Dive Brief:
- Hotel bookings at U.S. properties for the days leading up to Christmas, Dec. 21-25, are up 22% from last year, with international bookings driving the surge, according to new findings from hotel distribution and revenue platform SiteMinder, shared with Hotel Dive.
- International bookings, in particular, are up by more than 15% year over year, representing 32% of total bookings at U.S. hotels for the days ahead of Christmas, compared to 28% during the same period in 2023, according to SiteMinder. Canada, Germany, the U.K., France and Italy are the top markets fueling this growth, the company found.
- Travelers’ length of stay at U.S. hotels and booking lead time for the Christmas week have also increased year over year, according to SiteMinder. Changes to traveler demographics and spending behavior are impacting booking trends this holiday season.
Dive Insight:
Increased bookings for the days leading up to Christmas this year are “underpinned by the strong return of international travel” combined with “enduring confidence among domestic travelers,” SiteMinder Chief Growth Officer Trent Innes said in a statement. The positive travel fundamentals have also translated into an uptick in booking lead times and longer stays this year, according to Innes.
The average length of booked stays at U.S. hotels for the Christmas week is set to increase by 5% year over year, while the average lead on bookings will increase by more than 4.5%, according to SiteMinder.
Last month, Kate Ferrara, Deloitte’s vice chair and U.S. transportation, hospitality and services sector leader, told Hotel Dive that U.S. travelers will take longer trips for the entirety of the 2024 holiday season, with intent to travel “strong.”
This year’s “encouraging” travel behavior represents “both an opportunity and a call to action for American hoteliers, who must ensure they offer their guests tailored, seamless experiences this festive season, allowing for maximised revenue whilst encouraging loyalty and positive reviews,” Innes said.
U.S. hoteliers can also expect to see younger generations and high-income travelers drive demand this holiday season, according to Deloitte’s 2024 Holiday Travel Survey.
In the third quarter, U.S. hotels saw “weaker than expected” performance because of the slow recovery of inbound international visitation, CBRE reported last month.
