Published Dec 31, 2025

Travel Trends: 2026 Forecasting

The national conversation around travel heading into 2026 is one of cautious optimism. Across U.S. Travel, Destinations International, and CoStar’s latest reports, the message is consistent: Travel demand is growing—but unevenly—and destinations must work harder and smarter to secure their share.

Below is a brief overview of where the industry is headed, what we’re watching for Baton Rouge, and how Visit Baton Rouge is preparing to respond.

2026 National Forecasting

  • According to US Travel Association, surveys from Longwoods International, Miles Partnership, and Future Partners all show steady demand, with only about 10% of travelers saying economic uncertainty could lead them to cancel their holiday trips.
  • Domestic leisure spending is projected to grow 4.2% annually in 2026, with travelers seeking value, authenticity, and convenience.
  • Nationally, six-month travel intentions remain resilient even with a landscape of uncertainty.
  • International inbound travel continues to underperform compared to last year but is expected to rebound to 2019 levels by 2029 due to major events like the 2026 World Cup, America250, and the 2028 Olympics.

2026 Local Forecasting

  • STR is forecasting a drop in occupancy, average daily rate, and revenue per available room for 2026. But we are expecting business to be in line with 2024.
  • Demand remains strong and is forecasted to grow by about 1%, lining up with national trends.
  • While we are not a primary gateway market, the expected lift in international travel to Louisiana is positive for regional touring, cultural tourism, and culinary-driven itineraries. We know international travelers stay longer and spend more than our domestic travelers. VBR continues to work this market hard and is seeing the fruits of this labor.
  • Business is expected to be consistent with 2024 – so it is critical that Baton Rouge businesses take advantage of big events like the Death Valley Live concerts. Visit Baton Rouge has a healthy calendar of convention and sporting events and continues to book new business for 2026.

Lodging

  • Hotel metrics remain strong and are up year-over-year.
  • According to STR, October recorded the highest ADR of the past six months with $131.
  • Weekends remain our strongest days with an average of 65.6% occupancy.

Source for year-to-date lodging graphs: STR

Short-term Rentals

  • Short-term rentals continue to grow in popularity with all metrics outpacing last year in our market.
  • Since 2020, East Baton Rouge Parish’s short-term rental supply has been on the steady increase, doubling the number of short-term rentals available.

Source for year-to-date short-term rental graphs: KeyData

Visitor Insight

  • Average Visitor Spend: $159
  • Retail is our top spend category for visitors closely followed by food and beverage.
  • Please note - when looking at lodging spend, this number does not include those who pre-book their stay. It only includes those walking in, most likely without a reservation.

Top Origin Markets:

  • Louisiana – 38% of visitors
    • New Orleans and Lafayette are our top markets from Louisiana.
  • Texas – 17.1% of visitors
    • Houston and Dallas are our top markets from Texas.
  • Mississippi – 8.8% of visitors
    • Gulfport-Biloxi and Jackson are our top markets from Mississippi.
  • Florida – 8.6% of visitors
    • Pensacola/Pass-Brent and Crestview/Fort Walton Beach are our top markets from Florida.
  • Alabama – 6.5% of visitors
    • Mobile and Daphne/Fairhope are our top markets from Alabama.
  • Georgia – 3.4% of visitors
    • Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and Roswell are our top markets from Georgia.

As you can see, the top five origin markets are drive markets for Baton Rouge, meaning visitors will likely visit from these via automobile. Visit Baton Rouge has been and will continue to prioritize these markets, in addition to the direct flight market in Atlanta, in marketing and sales efforts.

Below is a heat map of the United States showing all of the locations our visitors have come from since January 2025.

Conclusion

Using this data, Visit Baton Rouge will remain laser-focused on our core mission: Increase visitor demand and increase visitor spending to strengthen our local economy.

Our priorities will remain clear and steady:

  • Drive high-value visitation
  • Grow visitor spending
  • Deliver meaningful economic impact for our residents
  • Support the major tourism and sports assets that will define Baton Rouge’s future

2026 will reward destinations that stay proactive and focused.

Visit Baton Rouge intends to do exactly that!