Investing in Travel and Tourism Stocks

It's easy to be bullish on travel and tourism stocks. Over the last few years, travel and tourism have boomed back as a top growth industry. Who couldn't use a vacation right now?

U.S. travel spending has historically grown between 2% and 4% annually, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Total U.S. travel spending is projected to grow 3.9% to $1.35 trillion in 2025, reaching up to $1.46 trillion (inflation-adjusted) by 2028. In 2025, global travel spending is expected to increase by as much as 9% by some estimates.

Travel and tourism is a broad category with a diverse list of well-known brands. For people planning to invest money in travel companies, you have plenty of options.

Best travel stocks

Best travel stocks to buy in 2025

There's a wide range of transportation, lodging, and amusement companies to get you to your destination and make sure you enjoy your stay. Since the companies vary so much, it's hard to nail down a single key metric to watch.

For example, some travel companies are asset-heavy transportation businesses like the airline industry and airline stocks. Many of these companies are broadly performing favorably for investors thanks to travel demand, despite the widely publicized headwinds facing a well-known U.S. company like Boeing (BA -0.54%). Other top picks are essentially tech companies.

The best travel and tourism stocks do share some traits, though -- namely, strong brand recognition, an easy-to-use website or app, and a loyal customer following. Here are some of the top travel and tourism companies.

Companies 1 - 3

1. Booking Holdings

Booking Holdings (BKNG -0.93%) is one of the largest online travel portals. It's the parent company of several popular travel booking sites, including:

• Booking.com.
• Priceline.com.
• Kayak.com.
• Rentalcars.com.
• Agoda.

Few companies have the ability Booking does to provide vacationers with a diverse set of travel planning and comparison tools. The travel company's global online reach should serve it well in the years to come.

Booking Holdings has done a great job of exceeding earnings and revenue expectations in recent quarters. The company's second quarter 2025 results were bolstered by a 13% year-over-year increase in gross bookings and a 16% increase in revenue.

The company is experiencing strong growth in its merchant, agency, and advertising revenue streams, driven by robust travel demand and investments in AI-driven tools as well.

2. Marriott International

Marriott International (MAR -0.88%) is one of the world's largest hotel companies, with more than 8,000 properties spread across almost 141 countries. It's a holding company for dozens of brands, including:

• Marriott.
• Sheraton.
• Westin.
• The Ritz-Carlton.
• Courtyard Hotels.
• Residence Inn.

The company has an asset-light business model, which is unique compared to other real estate investment options. It earns fees for licensing its brands and managing properties to franchisees, so Marriott doesn't incur the expenses of actual property ownership.

Marriott's extensive geographic reach, world-class brands, and global loyalty programs make it a steady, long-term, winning stock. Like many other companies in the travel space, Marriott's revenue and profitability have rebounded in the last few years.

New digital travel apps and guest reward initiatives hold ample promise to push the company's financials to fresh all-time highs in the years to come.

3. Airbnb

Airbnb (ABNB -0.01%) has completely shaken up the world of travel and vacations. The online marketplace allows homeowners and property managers to list homes, condos, and other unique places to stay.

It's amassed a vast number of listings across the globe. Many of them are in less-traveled neighborhoods and unique locations that hotel chains can't match.

Remote work has become more commonplace in recent years, and Airbnb has emerged as a beneficiary of this change in the global workforce, too. The company continuously upgrades its platform to meet the needs of both hosts and guests.

A few recent upgrades included flexible-date search tools and offerings that make the process of becoming a host faster and easier. There are also numerous countries where Airbnb has minimal listings, too.

The stock hasn't gained in recent years, on par with the profitable expansion of the underlying business. However, Airbnb is a top growth stock worth considering, especially now that it touts lucrative profit margins to pair with its rate of expansion.

Companies 4 - 5

4. The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company's (DIS 0.64%) theme parks and hotels are some of the world's premier vacation destinations. Disney cruise ships are also popular and offer family-themed voyages, making the House of Mouse an ancillary bet on the cruise industry, too.

Although many travel companies are totally reliant on travel demand to generate income, Disney has many other irons in the fire. In addition to travel, the company makes money from television, movies, streaming content (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+), and merchandise sales.

Disney has become a controversial business, though, embroiled in political and social debates that have been a distraction from its best-in-class properties and fan-favorite entertainment franchises. Bob Iger made a return to the CEO position in late 2022 after a brief retirement.

