Expedia pivots abroad as US travel demand weakens

Global slowdown at home pushes the company to focus on faster-growing international markets

Expedia CEO Ariane Gorin is steering the company toward Japan, Brazil, and Northern Europe as U.S. travel demand softens. With inbound tourism to the U.S. declining and revenue growth stagnating, Expedia is banking on international expansion to fuel its next phase of growth.

Key takeaways

• Weak U.S. market: consumer revenue in the U.S. grew just 1% year-over-year, with a 7% drop in inbound travel earlier this year.
• International losses: the WTTC estimates the U.S. will lose $12.5 billion in international visitor spending in 2025.
• Expedia’s strategy: the company is ramping up investment in Japan, Brazil, and Northern Europe, where growth has reached double digits.
• Industry-wide trend: airlines and rivals like Airbnb and Booking are also shifting focus to stronger overseas markets.
• Long-term concern: without policy changes and restored traveler confidence, the U.S. may take years to return to pre-pandemic tourism levels.

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