During the 2025 Annual Conference & Marketplace, held on December 1-5 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD, USTOA revealed the findings of its annual travel trends and forecast survey.
Two-thirds (68%) of respondents reported an increase in sales for 2025 over 2024, with 50% of those reporting a growth of 10% or higher. In addition to seeing an increase from last year to this year, Active Members are expecting to see continued growth into 2026.
“More than three-quarters of active members are highly confident that guest bookings will increase in 2026,” said Jeff Roy, executive vice president and chief revenue officer of Collette, and USTOA’s new chairman, during a press conference. “Despite global economic headwinds, the majority of operators remain bullish, saying that travel demand remains. Projections for sales and passenger growth next year are strong, with nearly nine out of 10 members anticipating sales growth for 2026.”
The top threats to US traveler confidence in the year ahead are economic uncertainty, cost of living and political instability. With these, tour operators are seeing a shift in consumer booking patterns. Seventy-one percent of those surveyed said there is an increased hesitancy to commit to travel, and 63% are seeing a shorter booking window for travelers. Thirty-nine percent are seeing more last-minute changes and cancellations.
“In today’s unpredictable global climate, our members continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience,” said Terry Dale, president and CEO of USTOA. “The impact of ongoing instability was felt, yet the majority of our membership still reported growth amid uncertainty and higher operating costs, which stands out. Travelers remain motivated to explore, and our tour operators are positioned to guide them with the expertise, trust, insight, and security that elevate the way they experience the world.”
Using a Travel Advisor
The use of AI continues to be a point of conversation in the travel industry, and 80% of USTOA’s Active Members are currently using it as part of their business practices. While some say it’s too early to tell, 57% of those surveyed said AI has shown some improvement in staff productivity. Some of the top uses include marketing, data and content creation.
Some advisors hear about the increased use of AI and worry it may replace some of what they do; however, the survey shows otherwise. In fact, 90% of members are planning to use travel advisors to generate sales in 2026, and 78% said advisors will play a very important role in their business next year.
Travel Trends for 2026
Hawaii is leading the way as the most popular U.S. destination for 2026, followed by National Parks, Alaska, California and New York.
It’s no surprise national parks are high on the list, as outdoor trends, including glamping and noctourism, continue to be on travelers’ radars. “I heard about glamping in national parks from one member,” said Dale. “And this one member is a luxury, high-end luxury, and she said it was very well received.”
The top five most popular international destinations for 2026 among USTOA members include Italy, France, Japan, Portugal and Greece. When asked which destinations are most popular for “off-the-beaten path” destinations for 2026, respondents chose Portugal, Morocco, Croatia and Colombia as the top four, with Malta, Vietnam and Ireland tying for fifth place.
Sustainability Strategy
Responsible travel remains an important topic, and nearly two-thirds (62%) of members have a formal, documented sustainability strategy. Eight out of 10 active members also take vendors’ approaches to sustainability/social impact into account when choosing new partnerships.
More than half of those surveyed are currently using sustainability messaging in marketing, and 18% plan to incorporate this type of messaging in 2026/2027. Members are currently accommodating passengers with limited abilities in several different ways, some of which include having accessible accommodations and transportation, customized tours for different abilities and trained staff members who can assist when needed.
2026 Executive Committee and Board of Directors
The 2026 Executive Committee and Board of Directors were also announced during the conference. Jeff Roy is the new chairman, and Pam Hoffee, president of Avalon Waterways at Globus Family of Brands, is vice chairman; Keith Baron, chief operating officer of Perillo Tours is treasurer; Jeremy Palmer, president of Tauck is secretary, and Dana Santucci, executive vice president of EF Educational Tours is immediate past chairman.
The Board of Directors is made up of the following:
- Emma Cottis, director, business solution, Goway Travel
- Bob Drumm, chairman and CEO, Alexander + Roberts
- JerreFuqua, president, Holiday Vacations
- Laudie Hanou, senior vice president, SITA World Tours
- Melissa Krueger, CEO, Classic Vacations
- Jason Naito, senior director of revenue management and strategy, ALG Vacations
- Rosanne Zusman, chief commercial officer, CIE Tours
- Matt Berna, senior vice president, sales USA, Intrepid Travel
- Madhvi Buch, SVP, strategic business solutions, The Travel Corporation USA
- Ray Hourani, managing director, Travel Operations, AAA Exclusive Vacations
“Our Executive Committee represents some of the industry’s most experienced and forward-thinking leaders,” said Dale. “Their leadership and guidance will help strengthen our efforts and guide the association through its next chapter.”
For more information, visit www.ustoa.com.
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