Amadeus data shows travel demand rising in early 2026
Rising air searches and stable hotel performance signal a resilient start to the year across key regions
Global travel demand continued to strengthen between January and April 2026, driven by rising international and regional air searches across all major regions. The Amadeus market snapshot shows consistent growth in traveler intent, with Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East & Africa leading momentum. Hotel performance remained stable to improving, with occupancy broadly flat to slightly higher year over year and ADR growth supporting RevPAR gains in most regions. The data highlights the importance of multi-channel distribution and targeted demand generation strategies as traveler behavior diversifies further.
Key takeaways
- Air travel demand growth: International and regional flight searches increased year over year in every region, with particularly strong momentum in Asia Pacific and the Middle East & Africa, signaling sustained global travel appetite.
- Asia Pacific leading recovery: Asia Pacific posted double-digit growth in air searches and solid hotel occupancy and ADR performance, confirming its role as a primary engine of global travel demand.
- Europe showing stable, high-value demand: Europe maintained high occupancy and strong ADR levels, with moderate growth indicating a mature but resilient travel market focused on value rather than volume.
- North America stabilizing: North America recorded modest demand growth and largely flat hotel performance, suggesting normalization after prior peaks rather than a downturn.
- Latin America gaining momentum: Latin America experienced rising international searches and steady hotel KPIs, pointing to growing inbound and regional travel interest.
- Middle East & Africa accelerating fastest: The Middle East & Africa region showed some of the strongest increases in air searches and improving hotel KPIs, reflecting expanding connectivity and destination appeal.
- Channel mix remains diversified: Direct, OTA, brand.com, and GDS channels all retained meaningful shares across regions, underscoring the need for balanced, multi-channel demand generation strategies.
Source: Amadeus
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