommodation and activities, on a single platform
Expedia Group released new global research revealing a significant opportunity for travel brands and partners to drive growth and loyalty by enabling travellers to book multiple trip elements together.
The study shows that travellers increasingly prefer to plan and manage their full trip, including car rentals, flights, activities, and trip protection, on a single, trusted platform, with the flexibility to build across multiple booking moments.
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The research, which surveyed 2,500 travellers across 10 global markets, highlights strong demand for full trip planning and underscores the importance of surfacing relevant offers throughout the traveller journey, beyond the initial booking moment.
“Travellers want more than isolated bookings–they want the flexibility to build and manage a full trip over time,” said Stephen Cheng, vice president, Expedia Group B2B.
“With evolving expectations, partners have a major opportunity to serve that demand by becoming true full-trip hubs, powered by technology that supports end-to-end planning at scale. This approach drives higher growth, differentiation, and long-term loyalty.”
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Travellers prefer to book and manage the full trip in one place
Most travellers want the ability to book multiple parts of one trip on the same website or app and are likely to return to the same platform to complete their plans.
● 77 percent are at least somewhat likely to book more than one part of their next trip on the same platform, with 35 percent saying they are very likely.
● 76 percent say that after booking one trip element on a website or app, they are likely to return to book additional elements.
● 83 percent of Gen Z travellers are likely to book multiple trip elements on the same platform.
Travellers prioritise additional savings when choosing offers
Cost remains a powerful motivator for booking multiple trip elements together, with travellers responding strongly to additional discounts and bundled value.
● 81 percent would be at least somewhat likely to book trip elements together if they got additional savings; 40 percent would be very likely.
● 95 percent say any additional discount would meaningfully influence their decision to book multiple elements on the same site or app.
Travellers are increasingly shifting toward more immersive, experience-led travel
Beyond savings and convenience, demand is shifting toward more authentic, experience-driven trips, especially for younger travellers.
● 55 percent say having an authentic, immersive trip is more important today than five years ago.
● 92 percent report local activities contribute to more immersive trips, rising to 95 percent for Gen Z.
● 69 percent say having a rental car makes it easier to experience destinations like a local.
Looking ahead: strong demand across core travel categories and growing focus on protection
The outlook for the next year remains strong across core categories, with travellers planning complex, higher-value trips and showing heightened interest in flexibility and protection.
Most travellers (90 percent) plan to book activities or experiences in the next year, while 88 percent plan to book flights and 75 percent plan to book a rental car.
As trips become more complex and higher-value, travellers are also increasingly focused on confidence and flexibility.
In fact, two-thirds (67 percent) say they are likely to add trip protection when it is presented as a simple add-on during booking.
