Leisure travel to the U.S. is down, but business bookings are up

Leisure question to the United States is down this year, but concern question to the state remains stable, according to a study from SAP Concur.

The United States was the apical destination for planetary concern travelers successful the archetypal fractional of 2025, according to the report.

Some 15% of each concern aerial question bookings were to destinations successful the U.S., it showed. That's doubly the fig of concern bookings to Germany (7.7%) and United Kingdom (7.6%), which ranked 2nd and third, respectively, successful the report.

Business question betwixt Canada and the U.S. besides held steady, with the U.S. accounting for astir 80% of outbound concern trips made by Canadians, according to the data.

Despite crumbling relations betwixt the 2 countries, planetary concern booking measurement roseate somewhat (0.18%) successful Canada successful the archetypal fractional of 2025 from the aforesaid play past year, it showed.

The study showed the apical planetary destinations for concern travelers successful the archetypal fractional of 2025 were:

1.      U.S.
2.      Germany
3.      U.K.
4.      Canada
5.      France
6.      Spain
7.      Netherlands
8.      Mexico
9.      China
10. Italy

The report, combined with information from BCD Travel and American Express Global Business Travel, as reported by Skift Friday, amusement that the antagonistic question sentiment rippling done Canada, Western Europe and some parts of Asia isn't affecting those with firm interests successful the United States.  

"Business question to the U.S. seems to beryllium concern arsenic usual," said Charlie Sultan, president of Concur Travel astatine SAP Concur. "In the archetypal fractional of 2025, we saw a 1% summation successful inbound concern question measurement to the U.S. compared to the archetypal fractional of 2024."  

This flimsy summation is little than the 2.6% year-on-year emergence successful planetary concern question volume, which dropped from 4.5% successful the archetypal 4th to 0.6% successful the 2nd quarter, the study showed. However, the diminution — which came arsenic Trump's tariff policies continued to rile planetary economies — comports with mean seasonal question patterns and is "not surprising," according to Concur's report.

"In 2024, we truly started to spot concern question travel back. Domestic trips were up astir 3%, and planetary trips grew astir 6% globally," Sultan told CNBC Travel. "With that benignant of momentum, we expected the inclination to proceed into 2025. And truthful far, that's what we're seeing."

However, portion concern question to the U.S. whitethorn amusement fewer signs of slowing down, the aforesaid cannot beryllium said of outbound bookings by American concern travelers.

International concern question from the U.S. dropped 2.3% twelvemonth connected twelvemonth successful the archetypal fractional of 2025, according to the report.

The archetypal 4th saw a humble year-on-year driblet of 1%, followed by a larger 3.8% driblet successful the 2nd quarter, it showed.

But again, that "is accordant with seasonal trends," the study said.

In January, the U.S. Travel Association projected concern question would beryllium "slower than different verticals" successful 2025, with spending not expected to instrumentality to pre-pandemic levels until aft 2028.

International airfares for concern travelers held dependable successful the archetypal fractional of 2025 contempt rising demand, with tickets averaging astir $1,682, according to SAP Concur.

American concern travelers paid the astir for planetary flights, with tickets averaging $2,675, compared with $1,950 successful Japan and $719 successful Italy, the information showed.

Airfares betwixt U.S. and Canada besides returned to 2024 levels this summer, according to the report. Average fares fell to $997 successful the archetypal quarter, earlier returning to $1,100 by June, it showed.

— CNBC's Kaela Ling contributed to this report.