Travelers are Choosing Destinations Using OTAs, Search Engines, and Reviews: Read More To Know How It Impacts Travel Decisions

Published on August 27, 2025

Travel decisions don’t happen in isolation. Today, travelers are influenced by a mix of online travel agencies (OTAs), general search engines, and review platforms when deciding where to go next. As revealed in the U.S. and Europe Consumer Travel Reports 2025, these digital tools are shaping the way people explore travel destinations. However, the level of influence varies by region, generation, and the specific platform used.

OTAs and Search Engines Dominate Travel Decisions

In the travel industry, OTAs and general search engines are the primary sources that travelers use to choose their destinations. According to the research, these tools are especially dominant across the U.S., U.K., Germany, and France.

• In the U.S., general search is slightly more influential than OTAs, with 38% of travelers using it for destination discovery.
• Germany shows a preference for OTAs, with 37% of travelers relying on them.
• Travel review sites and Google Maps come next in popularity, with travelers using them to validate destinations before making a final decision.

This insight underscores a crucial point for brands in the travel industry: visibility across multiple channels is key. Travelers often start their journey on an OTA but turn to review sites and maps for confirmation before committing.

Regional Variations in Traveler Behavior

How people search for a destination differs from one region of America to another. For instance, in the Northeast, people rely more on travel review sites, whereas people in the West use OTAs and Google Maps with equal frequency. In the Midwest, prior experience with the area and in-person recommendations dominate, resulting in fewer travelers using OTAs.

For marketers, this means that regional tailoring of campaigns can lead to higher engagement. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t be as effective as crafting content that aligns with specific regional behaviors.

Generational Differences in Digital Influence

Generational data reveals the largest divide in how different age groups use digital tools to make travel decisions. Younger travelers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, are much more likely to find general search, OTAs, Google Maps, and review sites as extremely influential in their travel decisions.

On the other hand, Gen X and older generations tend to rely on these tools to a lesser extent. For them, these resources are a secondary source of information, rather than the primary one.

The younger generations lean toward expecting more tailored engagement with interactive elements, as differentiated from older audiences. Hence, marketing to younger audiences through OTAs and search engines may be more beneficial than targeting older travelers.

Strategic Takeaways for Travel Brands

The report highlights that while OTAs and search engines dominate the decision-making process, the context of their influence varies widely by region and generation.

• Regional focus is key: Understanding how travelers in different parts of a country interact with digital platforms can help brands tailor their messages more effectively.
• Targeting younger travelers: Brands should focus on creating personalized, interactive content to appeal to younger travelers who are more likely to use general search, OTAs, and review sites.
• Channel diversity: Simply appearing on one platform isn’t enough. To win the traveler’s choice, brands must appear across multiple channels and offer relevant, timely content.

How to Appeal to Digital-First Travelers

The findings suggest that visibility in the right digital channels is crucial for attracting attention in an already crowded travel market. Brands should prioritize having a presence across OTAs, general search engines, and review platforms.

Additionally, any digital content that is created must fit within the parameters of the audience’s expectations. Younger travelers, for instance, expect some sort of interaction and a personalized experience, while the older generation tends to lean towards more conventional modes of information. Marketers need to create tailored content that meets the expectations and requirements of each distinct group.

Bottom Line

While the entire digital discovery process is complicated, OTAs, search engines, and reviewing platforms are critical contact points for the modern traveler. This research also emphasizes the importance of cross-marketing and customization for gaining visibility. Grasping how younger travelers interact with digital devices may offer an advantage, especially since they are an expanding segment of the travel market. Successful engagement goes beyond presence; it requires strategic timing and context.