Recent surveys by the Expedia Group for the first quarter of 2026 confirm a significant shift in the booking behavior of international travelers. Globally, the platform recorded an average increase of 25% in search queries in the seven- to thirteen-day period before departure compared to the previous year.
This trend is particularly pronounced in Latin America, with a 30% increase, while North America and the Asia-Pacific region each reported a 25% rise. Industry analysts see this trend as a reaction to the increasing volatility of global conditions, which is causing travelers to make final decisions only immediately before departure.
A key driver of this dynamic demand is event tourism. In the run-up to the FIFA World Cup in North America in the summer of 2026, search queries for the host countries, the USA and Canada, increased by 10%, while Mexico even saw a 15% rise. Further market analysis shows that major events are increasingly triggering spontaneous travel decisions, provided that availability and pricing remain attractive in the short term. In this context, the Expedia Group emphasizes that traditional long-term vacation planning is being increasingly replaced by event-driven, spontaneous bookings, which presents new challenges for the entire tourism logistics sector.
This increased flexibility presents new economic opportunities for brick-and-mortar travel agencies and online travel agencies, but also changes in service quality requirements. To capitalize on last-minute demand, providers must be able to react to price fluctuations and capacity changes within a very short timeframe. According to Robin Lawther, Vice President at Expedia TAAP, technological support for handling short-notice requests is becoming increasingly important. Travel agents need greater access to real-time data to secure competitive offers, as customers now align their bookings more closely with current developments and specific regional events than in previous years.
Besides major sporting events, economic factors such as short-term currency fluctuations and targeted discount campaigns by the hotel industry also influence search behavior. Experts point out that consumers' increased price sensitivity means that booking decisions are often postponed until the last second in order to take advantage of any remaining availability. This development forces tour operators to streamline their allocation management and accelerate communication with local service providers. The trend toward short-term booking thus appears to be establishing itself as an integral part of the modern tourism market, with flexibility becoming a crucial competitive advantage.