Restaurants & Hotels
Spending in 2026
$5.1tn
Spending in 2035
$8.2tn
Restaurants and Hotels
Spending on restaurants and hotels continues to rise as consumers prioritise experiences, travel, and leisure in their household budgets. By 2035, global spending in this category is projected to increase from $4.9 trillion in 2025 to $8.2 trillion, reflecting the enduring appeal of dining out, hospitality, and travel‑driven consumption across both mature and emerging markets.
Key Trends Shaping the Category
✓ A Sector Powered by Discretionary Spending: Restaurants and hotels are closely tied to aspiration and lifestyle, making them especially sensitive to income levels. The category has long been driven by wealthier households and older demographics, who have both the means and the desire to spend on travel, dining, and premium hospitality experiences.
✓ Affluence Shapes the Future of Hospitality: As spending grows, the category is increasingly defined by premiumisation, from upscale dining to luxury hotels and curated travel experiences. Higher‑income consumers are driving much of this growth, reinforcing the category’s alignment with aspiration and lifestyle elevation.
Older, wealthier consumers remain the backbone of global hospitality spending, consistently allocating a larger share of their budgets to dining, travel, and leisure. Their preferences for comfort, quality, and curated experiences continue to shape the evolution of the category, from boutique hotels to experiential dining and destination travel.
At the same time, spending patterns vary across regions. Mature markets such as North America devote a significant portion of household budgets to restaurants and hotels, while emerging markets are seeing rising demand as incomes grow and travel becomes more accessible.
Understanding how and where consumers are increasing their hospitality spending is essential for operators, investors, and brands navigating a sector defined by lifestyle aspirations and global mobility.
World Data Lab’s models forecast market size, segment growth, and the evolution of consumer profiles across thousands of cities worldwide, helping stakeholders identify the most promising opportunities in a category where experience, travel, and discretionary power continue to shape global demand.