However, value-seeking investors may appreciate the extent to which Disney's top and bottom lines have made a meaningful recovery in recent financial reports. In Q3 2025, Disney's theme parks, cruise lines, and resorts saw a 13% increase in operating income and an 8% rise in revenue, driven by strong domestic results and a new cruise ship launch.

Disney's linear TV business, including ESPN, saw a 15% revenue decrease and a 28% drop in operating income, indicating a continued trend of cord-cutting. Despite the linear TV challenges, Disney's streaming business continues to grow, with a 6% increase in direct-to-consumer revenue and a shift to profitability.

ESPN is making major moves, including a strategic partnership with the NFL and a new direct-to-consumer streaming service launch. Disney is acquiring the NFL Network and other NFL media assets in exchange for a 10% stake in ESPN. ESPN will become the exclusive US streaming home for WWE Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania and SummerSlam, starting in 2026.

5. Uber Technologies

Top ride-hailing business Uber Technologies (UBER -2.28%) has turned over a new leaf. After years of bleeding cash as a high-growth technology darling, the company has grown up and is now highly profitable.

But why consider this as a top travel stock? Uber facilitates tens of millions of short trips every single day. Many of these are for travelers and vacationers, as well as for groups headed to and from entertainment destinations.

As the world travels, Uber is ready to provide rides and could be a top beneficiary of the travel trend. In Q2, Uber reported exceptional revenue growth at $12.7 billion, an 18% increase year over year from 2024, when its annual revenue was about $44 billion (also an 18% increase compared to 2023).

Uber achieved net income of $1.4 billion in Q2 2025, up 33% year over year. Bear in mind, Uber's net income for the fiscal year 2024 was $9.86 billion. This was a significant increase of more than 400% from 2023, and included a considerable benefit from a tax valuation release plus gains from the revaluation of equity investments.

Second-quarter gross bookings increased by 17% year over year to $46.8 billion, and trips on the platform grew by 18% to 3.3 billion during the same period. Uber's growing user base and increased platform usage on top of its favorable financial growth are all green flags for the future of the business.

Travel ETFs

Travel and leisure ETFs

If you're bullish on travel and tourism but would rather not invest in individual companies, then buying shares in an exchange-traded fund (ETF) may be a better option. Travel-focused ETFs invest in large numbers of travel and tourism companies and provide instant portfolio diversification within the sector.

Three travel ETFs to consider:

• The ETFMG Travel Tech ETF (NYSEMKT:AWAY) is a travel technology-focused ETF. About half of its holdings by value are bookings and reservations companies, with the remainder split among ride-sharing, price comparison, and travel advice businesses. The fund has 30 stocks and an annual expense ratio of 0.75% (or $7.50 a year for every $1,000 invested.
• The U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS 0.0%) is a niche travel ETF focused on airlines. U.S. airline stocks make up more than half of the fund's holdings, which also include the stocks of several international carriers. The fund has an annual expense ratio of 0.60%.
• For a more diversified travel and leisure portfolio, consider an ETF such as the Invesco Dynamic Leisure and Entertainment ETF (PEJ -0.39%). The portfolio contains 30 U.S. stocks spread across travel, accommodations, and entertainment businesses. The fund has an annual expense ratio of 0.57%.

Related investing topics

Alternative options

Alternative travel investments

Your travel-related investments are no longer confined to this planet. Several companies are exploring space, including publicly traded Virgin Galactic Holdings (SPCE -0.48%). Richard Branson's company is now offering flights into space -- for $450,000 per astro-tourist.

Another option is the Procure Space ETF (NYSEMKT:UFO). The ETF invests in a variety of companies that are catering to Virgin Galactic and its competitors as they work to take flight to the next level.

Don't forget ecotourism stocks

Ecotourism is a fast-growing niche, especially among younger travelers. The objective of ecotourism is to learn about and support conservation efforts in exotic and often threatened natural environments and to visit those places without causing any further ecological damage.

• Specialized tours, lodging in remote locales, and minimizing carbon emissions while traveling are all forms of ecotourism.
• Although most ecotourism companies are not publicly traded, travel booking companies such as Airbnb and Booking.com provide services that allow vacationers to find and schedule ecotourism experiences.
• JetBlue Airways (JBLU 2.29%) stands out for its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
• The discount airline has also established partnerships with multiple environmental organizations, including The Nature Conservancy and The Ocean Foundation.

Travel companies are often niche, enabling you to invest in a variety of travel and tourism stocks that cater to your particular interests and investment priorities. Investors interested in ecotourism should look for eco credentials when evaluating travel and tourism stocks.

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