Traveller behaviours: key trip motivations revealed

Reasons for travel are often simply categorised into two broad buckets: leisure or business. But only considering these driving factors does not necessarily provide the full picture.

For example, a leisure traveller may be seeking out adrenaline-fuelled adventure or simply want to enjoy some time in the sun, while a business traveller may be craving some cultural learnings or retail therapy in between meetings. We surveyed over 22,800 travellers from around the globe to find out what had really motivated their last trip.

Across the board, all nationalities surveyed were united in rest and relaxation being the primary reason for travel. Sharing experiences with family and friends, along with escaping the daily grind of work were also key motivators. Interestingly, finding new experiences and learning was uniquely popular among Russian respondents.

Delving into the details, specific reasons for travel showed some interesting regional variance. Generally, the majority of travellers were seeking a beach trip, particularly those coming from EMEA. Those from India and China prioritised nature sightseeing, while tourists from the US and Australia were most keen to visit family and friends.

City trips came in at second place, proving popular with travellers from EMEA and also China, while Russian travellers opted for historic and cultural tours (perhaps in line with their desire to learn) and Brazilians were looking to relax at a guesthouse.

Visiting family and friends won third place with special occasions providing the reason for those from the US and the UK, followed by romantic trips in fourth with Indian, Brazilian and US travellers pursuing matters of the heart. In fifth position, nature sightseeing was a top pick for Spanish, French and Russian travellers, Chinese visitors sought history and culture and Brazilian’s were fans of theme park holidays.