American Express tourism trends report live events as a significant factor in travel

American Express’ newly released 2025 Global Travel Trends Report, has revealed that more than three-quarters of Australians are looking to travel in 2025 and that nearly half are planning to book a trip this year to attend an entertainment event.

The report shows that 78% of Australians plan to take up to three holidays this year, signalling a strong appetite for both local and international getaways.

For domestic trips, 51% of Australians will travel just as much as they did in 2024, while 34% are planning to travel even more. For international travel, 43% will maintain their usual travel habits, with approximately one-third (34%) saying they will venture abroad more frequently this year.

Many Australians are not only planning to travel more but are selecting destinations that offer the best value as well as curated, unique experiences. Top priorities for those looking travel this year include places that match their budget (68%), followed by attending an entertainment event (46%), places that match interests such as food, sport and fashion (42%), as well as locations that offer authentic local experiences (42%).

The American Express Global Travel Trends report reveals the trend of travelling for event experiences is taking off globally, with more than half (53%) of adults worldwide planning a trip around entertainment events in 2025.

Commenting on the findings, Corinne Ng, General Manager of American Express Travel and Lifestyle Services, advised “as many Aussies prioritise experiences, live events are becoming the ultimate excuse to explore new destinations and celebrate passions to make lasting memories.”

The report reveals that Australians are taking a more personalised and technology-driven approach to travel this year, with 70% saying Generative AI is useful in booking their trip, particularly for activity recommendations (34%) when planning. GenAI is also being frequently leveraged for budget management, translation assistance and itinerary building.

Ng noted “it’s clear that Aussies are redefining travel by prioritising meaningful experiences, maximising reward points and blending technology with personal insights.”

The 2025 Global Travel Trends report also shows that travel hacking has firmly established itself as a popular and strategic approach to securing better tourism experiences, with 44% of respondents in the survey planning to use points for travel this year.

Here Ng noted “when used responsibly, credit cards can be a great way to earn points for travel, especially cards that offer flexibility to transfer points across airlines.

“60% believe combining credit card points with loyalty programs gives the best value for international travel and 48% report they’re likely to stack travel benefits from multiple loyalty programs to potentially get the best experience across flights and accommodation.”

Click here to view the 2025 Global Travel Trends Report.

Image credit Tamworth Country Music Festival.