New Research: September Travel Health

 

Skift Travel Health Index: September 2025 Highlights This is a preview of our monthly Travel Health Index updates. To receive it regularly, along with 45+ reports every year, consider subscribing to Skift Research. Use code SAVINGS for 30% off at checkout. The global travel industry maintained an index of 100 in September 2025, travel performance achieving the same levels as September 2024. However, while mature travel markets such as North America and Europe are seeing slight softening, emerging markets across Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa are in the lead, driving global travel growth.

Key Takeaways Live Tourism Is an Unstoppable Force As predicted by Skift, Live Tourism has truly become an unstoppable force this year. The current global travel growth is being defined by a shift in consumer spending away from traditional goods and toward experiences (tours, activities, and attractions) and live events (concerts, sports, and festivals). Specifically, recreational activities and visiting theme parks are among the top travel motivators. Music performances and major sporting events also have a significant impact on inspiring travelers to plan trips to specific destinations.

2. Change in Seasonality For the June to September window, there is a shift to June travel for Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Latin America, while August shows a dip across almost all markets. In the Asia-Pacific region, the increasing share of October travel highlights the change from the traditional July-to-September peak.

Looking ahead to 2026, demand is expected to remain strong. However, there is growing focus on overtourism, and a shift toward off-peak travel, suggesting that the industry must adapt to a new seasonality model. By focusing on emerging high-growth regions such as Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa, and capitalizing on high-demand opportunities such as live tourism, the travel industry is well-positioned to navigate future headwinds and continue to grow.

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