Americans are slow to return to pre-pandemic travel levels, according to a recently released report from the U.S. Travel Association. The Recovery and Growth Insights Dashboard captures the latest data and trends impacting travel recovery. 

The report evaluates how the broader economy is affecting travel and offers insights to help travelers make a more informed decision. This month, the report shows travel spending improved in September reaching its highest level since the pandemic began, reaching 6 percent over 2019 numbers.

This is a welcome result following earlier predictions in the year that projected that domestic leisure travel would remain $46 billion below levels expected for 2022. 

The report found that 32 percent of American travelers were planning to take a trip this year, down from 34 percent in July. 

Business travel is also slightly down from where it should be, reaching 81 percent of pre-pandemic levels in 2022. It’s predicted this will rise to 96 percent in 2023. This, paired with inflation numbers, will not be enough to reach pre-pandemic levels within the range of forecasts. 

Prior to the pandemic, business travel spending accounted for 26 percent of total travel spending, however, by the end of 2021, it represented just 14 percent of travel spending. Direct business travel spending totaled $306 billion in 2019 with 42 percent of business spending in the form of meetings and events.

Travelers are also slow to return to overseas destinations, with numbers down 34 percent from pre-pandemic levels. This is a small improvement year over year from July to August. 

The Association predicts that overseas travel will grow at a slower pace between 2023 and 2026, with volume and spending not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025.