New routes and robust intra-regional demand support international travel in North America
A new report from Amadeus, in collaboration with UN Tourism, finds passenger traffic in the Americas held steady in the 12 months through April 2026
Travel Insights 2026: North America at a Glance:
Passenger traffic across the Americas increased 0.8%, reflecting a stable travel environment.
North America remains the region’s connectivity hub, with 2,965 new international routes announced in the past year.
While bookings to the U.S., Canada and Mexico softened, demand grew across Central America (+7.5%) and South America (+5.5%).
Canada, Jamaica and the Republic of Korea recorded the strongest growth in search interest for travel to North America.
Hotel performance remained resilient, with steady occupancy levels and continued ADR growth across the region.
All insights are powered by Amadeus Travel Intelligence, combining air, hotel, and traveler data to provide a comprehensive view of travel demand across the Americas.
Passenger traffic across the Americas held broadly steady between May 2025 and April 2026, with an increase of 0.8% according to a new report from Amadeus, Travel Insights 2026: Focus on the Americas, released in collaboration with UN Tourism.
The report finds that travel volumes remain closely aligned to scheduled capacity throughout the period, pointing to a stable operating environment overall. The report draws on Amadeus Travel Intelligence data to examine how demand is shifting across North America.
"At Amadeus, we want to give destinations and travel marketers the concrete data they need to plan ahead. This report offers a clear view of where travelers are coming from, how they are booking, and where demand is moving. As the travel industry searches for new opportunities, we’re here with the research to help leaders make strategic and informed decisions."
Jill Boegel SVP of Commercial, Americas, Hospitality, Amadeus
"At UN Tourism, we're committed to supporting destinations in driving economic growth, inclusive development, and environmental sustainability. North America's data this year shows a subregion that remains the backbone of travel in the Americas, boosting tourist flows in the region. The growth in new routes and emerging search markets gives destinations a clear, evidence‑based starting point for where to focus next."
Shaikha Al Nuwais Secretary-General, UN Tourism
UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer data for the Americas shows a 2% increase in international tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2026, with mixed results across subregions. North America, which accounts for over 60% of the region’s arrivals, grew 2% growth in Q1 2026. Central America saw a strong 18% increase, while results were somewhat weaker in the Caribbean (+0%) and South America (-1%).
Bookings to North America hold steady, while interest in Central and South America grows
Overall, North America's air passenger traffic held essentially flat in the 12 months to April 2026, edging down 0.1% year-over-year, even as available seat capacity rose 2%. With 2,965 new international routes announced in the last year, North America is positioned as the hemisphere's primary connectivity hub, underscoring the region’s role as a global gateway.
In comparison, other subregions saw growing interest: Central America saw the largest increase with 7.5% traffic growth, and South America grew by 5.5%.
Intra-regional travel remains the foundation of demand, with rising search interest from Asia and the Caribbean signaling room to diversify
North America's demand remains highly self-sustained, with intra-regional travel between the US, Canada and Mexico driving the majority of volume. Search and booking rankings are closely aligned: the three countries hold the same year-over-year rankings as top origin markets, giving destinations a reliable, stable base for long-term planning and air-connectivity strategy.
At the same time, search interest from outside the traditional core is rising. Canada (42%), Jamaica (40%) and the Republic of Korea (39%) posted the strongest year-over-year search growth into North America, with Japan (37%) and Puerto Rico (36%) showing notable momentum. Conversion into actual bookings is more concentrated in Asia: bookings from Japan grew 7%, followed by China (2%), and the Republic of Korea (1%). The gap between broad search interest and booking conversion from travelers in the Caribbean points to an opportunity for destinations to turn curiosity into actual trips.
Hotel performance holds steady, with a mature traveler base supporting predictable planning
Hotel occupancy across North America showed resilience through peak months from May to October, providing a solid base for revenue planning. Average daily rates (ADR) are the highest in the hemisphere, with the United States and Canada leading. Hotel occupancy was steady and ADR continued to edge up across every sub-region in the hemisphere, suggesting pricing power is intact while volume remains constant. Forward-looking bookings remained well aligned across major markets, giving destinations early visibility into demand.
North America's key destinations draw a diverse, multigenerational visitor base built on mid-term planning, translating into a predictable, consistent rhythm month over month. The 46-to-65 age group leads demand across New York City, Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas, while the 36-to-45 cohort shows the strongest presence in Atlanta and Dallas.
About Amadeus Destination Gateway
“Travel Insights 2026: Focus on The Americas” draws on data from Amadeus Destination Gateway, part of our Amadeus Travel Intelligence offering. The tool blends historical and forward-looking hotel, air and traveler sociodemographic data from Amadeus’ expansive business intelligence suite for a 360° view of the traveler journey. Intuitive dashboards are designed to help destinations quickly identify what is happening in their market, including air searches, hotel bookings, emerging traveler trends, top source markets, visitor profiles and length of stay.
The full report is available to download at Travel Insights 2026: Focus On The Americas - May 2025 To April 2026 - Amadeus Hospitality
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