Americans are travelling abroad in larger numbers and spending more on premium experiences, Intrepid Travel’s North America president Leigh Barnes said, as the company reports growing demand from the US outbound market.
Nuanced picture of travel and life in the US
Speaking from Seattle, where he has lived for almost two years, Barnes described the US as a complex destination: a place that can be “incredibly nice” yet still face significant challenges. That duality, he said, helps explain why perceptions of the country can both be accurate and misleading at the same time.
“It’s such a big country, and your perceptions that you have will often be true, but also untrue,” Barnes said. “People are incredibly nice. It’s an amazing place to travel, but there are challenges, and they’re very true. So it’s about trying to be okay that both things can be true at the same time.”
Outbound boom and a tilt to premium
Barnes told Travel Weekly that Intrepid’s US outbound business has performed strongly in recent months. He said the company has seen sustained growth over the past four to five months and that travellers are increasingly willing to pay for higher-end, exclusive and experiential travel.
- Premium demand: US customers are showing a rising appetite for premium products and exclusive experiences.
- Higher standards: Travellers are seeking experiences that offer distinctiveness and social value — things to share when they return home.
- Spending behaviour: There is a pattern consistent with the so-called K-shaped recovery idea, where some people have more disposable income and spend more on travel.
Barnes noted that the higher-spending cohort is willing to pay for better comfort and unique experiences, which is prompting a shift across operators to offer more premium options.
Inbound softness and domestic travel
That surge in Americans travelling internationally contrasts with a softer inbound market to the US. Barnes reported fewer arrivals from traditional markets such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany. Domestic tourism within the US — including visits to national parks and regional travel — has helped offset some of the decline in international visitors, but it has not fully compensated for the lower inbound numbers.
| Trend | Description |
|---|---|
| Outbound | Growing strongly, increased bookings and spend on premium experiences |
| Inbound | Softer arrivals from key international markets |
| Domestic | Helping to offset inbound decline but not fully replacing it |
For South African and international travellers, the shifts Barnes describes have practical implications. A stronger US outbound market can mean more demand for sought-after global experiences and higher competition for premium inventory, while a softer inbound market may change pricing dynamics and travel product availability within the US.
From a lifestyle perspective, the story signals a continued appetite for travel that blends comfort with authenticity. Travel operators and agents may respond by packaging more high-end, experiential itineraries, while travellers who want value might find opportunities where inbound softness eases price pressure.
As Barnes implies, travel choices and impressions are rarely absolute. The current patterns underline that people’s experiences of the US — whether as residents, visitors or observers — will vary widely across regions and communities. For now, travel buyers and industry watchers can expect a market where premium demand is on the rise even as international flows to the US remain uneven.
