- Solo travel plans rise to 23.6 percent.
- Domestic-only trip plans reach 44 percent.
- U.S. leads on loyalty and AI booking.
NEARLY ONE IN four U.S. travelers, 23.6 percent, plan to take their next trip solo in 2027, up from 14.4 percent last year, according to SiteMinder’s Changing Traveler Report 2027. Combined with a shift toward domestic trips and higher room categories, the findings suggest U.S. hotel demand is changing in shape rather than in value.
The report, based on more than 12,000 travelers across 14 markets, found that Americans lead a global rise in solo travel. Globally, 16.1 percent plan to travel alone, up from 13.8 percent, while 41.6 percent report a stronger desire to travel in 2027.
Solo travel is rising, while travelers favor nearby stays, trusted brands and premium experiences, said SiteMinder's Brian Reising.Photo credit: Brian Reising/LinkedIn
“Americans are increasingly traveling on their own terms, and that is creating a very different guest journey for hotels,” said Brian Reising, SiteMinder’s market vice president for the Americas. “The growth in solo travel is particularly striking, but we’re also seeing travelers stay closer to home while continuing to seek out premium rooms, trusted brands and experiences they value.”
Smaller parties, higher room categories
Approximately 44 percent of U.S. travelers plan domestic trips, highlighting the importance of location and travel purpose.Photo credit: iStock
Approximately 44 percent of U.S. travelers plan to travel only domestically over the next 12 months, compared with 29.7 percent globally. For owners and developers, that places more weight on domestic markets, where location and the purpose of the trip shape the booking.
Americans also lean toward higher room categories than travelers elsewhere. One in four, 25.1 percent, expect to book a deluxe room, against 14.9 percent globally, while 7.3 percent expect an executive room and 6.3 percent a suite, against 4.1 percent and 2.9 percent globally.
The report does not link that preference to solo travelers. For owners, it still argues against treating single-occupancy bookings as lower-value business and for pricing by room category and trip purpose rather than party size.
Hilton’s 2027 Trends Report, released in September, points the same way. It found that 31 percent of travelers have traveled solo to meet friends or family at their destination, 67 percent want trips that let them experience a lot in a short time and 63 percent prefer a central location with plenty to do nearby. For developers, location, programming and ease of access become part of the product when guests have fewer days to spend.
Brands and AI shape the booking path
Trusted hotel brands and loyalty programs influence 47.8 percent of U.S. travelers' booking decisions, exceeding global averages.Photo credit: iStock
Brand recognition carries more weight in the U.S. than elsewhere. Some 47.8 percent of Americans rank a trusted hotel brand among their top three factors when choosing a property, against 37.9 percent globally, and 42.9 percent of those planning to stay with a well-known group or chain cite loyalty program benefits, 12.2 percentage points above the global average.
Rewards programs would bring 33.1 percent of U.S. travelers back to a hotel, against 22.6 percent globally, while memorable experiences would bring back 38.2 percent, near the global 39.1 percent. For franchised owners, the loyalty gap strengthens the case for brand affiliation.
AI use remains limited but runs ahead in the U.S. Some 9.4 percent of Americans begin accommodation research with an AI assistant, against 7.3 percent globally, and 9.7 percent expect to book through an AI assistant or agent in 2027, against 5.9 percent worldwide. The report found that familiar brands still shape the final choice, suggesting AI will sit alongside brand trust in the booking path rather than replace it.
Travelers worldwide are spending with more care. Some 29.4 percent plan to stay closer to home, up from 23.9 percent, but unlike Americans, they are more likely to spend less to stretch their budgets, at 31.1 percent, up from 28.9 percent, and to book at the last minute, at 20.9 percent, up from 17.7 percent. For U.S. owners, that points to less pressure to discount than in many overseas markets.
Reising said hotels should look beyond price competition and make the value of each room, upgrade and experience clear wherever travelers research and book.
For owners, investors and developers, the findings point to growth from matching rooms, locations and pricing to why guests travel, not only how many travel together.
Separately, Amex GBT Consulting’s Hotel Monitor 2027 projected that U.S. hotel rates will rise in most major markets next year, strengthening hotels’ position in negotiations with buyers.
