Where Travelers Look for Trip Inspiration
This article is published in collaboration with Statista
by Jack Lillis
Social media is the dominant source of travel inspiration in China and India, used by 68% and 63% of travelers respectively, according to the Booking.com 2026 Travel Trends survey. Both countries also lead across every other channel: travel booking websites (51% and 49%), search engines (60% and 43%), and AI chat tools (44% and 42%). Argentina sits in the middle, with 54% of its travelers using social media and 39% turning to booking websites, though its AI chat tool usage is just 19%.
Western markets tell a different story. In the USA and Germany, social media reaches only 34% of travelers in each country, and search engines sit at 36% and 31%. The UK lags furthest behind at 23% for social media and 25% for search engines. Travel booking websites hold up better across these markets, at 36% in the USA, and 30% in both Germany and the UK, but the gap with China and India remains wide.
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