Based on this analysis, if the trend of flight bookings continues at current levels, it is estimated that 1.5 billion more passengers will fly worldwide than last year. Based on public information about Tourism, as well as anonymous sales activity data from the Mastercard network, the report analyzes key elements in traveler patterns. The main conclusions up to April 2022 are:

–Leisure and business flights exceed pre-pandemic levels: Since late April, global flight bookings for holidays have surpassed pre-pandemic levels by 25%: melee increased by 25%, while average distance increased by 27%. On the other hand, global business flight bookings surpassed 2019 levels for the first time in March, with long-haul growth in the double digits in April. His return to the office was a determining factor.

Global cruise ship spending grew 62 percentage points from January to end of April

–The transport sector sees an increase in spending: Global spending on cruises grew by 62% from January to April, although it remains below 2019 levels. Buses have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, while spending on train tickets per passenger remains 7% below. In addition, car travel by road remains attractive, with spending on tolls and car rental increasing by almost 19% and 12%, respectively.

–Travelers spend more on experiences than objects: Spending on experience is now 34% above 2019 levels; the areas that showed the greatest increase in spending were bars and nightclubs (72%) and theme parks, museums, concerts and other recreational activities (35%). International tourism spending on experiences grew by 60% in Singapore and about 23% in the United States. In the UK, spending for each month of 2022 has more than doubled from 2019. In fact, in April 2022 it has grown by 140% compared to the same month of 2019.

–Restrictions relaxed: The positive evolution of the pandemic and a return to normal in much of the world, with the exception of some parts of Asia-Pacific, has driven travel bookings. The result is United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands are now the main destinations for tourists from all over the world.

“Like any airline, tourism recovery faces challenges and obstacles. As the ‘Great Balance’ strikes across the globe, this mobility is essential for a return to the life we ​​lived before the pandemic,” said Bricklin Dwyer, Mastercard economist and director of the Mastercard Institute of Economics. “Consumers’ resilience to return to ‘business as usual’ and make up for lost time makes us optimistic that the recovery will continue, despite obstacles along the way.”