United States
Expedia Group unveiled new research1 showing mountain tourism is on the rise: 16.7 million American winter sports travelers spent over $85 billion on overnight trips in the past year.2
“Winter sports travelers are not only passionate – their sport is a big part of their lifestyle, and they’re willing to splurge on these types of trips,” said Melanie Fish, VP of Public Relations for Expedia Group brands. “Over 80% of advanced or expert athletes say their sport is a core part of their identity, and they spent an average of $3,060 on their last trip.”
What are the trending mountain destinations?
- Colorado, California, and New York were the most popular domestic destinations for mountain travelers.
- 39% of mountain travelers went abroad in the last year, with the top destinations including Canada, France, Germany, and Italy.
- These travelers took an average of four mountain trips in the past year – most often during the winter.
Who likes to take trips to the mountains?
- While 59% of people traveled with their spouse or partner on a mountain trip, winter sports travelers were more likely to travel with children.
- Older millennials (35-44 years old) are the most common age group for winter sports travelers.
Why are mountain trips popular?
- 71% of people feel that bonding with their travel companion is a priority when visiting mountain destinations.
- For winter sports travelers, 68% say they like to challenge their physical limits on these vacations, and 72% of them feel the community they encounter within their sport enhances the travel experience.
What about luxury mountain travelers?
- Luxury travelers prioritize fancier accommodations and care less about the need for a more well-rounded experience.
- 31% of luxury and upscale guests brought their pets on vacation.
- Luxury and upscale accommodations are preferred by advanced and expert winter sports athletes, with 67% choosing elevated lodging.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
How many Americans took a winter sports trip last year?
Approximately 16.7 million U.S. adult leisure travelers took an overnight trip to participate in winter sports.
What is the total spend associated with winter sports travel?
Winter sports travelers spent over $85 billion on overnight trips in the past year.
What is the average spend per trip for winter sports travelers?
The average spend was $2,888, rising to $3,060 for advanced or expert athletes.
What are the most popular destinations for mountain travelers?
Top U.S. states include Colorado, California, and New York. Internationally, travelers favored Canada, France, Germany, and Italy.
Who are the most common winter sports travelers?
The most represented age group is 35–44 years old, and 59% traveled with their partners.
What motivates winter sports travelers?
Key motivations include challenging physical limits (68%), bonding with companions (71%), and community within the sport (72%).
Definitions and data sources:
- Mountain travelers took at least one leisure trip to mountain or snow destinations across a range of seasons in the past 12 months that involved air travel or a paid lodging stay over 75 miles from home.
- Winter sports travelers took a mountain or snow trip that included one of the following sports: skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, snowtubing or dogsledding.
- Luxury and upscale mountain travelers are those whose visits included a stay in a hotel or vacation rental that is considered to be upscale or luxury, or 4/5-star.
1: Survey of 1,987 qualified U.S. leisure travelers who had traveled to a winter/ski/snow or mountain/hiking destination offering skiing during winter. Fielded between February 11 and February 26, 2025.
2: Analysis of over 2 million guest folios transacted via the Inntopia Commerce booking engine across mountain destinations between January and December 2024. Findings were supplemented with lodging performance data from the DestiMetrics reporting set.
