USTA Travel Indexes Point To Continued Modest Growth

The country’s six-year travel market expansion will continue on its modest growth trajectory through spring of next year, the United States Travel Association (USTA) predicted, after reviewing October and advance booking data.

While the overall Current Travel Index (CTI) declined for a second consecutive month in October, to 51.6 (down from 51.9 in September), it still remained above 50, which indicates travel is maintaining year-over-year growth. Modestly strong U.S. domestic leisure travel was offset by a decline in domestic business travel.

At the same time, USTA’s Leading Travel Index (LTI), an indication of where travel is headed, projected U.S. travel volume will grow at a rate of around 1.4% through April 2017, with continued growth in domestic leisure (1.8%) and flattening growth in domestic business and international inbound travel.

“While leisure demand drivers remain healthy, consumer confidence dipped slightly in October, likely in response to negative campaign rhetoric leading up to the U.S. presidential election,” USTA noted.