As the hospitality industry gears up for the busy summer travel season, data from Curacity and Amadeus Demand360® tells a story of modest but steady momentum in the face of economic headwinds. With occupancy and length of stay (LOS) trends in 75 global markets at our disposal, now is the time to dig into the data and implement demand-driving campaigns to improve Q3 performance.
Luxury Travel Remains Steady
Data from Grand View Research suggests the luxury market will increase by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9% annually in 2025. Despite economic uncertainty, Amadeus Demand360® data also shows occupancy on the books for Q3 2025 as of April 20 is steady compared to last year. Even if some traveler segments take a wait-and-see approach, high-end spenders are moving forward with travel planning as usual.
Curacity Lead Time shows an average of 37 days from initial content exposure to reservation, and 16 days from reservation to check-in, for a total lead time of 53 days. Hotels, resorts, and cruises have plenty of time to optimize their strategies to boost awareness, create demand, and drive stronger Q3 performance.
Slow Travel Increases Stay Length
Amadeus Demand360® data shows that the average length of stay for Q3 2025 is 2.8 nights, up 0.64 nights compared to last year. However, the top markets are seeing significant gains of one night or more.
- Aspen, Colo. (+1.50 nights)
- Brooklyn, N.Y. (+1.40 nights)
- Orlando (+1.30 nights)
- New York (+1.10 nights)
- San Diego (+1 night)
Slow travel generally involves staying longer in one place, allowing for a more immersive and in-depth experience compared to fast-paced travel. It’s about prioritizing quality over quantity, spending more time in fewer locations to connect with a destination and its culture.
Hotels wanting to capitalize on this trend can implement special packages that require a three-night stay. Curating deep local experience, like partnerships with local guides, artists, chefs, or nearby small businesses for exclusive discounts or pop-ups, can also encourage stays from guests looking for cultural immersion.
Detour Destinations Surging in Popularity
As summer travel heats up, it’s not the usual suspects leading the charge. Secondary and even tertiary destinations are outpacing the world’s most iconic cities in terms of hotel performance metrics. For example, Brooklyn is pacing five percentage points ahead of its Q3 2024 occupancy rate, while Manhattan lags by one point.
- San Juan, Puerto Rico (+5.29%)
- Pasadena, Calif. (+5.04%)
- Lafayette, La. (+2.45%)
- Long Beach, Calif. (+2.18%)
- Brooklyn, N.Y. (+1.39%)
The trend is visible globally. Bristol, UK, saw greater occupancy growth than London. Guadalajara, Mexico, saw positive YoY occupancy growth, while Mexico City is pacing behind.
As overtourism becomes an increasingly pressing issue, travelers shift their focus away from major cities and towards smaller, lesser-known destinations. Combined with slow travel, the emergence of detour destinations is helping to reduce the strain on overcrowded hotspots while also giving adventurers a chance to explore new locations with fewer crowds and a more authentic feel.
Create Demand. Elevate Brand.
Download the complete dataset to check out the pacing for your market. There’s still time to learn how Curacity can help you with demand creation for Q3. No matter whether occupancy and LOS are up or down for your market, we can help you get in front of high-value, opt-in subscribers of AFAR, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and 40 of the world’s best media brands before they make purchase decisions. Get in touch with us to schedule a demo. By Q3, you could see a 10-20X ROI.
Methodology: This report analyzes forward-looking hotel booking trends for Q3 2025 (July 1–September 30, 2025) using data sourced from Amadeus Demand360®, a leading hospitality business intelligence platform. It compares Q3 2025 bookings on the books as of April 20, 2025, to Q3 2024 bookings as of April 20, 2024, providing a year-over-year view of pacing across 35 domestic U.S. markets. The insights are based on on-the-books (OTB) occupancy and average length of stay (ALOS) performance data. They are intended to provide an early indicator of travel demand patterns across the markets.
