International guests have a higher average daily rate and a longer length of stay than domestic guests booking within the U.S., according to an analysis of Expedia booking data from June 2016 through June 2017. The data showed that, on average, international travelers’ ADR is 20 percent higher than domestic travelers’ ADR. In certain markets, that difference is even more dramatic. During the window of time that Expedia analyzed, international travelers to Houston had an ADR of $119 vs. $99 for domestic, and in Atlanta, international ADR was $134 vs. $112 for domestic.
In addition to higher ADR, international inbound guests had a much larger booking window than those coming from within the states. The international booking window of 45 days is three times longer than the 15-day window for domestic guests, according to the Expedia report.
Guests coming from abroad into the U.S. also stayed longer than those traveling within the country. Expedia’s data shows that international bookings averaged one day longer than domestic—nearly three days vs. under two days. Big markets like Orlando and Manhattan had a more than 85 percent difference in length of stay, with international guests staying for four or more days versus around two days for domestic.
Expedia also looked at what destinations were most popular among overseas travelers and found that traditional leisure markets tend to lead the pack, including New York City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Oahu, San Diego, and Chicago. International travelers stayed at independent properties more often than U.S. travelers. That trend is particularly pronounced in New Orleans, where 45 percent of international guests chose independent hotels vs. 30 percent of domestic guests; Salt Lake City, where 35 percent of international stays were at independent properties vs. 25 percent domestic; and the Grand Canyon National Park market where 60 percent of international travelers and fewer than 50 percent of domestic travelers stay at independent properties.
