The research library that
answers back.
The Phocuswright AI research assistant gives Open Access subscribers instant, cited answers from the industry's most trusted travel intelligence, across every segment, every region, every report.
No more digging through reports.
Open Access subscribers now have a direct conversation with the Phocuswright library. Ask a question, get a synthesized answer with full source citations, then go deeper.
Ask anything
Type a question the way you'd ask a colleague. Market sizing, consumer trends, competitive share, technology adoption, regional forecasts — the assistant understands context and intent.
Get cited answers
Every response is sourced directly from Phocuswright research, with report title, publication date and page number. No guesswork. No hallucinations. Just data you can act on.
Go deeper
The conversation adapts. Refine the scope, change the region, ask a follow-up. The assistant synthesizes across multiple reports in a single exchange.
Real questions. Real answers.
These are actual exchanges from the Phocuswright AI research assistant, showing the depth and citation quality subscribers get every day.
Short-term rental dynamics across two of travel's biggest markets
A single question surfaces synthesized findings across four Phocuswright reports, spanning generational behavior, comparison shopping patterns and competitive dynamics between STRs and hotels.
Short-Term Rental Consumer Trends: U.S. vs. Europe
Both markets are maturing, but behavioral patterns, country-level differences and attitudes toward STRs diverge significantly.
U.S.: Competition Intensifies, Reputation Pressures Mount
STR usage is generationally polarized. Gen Z leads STR adoption at 41% usage in the past 12 months, compared to just 13% of Baby Boomers+. Hotels remain dominant across all age groups, but the gap narrows sharply among younger travelers — 34% of millennials and younger used an STR vs. 56% who booked a hotel. U.S. Consumer Travel Report 2025 (Oct. 2025, PDF p.45)
Hotel vs. STR comparison shopping is rising. 57% of U.S. travelers who stayed in either a hotel or STR compared both options before booking — up from 50% in 2023/24. Millennials (74%) and Gen X (61%) are the most likely to cross-shop, while Baby Boomers+ rarely do (24%). Travel Forward: Data, Insights and Trends for 2026 (Jan. 2026, web article)
Top reasons guests choose STRs are space (43%), value for money (42%) and kitchen/laundry access (39%). U.S. Consumer Travel Report 2025 (Oct. 2025, PDF p.47)
Experiential travel: from megatrend to market data
The assistant draws on consumer surveys across multiple geographies to quantify one of travel's most discussed but often under-measured demand drivers, with specific figures from the Phocuswright research library.
Experiential & Culturally-Motivated Travel: Key Findings
The "Experiences Over Things" Megatrend
The preference for experiences over material goods is the core demand driver behind one of travel's fastest-growing sectors. In-destination experiences reached $271 billion in gross booking value in 2025 and are growing at an 8% nominal CAGR (2023–2029) — outpacing the overall travel industry at 5% — powered explicitly by this consumer megatrend. The Outlook for Travel Experiences 2019–2029 (Feb. 2026, PDF p.4)
Cultural Activities: What Travelers Are Actually Doing
U.S. travelers (past 12 months, 2024/25):
| In-Destination Activity | % of U.S. Travelers |
|---|---|
| Active/adventure activity | 32% (vs. 26% in 2023/24) |
| Cultural site or museum | 29% |
| Food/culinary experience | 27% |
| Attended a festival or event | 22% |
Channel share, booking triggers and platform-level data in one exchange
Three distinct research questions resolved in a single conversation, with structured data tables pulled directly from Phocuswright's latest market sizing work.
1. Channel Preferences: Where U.S. Travelers Book
The U.S. travel market is firmly supplier-led, but OTAs dominate among younger travelers and price-seekers.
Overall channel split (2024):
| Channel | Share of Total Market |
|---|---|
| Supplier-Direct Online | 42% |
| OTA | 22% |
| Travel Agent / TMC | 19% |
| Central Res / Walk-In | 17% |
Questions worth asking.
A few ways subscribers are already using the Phocuswright AI research assistant to accelerate their work.
"What is the current size of the U.S. hotel market and how is it projected to grow?"
"How are U.S. travelers using AI to plan and book trips?"
"What is the current state of agentic AI adoption across the travel industry?"
"What is the current OTA share of U.S. hotel bookings?"
"What share of managed business travelers are using AI for booking?"
"Which travel tech verticals are attracting the most venture capital right now?"
Every segment. Every region.
The assistant draws from the full Phocuswright catalog, spanning decades of primary research across the global travel industry.
- Air
- Hotels & Lodging
- Online Travel Agencies
- Short-Term Rentals
- Car Rental
- Cruise
- Tours & Activities
- Corporate Travel
- United States & Canada
- Europe
- Asia Pacific
- Latin America
- Middle East & Africa
- Market sizing & forecasts
- Consumer behavior surveys
- Technology & innovation
- Competitive landscape
- Startup & investment data
- Distribution dynamics
- New reports added regularly
- Interactive databases
- Market essentials series
- Annual flagship studies
- Trend briefs & snapshots
The intelligence your team needs is already in the library.
Phocuswright Open Access is the only way to unlock the AI research assistant. Subscribe to get instant, cited answers from the industry's most trusted source of travel market intelligence.