Return of International Travel Drives up Hotel Bookings for Christmas: SiteMinder
The rise in bookings complement a year-on-year increase in both length of stay and booking lead time during the Christmas week
Hotel bookings for the days leading up to Christmas, 21-25 December, are up significantly from last year—as much as 43% in Germany—shows new data from SiteMinder, the world’s leading hotel distribution and revenue platform. The surge is being driven by growth in international bookings over the month of December, which have risen as much as 26% in Indonesia and 15% in the United States.
The rises complement a year-on-year increase in both length of stay and booking lead time during the Christmas week, showing grown confidence in international travel and a return to people booking further in advance. The average length of booked stays for the period is set to increase by 6% in the UK, from 1.98 days to 2.10 days, while the average booking lead time will increase 10% in Thailand, from 84.67 days to 93.19 days.
Additionally, hotels in most markets globally are enjoying a jump in their average daily rate (ADR) for the Christmas week, including those in Spain where the ADR has risen from €186.01 last year to €200.11 this year.
Among those most on the move that week will be British travelers. They are set to feature within the top five source markets for all major tourist destinations, from Australia and Thailand to the US and Spain.
SiteMinder’s chief growth officer, Trent Innes, says, “The Christmas holidays have always brought people together from around the world and it is pleasing to see that that will again be true this year. Our data not only shows that hotel bookings are up for that week, but that there is a strong return in international travel and travelers booking months in advance. Whether they are going home to see their families or to simply take a break in an exciting destination, travelers are set to bring in significant revenue for hotels towards the end of 2024 and hoteliers would do well to maximize their visits through memorable experiences.”
SiteMinder’s Changing Traveller Report 2025 shows two-thirds (65%) of travelers globally are now more likely to travel for an event, with family reunions/celebrations topping the list. While almost half (46%) plan to book a standard (basic quality) room, the majority will splurge ‘where it matters’, with 87% willing to spend on extras like breakfast (47%), room size (30%) and views (28%). Four-in-five also intend to seek out experiences on site at their accommodation.
