Global travel demand remains resilient this summer despite rising airfares, geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, with travellers changing where they travel rather than cancelling trips altogether, according to a new report by RateGain Travel Technologies through its subsidiary Sojern.
According to the report, the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 has boosted travel demand to several host cities in the United States and Canada. At the same time, around one-third of summer travel bookings are still pending, indicating that travellers are continuing to make last-minute decisions.
World cup drives travel, demand shifts across regions
According to the report, outbound flight bookings from the United States have increased 13% year-on-year, although hotel searches have declined 16%, suggesting travellers are securing flights while delaying accommodation bookings. Flight bookings from the US to Canada have risen 44%, while bookings to Mexico have fallen 12%. Domestic US travel is up 15%, travel to Asia has increased 19%, and trips to the Caribbean have grown 12%.
