Travel industry sees rise in last-minute bookings

Recent data indicates a growing trend toward last-minute bookings in the travel and hospitality sectors. According to the ‘Global Travel Trends & Activities Index 2026’ by Civitatis, travel agencies plan significantly further in advance than direct consumers. While agencies book activities with a median of 31 to 49 days of notice, direct B2C consumers often book with a median of only 11 to 26 days, with half of direct consumers booking just 11 days before their activity.

In the European hotel sector, Revfine reports that booking windows are also shrinking. In 2025, 40% of hotel reservations were made within seven days of arrival, and approximately 13% were booked on the same day. This shift toward short-term demand forces hotels to monitor real-time booking trends more closely to manage pricing and occupancy levels.

Geographically, Southern Europe remains the dominant region for activity bookings, though Asia is projected to see growth, potentially surpassing North America in booking share during the second half of 2026. Within the agency channel, Italy maintains a leading market share, while the United States is seeing an increase in its position.