Data Drives the Travel Marketplace

Author : D Edward Levy | Published On : 29 Mar 2026

The travel market continues its upward momentum with COVID shutdowns far off in the rear-view mirror. For 2025, UN Tourism reported a 4% increase in global overnight travel with Africa leading the category at an 8% increase over 2024 and Asia and Europe coming in at second and third, 6% and 4% respectively. UN Tourism attributes the gains to improved air connectivity and upgrades in facilities and passenger processing methods, resulting in net gains in overall capacity. In spite of international political turmoil and economic question markets, the travel market has a rosy outlook, especially in business travel as Return to Office mandates become key trends in the corporate realm. In tandem with increasing demand is increasing competition in the marketplace. More providers and more products gives travel consumers more choice when researching and purchasing travel. Understanding traveler preferences and trends is a key tool and advantage for travel businesses when operating in a very crowded marketplace.

Travel is a Trends and Preferences Business

When whittling down travel trends, it is important to note that there are two distinct divisions within the industry:

Leisure Travel
Business / Corporate Travel, also known as Group Travel

Each side of the business has its own set of evolving trends and preferences as each category has its own set of priorities. For leisure travel, trends and preferences would focus more on the individual’s own wants and experiences. Preferences in travel items such as aircraft seat legroom, pillow material or room view would be items that fall into the leisure travel category. Preferences in these areas can identify trends that travel businesses can capitalize on. For business travel, trends and preferences focus on practicality and efficiency as those are driving factors for business and group travel planners. Flight schedules, volume rates for accommodations and productivity amenities are the types of preferences that establish trends in business travel. Providers that specialize in business travel should be aware of trends within the category that can generate further opportunities and drive revenue.

Experiences Drive Reputational Marketing

The ultimate goal for travel providers is to deliver exceptional experiences to guests and travelers in both the leisure and business realms of travel. By understanding travel trends and preferences, travel businesses can better cater to their clients and consistently provide elevated experiences. The benefits of exceptional guest experiences go far beyond the guest themselves. The travel business is also a reputational business and brand equity if much more valuable in the travel industry. Positive perceptions from current and previous guests can generate additional marketing opportunities through word of mouth marketing and digital vehicles such as online reviews and ratings. These after trip actions are crucial in building brand equity and reaching potential new customers that would not know of the travel brand otherwise. Strong brand reputation is also a key advantage in the crowded travel marketplace and can be the differentiator when consumers make travel purchase decisions. Understanding and identifying preferences and trends in real time can give travel providers a significant advantage when optimizing products and services and deploying marketing initiatives.

PokkeTTREK: Marketing Opportunities Through Mobile Travel Apps

One of the more dominant trends in travel is smartphone adoption and usage. For business travelers, fully capable smartphones are essential productivity tools but what is surprising is the mass usage of mobile devices in leisure travel. Stats available online suggest 7 out of 10 travelers use their smartphone device for research, travel purchases and functionality during the actual trip. Smartphones themselves have become powerful marketing tools in the travel industry and mobile apps such as PokkeTTREK can help travel businesses gain real time preference and trend information from travelers. Offering in-demand benefits to users, PokkeTTREK is an all-in-one trip tracking app that delivers conveniences and functions that travelers can use before, during and after the trip. Promoting engagement and usability, the PokkeTTREK app also generates marketing and preference insights in real time from users, giving travel businesses an upper hand when it comes to outward marketing and optimizing product offerings. The app itself can be configured to increase upsell opportunities with targeted recommendations and laser focused consumer offers. PokkeTTREK can also provide ‘white label’ opportunities to businesses with a ‘captive audience’. Visit pokkettrek.com for more information and details on the technology.

Advantages in a Competitive Marketplace

In a recent survey, over 70% of respondents indicated they use smartphone devices when researching, planning and purchasing travel. This number includes travelers that use their devices while on trip for local navigation, travel resources and communication. With smartphones the go-to travel accessory, mobile devices have also become the go-to marketing tool as many travelers embrace mobile technology while traveling. Mobile trip tracking app such as PokkeTTREK can offer significant user benefits, promoting and encouraging engagement and use while traveling. This creates data opportunities for travel businesses to capture behavioral and preference insights of travel users in real time. Understanding user preferences in real time can help travel brands optimize their product offerings and marketing initiatives, giving them a distinct advantage in a crowded marketplace. White labeling of the PokkeTTREK app and a closed community social media platform can generate further marketing opportunities for travel businesses and publishing companies who enjoy the benefits of a ‘captive audience’.