Trip.com Group Outlines a New Global Travel Growth Era Driven by Artificial Intelligence, Emerging Destinations and Rapidly Changing Traveller Expectations Across International Markets

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Trip.com Group has outlined a refreshed outlook for the global tourism industry, pointing to a structural shift in how people travel, how destinations compete, and how technology is reshaping the entire travel experience. The update was shared during its annual global partner gathering, which brought together thousands of industry participants from across the international travel ecosystem.

The discussions highlighted that global tourism is no longer simply recovering from past disruptions but is instead entering a more mature phase of expansion shaped by digital transformation, changing traveller expectations, and stronger cross-border collaboration.

Global Travel Enters a High-Growth Cycle

International tourism continues to demonstrate strong momentum, supported by rising consumer confidence and the normalization of global mobility.

Industry figures shared during the event suggest that tourism generated around US$11.6 trillion in 2025, accounting for roughly 10% of global GDP. Growth in the sector has outpaced broader economic expansion, reinforcing its importance as one of the world’s largest and most resilient industries.

Trip.com Group reported a notable rise in international activity across its platforms. Overall overseas bookings increased by 60% year-on-year, reflecting sustained demand for cross-border travel across both leisure and business segments.

Outbound travel has also strengthened beyond pre-pandemic levels, reaching more than 140% of 2019 volumes in several categories. Premium travel demand has been especially strong, with significant increases in higher-tier flight bookings and add-on services, alongside steady growth in accommodation revenue driven by upgraded and experience-focused stays.

Growth has remained geographically balanced, with Asia continuing to lead expansion while Europe and the Americas also recorded solid gains, indicating a broad-based recovery across global travel markets.

Travel Preferences Shift Toward Experiences and Discovery

A major theme emerging from the conference is the rapid evolution of traveller behaviour. Instead of focusing purely on destinations, travellers are increasingly prioritising experiences, flexibility, and depth of engagement.

One clear trend is the rise of emerging destinations. Travellers are actively exploring locations beyond traditional tourism centres, seeking authenticity and new cultural exposure. Countries such as Uzbekistan, Argentina and Colombia have seen accelerated growth in international interest as global travellers expand their destination choices.

Another shift is the diversification of travel motivations. Modern trips now often combine multiple purposes, including adventure, cultural exploration, wellness, food tourism and nature-based experiences. This blending of interests is pushing destinations to design more integrated and versatile offerings.

A third trend is the growing preference for longer and more immersive journeys. Multi-city itineraries and extended stays are becoming more common, with average trip durations increasing by around six days in several markets. This reflects a broader move away from short, fragmented travel patterns toward slower and more meaningful experiences.

Innovation Funding Accelerates Destination Development

Innovation continues to play a central role in shaping the future of tourism. A key highlight from the conference was the recognition of new projects designed to enhance visitor experiences and strengthen destination appeal.

A total of ten initiatives were selected for support through a global innovation funding programme aimed at accelerating creative tourism development. Each project received US$60,000 in funding, contributing to a wider US$100 million investment initiative focused on long-term industry transformation.

The selected projects span a wide range of categories, including cultural institutions, large-scale attractions, architectural developments and entertainment destinations. Among them are Universal Epic Universe and the Almaty Museum of Arts, both representing major investments in immersive visitor experiences and cultural infrastructure.

This focus on innovation reflects a broader industry movement toward experience-led tourism, where destinations compete through creativity, storytelling and emotional engagement rather than location alone.

Artificial Intelligence Reshapes the Travel Experience

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming embedded across the entire travel value chain, influencing how travellers search, book, and experience journeys.

In airline services, AI-powered tools now support automated check-in processes and provide real-time market insights to improve operational planning. These systems help better align capacity with demand while improving efficiency for airline partners.

In accommodation, personalisation engines and intelligent booking systems are generating significant incremental demand, contributing more than 10,500 additional room nights and around 4,000 multi-room bookings daily. These tools are increasingly shaping how travellers discover and select lodging options.

Rail and air integration has also advanced, with multimodal booking systems driving a 50% year-on-year increase in cross-transport bookings. This reflects a growing preference for seamless end-to-end journey planning rather than fragmented travel arrangements.

In attractions and ticketing, digital transformation has simplified access to experiences through smart ticketing systems, improving convenience for travellers while increasing operational efficiency for providers.

Corporate travel is also undergoing rapid automation, with AI-driven approval systems now processing the vast majority of low-risk bookings at approval rates above 98%, significantly reducing manual workloads and speeding up business travel decisions.

Strategic Alliances Strengthen Global Reach

Partnership development remains a key driver of international expansion across the travel sector.

A key agreement was formed with Tourism Tasmania, focused on promoting the destination to global travellers and strengthening its visibility in key source markets. The collaboration is designed to support long-term tourism growth through coordinated marketing and destination development efforts.

Additional partnerships announced during the event aim to improve travel connectivity, enhance customer experiences and support regional tourism development across the Asia-Pacific region.

Alongside these collaborations, continued investment in international offices and local market operations reflects a broader strategy of strengthening global presence and improving service localisation.

Inbound Tourism to China Gains Momentum

Inbound travel to China remains an important growth segment within the global tourism landscape.

The company reported serving approximately 20 million inbound travellers during 2025, supported by ongoing recovery in international arrivals and increased global interest in Chinese destinations.

To support this growth, expanded multilingual services and visitor support systems have been introduced to improve accessibility and ease of travel for international guests.

A key initiative is a free guided city experience programme that has welcomed more than 30,000 travellers from over 120 countries since early 2026. The programme operates in major cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Shenzhen, helping visitors explore urban destinations while encouraging deeper cultural engagement.

Multilingual service centres in key gateway cities further support travellers by providing assistance with transport, bookings, digital connectivity and local navigation.

Outlook: Building a More Connected Travel Ecosystem

Looking ahead, Trip.com Group emphasized a long-term strategy centred on deeper integration of artificial intelligence across all stages of travel, from inspiration and planning to booking and post-trip services.

The aim is to create a more seamless and intelligent travel environment that combines automation with human support to enhance reliability and personalization.

As global tourism continues to evolve, the convergence of rising demand, digital innovation and shifting traveller behaviour is expected to define the next phase of industry growth, shaping a more connected and experience-driven global travel ecosystem.