Skift Travel Health Index: 2025 in Review

The Skift Travel Health Index is a real-time measure of the performance of the travel industry at large, and the core verticals within it.

Global economic growth showed resilience in 2025, despite significant trade disruptions and heightened uncertainty. The IMF recently revised its projection, up 0.2 percentage points from its previous forecast, where global economic growth is now set to hold steady at 3.3% in 2026 and 3.2% in 2027, mirroring performance in 2025.

Despite the volatility, the travel industry also remained resilient. Skift Research has been tracking travel for 22 of the largest global economies since 2020, with consistent monthly data inputs across 88 indicators that are aggregated to cover categories such as aviation, hotels, short-term rentals, and car rentals. Our Travel Health Index shows how the travel industry has recovered since the pandemic and entered a phase of more moderate growth.

The past two years reveal year-on-year growth fluctuations as the industry stabilized. The index reached 102 in December 2025, indicating a modest 2% increase compared to the same month last year. Overall, as of year-to-date December 2025, global travel for the full year also rose by 2% relative to 2024. While performance across some regions and sectors may have slowed slightly, the resilience of others lifted the global aggregate and the travel industry remained stable even amid challenging global conditions.

In this report, we share the pivotal lessons of 2025 and analyze how the industry successfully navigated a year of changing consumer preferences. As we look toward 2026, the data suggest a transition from volume-driven growth to value-driven experiences.

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